Adventures in Sewing

My interest in crafting and sewing started early.

In fact, some of my earliest memories involve reams of colorful construction paper and copious amounts of scotch tape…my mom always encouraged us to be creative!

It wasn’t long until I got bored with that and graduated to using fabric and thread. And while I’ve always loved sewing (or anything creative in nature), I never really ventured past simple patterns with straight lines and easy seams.

For a long time, anything with buttons or zippers was way out of my league…until now! Our last line, Flora, has really inspired me, and in recent months, I have developed a new appreciation for my sewing machine.

Since my new obsession began I have whipped up a tote, some makeup bags, 3 journals, 2 teddy bears and a super cute clutch.

In fact, Lauren and Mom were so impressed with the clutch and the teddy bears that they insisted I share photos of them with all of you.

So there you go! I am really proud of these creations, and if you ask me, the Flora fabric adds a little something extra (and I’m not just saying that because it’s mine).

While it’s fun to share our projects with everyone, we would LOVE to see the projects that all of you have made using our fabric!

So if you’ve made something using Botany, Hideaway, or Flora, and you’d like to show it off, please don’t hesitate to send some pretty pictures of it our way. We’ll be sure to show them off on the blog and the facebook page. Happy Sewing!

The clutch is Amy Butler's pattern: "Perfectly Pleated Clutch" from her book Style Stitches. The teddy bear was altered slightly from Joel Dewberry's "Teddy Bear" pattern in his book Sewn Spaces.

My Parent's Trip to Albuquerque

A post by the youngest Jung…Carrie

It took some convincing, but after 6 months, I finally got both of my parents to visit me in Albuquerque. Mom was an easy sell. After her trip here last August, she knew just how much fun Albuquerque and the land of enchantment could be…but my dad, was a different story. It seemed that work and various other things always seemed to get in the way, but soon my unrelenting pestering got the best of him and before Mom and Dad had a chance to say no…I booked them a ticket to Albuquerque. They arrived in the ABQ late on a Thursday night…but after a good night’s sleep we began what was to be a power packed and green chile packed weekend. (For those of you not from New Mexico…New Mexicans LOVE green chile and it can be found atop most any entree you order out here) One of our first plans was to head up Sandia Peak via the tram…but said plans were foiled by an unusual rain storm (it doesn’t rain much here in the desert). We took it in stride though, and headed to Old Town Albuquerque instead. Which…as you can see, turned out to be a lot of fun.

A gargantuan lunch at El Pinto was on the docket next, which was to be our first of many doses of the New Mexico Green Chile. Pretty soon, it was time to head back to the house. Even though the gang had solid plans to take naps next, I still had to head into KUNM to host All Things Considered. And while the idea of work while my family visited seamed like a buzz kill, we managed to turn it into an activity…as Mom, Dad, and Jon showed up at the station to watch me host the last half hour of the show (ok, so that idea was partly mine too). And I think that everyone was pretty excited to check out the control room. Mom was sure to whip out her camera to document the whole experience as soon as my mic was off.

The next day was Santa Fe! After another huge lunch FILLED with green chiles, we headed off to check out the various street vendors and shops. I know the trip to Santa Fe was especially useful for Mom as she was sure to snap pictures of Native American art we found, all of the colorful tiles that line the shops, all of the beautiful ceramics at our favorite shop, The Rainbow Man.

Hmm…Perhaps we could have expensed this trip because it provided mom with so much pattern inspiration???

It was a power packed day of shopping, but before we left the area, my husband Jon and I took a detour up the mountain to check out the Aspen trees…whose leaves were supposed to be in full Fall colors.

We indeed found the colorful Aspens we were looking for, but we also found snow! And the combination of snow and colorful leaves made for some awesome pictures.

It was early to bed that night because we had to be up bright and early the next day for Balloon Fiesta! And I have to hand it to my parents, they were good sports and agreed to get up at 4am for this event. And after we took care of some digestive issues from all of the green chiles we’d eaten that weekend, and a little bit of traffic, we made it to Balloon Fiesta Park with enough time to get coffee and hot chocolate. We also managed to find the Albuquerque Quilt Guild’s stand! Which was decked out with lots of beautiful hot air balloon themed quilts. What a great find! They were also raffling off one particularly awesome Balloon Fiesta quilt. At first, I wasn’t sure if my parents were having fun that morning (it was quite the early morning and we Jungs aren’t morning people), but as soon as they saw all of the special shapes and realized that they could actually touch the balloons, I could tell that they were having a lot of fun. It really is like a flying Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade.

It’s safe to say that we all had a great weekend…but before we knew it, it was time to head back to the airport and send Mom and Dad home. I’m so glad my parents managed to make it out to visit me…And I think my mom left the state with enough inspiration to last her at least a line or two.

Drum Roll Please....

Congrats to Paulette and Gwen who will be receiving two huge bundles of fabric in the mail very soon! Whoohoo!

WINNER #1

Paulette Doyle said: Thanks so much for the chance to win a gorgeous bundle of Flora!! LOVE it!

