Jenna Lou Loves You

SunRoom Stitches *New Patterns*

I'm really excited to announce that Jen and I have decided to pair together to create a new line of patterns and even more exciting.... to teach classes locally. In our SunRoom studio we offer affordable classes and mentoring that change every month to keep your closet interesting.

Our classes will begin is July with four fun projects great for sewers of all skill level. Classes will include:
:: One Piece Wonder Wallet (His and Hers)
:: A Girls Best Friend Wallet
:: Summer Fling 3 tiered skirt
:: Verna Reversible handbag

This is just the beginning. We have lots more plans for future classes and other ideas that we have to keep to ourselves at the moment. To find out more you can visit our website SunRoom Stitches.

And don't think we forgot about about all you stitchers who won't be able to make the classes. We are also offering our patterns for sale online. The SunRoom Stitches patterns will be available here.

Thanks for all your support!!
xo,
Jennalou

Jalie Hoodie

So.... who is the worst blogger ever? I am. Sorry people, but I just haven't been getting the urge to blog lately and the longer I've put it off the easier it is to say tomorrow, tomorrow.... tomorrow I will post. I guess I've just been feeling like not much of what I've been up to is very blog worthy. Anyways enough with that.

Back when I was still a bit on the sick side I decided to do a project for myself. Something I don't do enough anymore. So I pulled out one of the new Jalie sewing patterns I got my hands on and started cutting, serging, sewing, seaming. It was such a relief to take an afternoon for myself. Sewing this new pattern brought that joy, curiosity, and creativity back to me the way you can only feel when doing something for the first time. As each piece is sewn together it slowly becomes something whole and the journey to that is what I LOVE about sewing. Plus I got to hang out on the floor with this little helper when I was cutting the pieces out :DAnd so came together my new zip-up hoodie. It makes a perfect cover up for bike rides, gardening, or the quick run to the store. The Jalie pattern was very easy to understand and I felt like the look is very non-handmade. I serged 95% of the seams and used my regular machine for all the top stitching. I love this so much that I just know I'll be making more when this one becomes tired from all the use it's been getting.
 
Sewing Pattern: Jalie 2795 / Womans Jacket and Hoodie

xo,
Jennalou

Ps. Did anyone else notice it JUNE already!!?

Water Lily

Sorry to leave you all hanging with promises of new projects.... but it's really not my fault this time. As I was getting ready to do a photo shoot on Friday to show off a new skirt I made, my camera stopped working. Just like that and it's all over. The poor little thing... It's gets lots of loving attention and use around here so it must have just puttered out. I understand that... and why it would want a vacation to the camera guy for a thorough spa cleaning and repair... I get that! Maybe it was just the winter blues... it has been awfully cold around here and we did have some snow too this weekend. It was dreadful! So here's hoping that she's having a lovely time getting all mended up somewhere where the sun is shining. Hoping that she comes back as good as new!

{Click Image for larger View}

In the mean time I did manage to steal the bf's camera for my own purposes. On Friday I took a bit of me time to do some sewing. It's a bit cold to be dreaming of sun, but I've always been a dreamer so I made myself a lovely skit. It started out as the Amy Butler Barcelona A-line skit, but soon (very soon) turned into a one of a kind creation. I have to blame the zipper. I have to admit that when it comes to clothing and sewing for myself I can be a bit of a slacker (understatement). So I scrapped the zipper and sewed the panels straight up. Then I lowered the waist by 1 1/2" so it would sit just where I like. I also scrapped the muslin lining because many reviews had said it was a bit heavy and I want this to be my summer, running through the grass, enjoying the sun and lemonade skirt, so I just didn't need it. To keep it up I added a waist band of really soft elastic. Then  a simple hem to finish her off and I was golden.  And I gotta say I LOVE this skirt.... I mean I really LOVE it!! So practical and fits/feels like a dream.... now if the weather can just get about 50* I'll be a happy skirt wearing girl!!

xoxo,

Jennalou

It's DONE!

Yippy... it's done! The Girl's Best Friend Wallet Pattern is now available in the shop. And because you all have been SO good about patiently waiting for it, I'm offering a special PRESALE for one week only. All Girl's Best Friend patterns purchased during the presale will be shipping on 3-5-08. You can view more pictures of the pattern in the shop or on flickr.

It was such a pleasure to work with Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom for the cover wallet. Isn't it yummy and just screams spring... which seems far off in this winter cold, but has been on my mind all week. I have a few plans for some of the other prints too ( I ordered them all hehe) maybe some bags for the shop... and of course a few wallets I'm sure too.

Thanks to everyone for your support during my writing of this pattern. Each and every comment, email, phone call, and hug made this possible. I'd like to give a special shout out to my testers Rachel, Sarah, Barb, Donna, Lynn, and Kate... These ladies are incredible sewers who I've learned a lot from and hope to continue to learn from. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Hope you each had a lovely weekend!
xoxo,
Jennalou

Pods Sling

I was hoping to have the Girl's Best Friend patterns ready to go by now, but I'm having a little trouble securing the fabric I wanted for the cover shot. I'm going to see what I can do, but hopefully I'll have things ready to go by next week. Let's cross our fingers that a lovely package arrives any day now. I'm planning a little surprise for the release so check back in for that.

To calm my anxious pattern writing, editing, sewing, photographing nerves, I gave myself a little sewing "ME" time. I've been carrying around my Eliza Jane bag for months now, and although she's in great shape... I was in the mood for something new. So I made this lovely. I'm not sure what to call her yet... for now it's my Pods Sling.

For a first draft it turned out pretty good. I'm really liking the adjustable strap so I can wear it as a shoulder bag or around my body as a sling. I think if I did this again I would swap out the zipper for a magnetic snap. Inside I experimented with some different pockets. One side has a zippered pocket and the other a cell phone and pen pocket. More pictures can be found here.

I really like the shape and am thinking about using it for some spring totes. It's always so fun to just play around in my sewing room to see what I can come up with, but the downside is I tend to throw things everywhere and make a huge mess. It's part of my creative process... but now I must go clean and get back to the daily sewing routine.

xo,
Jennalou

Back to the mat

On Monday I started an Introductory To Hatha Yoga class at our local yoga studio. I used to be really into yoga and would practice at home 3 to 4 times a week when I was in high school, but somewhere along the line I lost track of it and as we moved from place to place never found a studio to motivate me or the time to do it at home.

As part of my New Years resolution I'm going back to the mat and I'm starting fresh, from the beginning. I've never been much of a runner