WINNER #2

Gwen Windham said: What gorgeous fabric—- I HOPE I win!!!! :-) I really enjoyed reading your blog, and wanted to tell you that you have the cutest little Westie! My sister has a Westie- his name is Willie– and he is the sweetest thing… He “sings” when you tell him to– the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! :-)

Thanks for sharing! :-)

And let me take a moment to say... Gwen, you're my kinda girl! :) I LOVE EMOTICONS TOO!!! They allow the writer to add so much more feeling... and emotion into their writing... like never before. :) Emoticons opened up a whole world of possibilities for me!

AND... they allow you to write mean, nasty emails to coworkers without sounding too rude. For example... I might want to say... "Hey George, The burrito that you left in the fridge last week is now disgusting and moldy, and if you don't do something about this, I'm going to tell on you."

Totally rude right?

But let's change this up a bit... "Hey George :) , The burrito that you left in the fridge last week is now disgusting and moldy 8O , and if you don't do something about this, I'm going to tell on you. LOL :P "

LOL's help too. ;)

So for all the other Emoticon-aholics out there... Here's how you make them...

SMILE :)
GRIN :D
SAD :(
EEK :o
SHOCK 8O
CONFUSED :?
COOL 8)
MAD :x
RAZZ :P
NEUTRAL :|
WINK ;)

I found these here...

Floppy Hats and Poofy Skirts

One of my Mom's best friends, Connie, recently married a man that she's totally nuts about... and... as luck would have it... her new last name is the SAME as our new fabric line, FLORA! How cool is that?

Needless to say, she's been all over these fabrics... sewing away... for her three cute granddaughters: Sydney (4), Callie (almost 3), and Chloe (1). Girls are so much fun!

For the hat pattern she used Sally Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore Sun Hat by Izzy & Ivy Designs which I found online here... The skirt pattern came from Flirty Skirts by Tanya Whelan which you can download for free, here... She made the hats as directed, but varied the skirts slightly in lengths of ruffles, etc., because the pattern was not available in Chloe's size (the littlest one, see below). She was just too darn cute to leave out... so I think it was worth the extra effort.

Connie said that as soon as she saw this line... she knew that it would be great for these two patterns. The colors really pop when they're layered like this.

Every year she helps with a golf tournament that her sons/son-in-law host in memory of their dad, to benefit the Southeastern Children's Home... so she's been working super hard to get them all finished up in time for photos! Sydney, the oldest of the three, liked it so much that she insisted on wearing it the next morning for church too.

Sydney also mentioned that she thinks it will make a great beach hat. :) Ha, kids are so funny!

Connie's next project is going to be a one-year anniversary quilt for her and her sweet husband, Bill. And she mentioned again, how she's super excited that me and my Mom decided to name this fabric line after her. :) LOL. Of course we did!!

And then to finish up... I want to tell Robin, the amazing photographer (and Connie's daughter-in-law) that we love the photos!!! Especially after I found out the back story. Ha! These were all taken in the parking area of Jason's Deli in Spartanburg! How funny! It's not exactly your ideal setting, but you'd never know it from these shots! Way to go, Robin!! (She has a great blog too, Out On a Limb, with more cute photos of her adorable family!)

So, if there's anyone out there who has made something using one of our lines, we'd love to see what you've come up with!!! Just send us some photographs and a little background info... and we'll put them up on our blog.

And on that same note... These are some driftwood sailboats that my sister's aunt by marriage, Ruth has made and sent our way, what an out-of-the-box idea, super cute!!

Our Stop on the Blog Hop!

So it's our day on the blog hop, and we're super excited about everything that we've got to talk about.

I guess we sort of have two projects that we came up with. The first started out as a small (carnival-inspired) handkerchief-sized quilt, but then it blew up into a big ordeal (as is usually the case with any project we start)... which then led us to come up with our second... slightly less involved project. Both are super on-target in terms of theme though, so I plan on discussing both... because they're ADORABLE! And as with any project in the Jung family...we documented them with copious amounts of pictures...

So this past weekend, my new boyfriend Atul had the privilege of being my photo assistant for the day. (see below)

He's so cute I can't even stand it!

The location that I chose for this little photo shoot was Princeton University. ...On the ONE weekend when all of the freshman were moving into their dorms.

So there were throngs of students... parents... moving trucks... etc. through which we had to navigate... with quilts... and a box of fabric icecream cones. It's safe to say that a good time was had by all.

Anyway, aside from the fun photoshoots that go along with bloghops... We had a series of questions that we had to answer...

And if you keep up with our blog, you'll already know that Carrie, my younger sister has joined the team now, so the three of us have tag-teamed the following questions.

What's your favorite fair food? If not fair, then just food!

LAUREN / Hmm, I love fair food! Hotdogs, popcorn, funnelcakes! All fun and wonderful. ...Until the ride home when the post-fair nausea begins to set in.

JESSI / Candy apples - of any and all kinds, from the traditional red candy glaze with nuts, to the chocolate and caramel covered apples. I try to eat healthy food...I mean it IS a fruit.

CARRIE / For me, it's not a trip to the fair without a funnel cake.

What's your guilty pleasure?

LAUREN / Internet shopping! I love it entirely too much.

JESSI / Cappuccinos and Lattes - always iced - always caffeinated!

LAUREN (on CARRIE's behalf) / Anthropologie. If you were to check out Carrie's closet, you'd think she held up like ten Anthropologie stores at gunpoint. :)

What's on your bucket list?

LAUREN / 1/Machu Picchu 2/camp in the middle of the fall (right as the leaves are changing... this will probably happen this year) 3/learn a new language 4/vacation in one of those huts in Bora Bora 5/own a pottery studio (I used to do a lot of ceramics in college... definitely something I miss A LOT!)

JESSI / Would you believe, I have yet to go on a cruise?

CARRIE / Well...until recently, it was to be an extra in a movie or TV show. But soon after moving out to Albuquerque I finally got the awesome opportunity to be in the show In Plain Sight. You can find me in Season 4 episode 3. I am the bridal store attendant. It was especially exciting to watch it later because I have a full 4 seconds of screen time and my face isn't blurred either!

What inspires your work?

LAUREN / Internet shopping. :)

JESSI / Well, nature, of course; it's kind of like the beauty pageant answer..."world peace". But I also get inspired through fashion....magazines, catalogues, shop windows. Or I might see a mosaic wall, or a design in a carpet, and think - "that would make a great quilt!"

What movie do you watch again & again?

LAUREN JESSI CARRIE / My Cousin Vinny.

Do you sing when no one else is listening? If so, what is the song or artist?

LAUREN / I've been told I'm tone deaf... so my family only wishes that I would sing while they aren't around. But when I'm in a really good mood I bust out my best rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart". ...And Mr. Roboto.

Tell us about your pet… picture?

LAUREN / I'll let my mom take this. She's our "Rudy Spokeswoman"...

JESSI / This is Rudy - he's a Westie! VERY strong-willed!!!! I think that's what I like about him the most! Dogs in general add so much to a household and family...they are always happy to see you, and they never give you any "lip". Just like our children, right? And he's the only one of my children that get's so excited to see me that he tinkles (just a little) on the porch, when I get home from somewhere. And you don't get much cuter than that.

What do you wish people would ask about you more?

CARRIE / I would love it if more people asked me what I do out here in Albuquerque. Because aside from being the very capable project manager for Lauren + Jessi Jung Designs, I am also the local host of All Things Considered on 89.9 KUNM!

How many quilts have you made?

JESSI / hundreds

CARRIE / 4

LAUREN / I have big plans... *rubbing hands together as if to imply something wonderful is in store*

What shows do you TiVo?

LAUREN / Magnum PI.

CARRIE / Battlestar Galactica...just watch it, you'll be hooked too.

So now onto our Country Fair Projects!

Our CELEBRATION QUILT (see below) was designed with a seriously country-fair-esque theme. (Production of this pattern is currently in the works and should be available for sale very soon!) And we think it would make the perfect wall hanging backdrop for a child’s birthday party. Or you could use it as a festive covering for the gift table!

And as a cute little accessory, these ice cream cones can be whipped up in a flash, and given out as party favors. These are our official blog hop project. The instructions and a link to the template can be found below:

The cones are modified from a pattern by Tone Finnanger in the Sew Sunny Homestyle book.

ICE CREAM CONE FAVORS

1. Trace and cut out pattern templates.
2. Trace templates on WRONG sides of chosen fabrics. Cut out fabric pieces, leaving ¼” seam allowance.
3. Pin pieces, right sides together, with ice cream on top. Use template to help with placement. Sew on curved lines.
4. Trim seam allowance on curved edge. Cut slits between curves. Push curves out and press edge.
5. With right sides together, sew down side of unit. Turn right side out.
6. Tuck ice cream inside cone. Top stitch along curved edge ( below curves).
7. Pull ice cream out of cone. Stuff with fiberfil.
8. Turn ice cream top edge under, and hand sew a running stitch along folded edge. Pull thread to gather, and knot to hold.
9. Attach a red pom-pom (cherry) to top of cone.

Lastly, my mom and I also want to mention that both The Celebration Quilt and the fabric ice cream cones feature our new FLORA fabric line. FLORA is our third line and it will be in stores next month! It was inspired by an English Tea Party ambiance... with secret gardens, and small aviaries. My mom is obsessed with plant drawings that show off their roots as well as anything involving birds. We really wanted Flora to have a more elegant/decorative feel, and I think that came across with the set that we turned out.

And that should do it! You have reached the end of our Blog Hop Post. I know, I can be a bit long winded, so to reward your patience we are offering a giveaway. Two lucky winners will be receiving a fat quarter bundle of FLORA! All you have to do is post a comment. We will be announcing the winners a week from today! Thanks again for stopping by!

And if you don't know how to comment... Don't worry! Up at the top of this entry, click on the title. This will take you to the area where you can comment. At the bottom of the page you will see a comment box where you will then be prompted to post your comment, your email address and your name. Then just click "Post Comment". And that's it!! You're done!

Be sure to stop by the next blog on the hop, Stephanie from Lily Ashbury.

Oh!! And follow us on Facebook! We'll keep you posted about new lines... free patterns... etc. Just scroll up to the Facebook box over on the right side of the screen... and click "Like"!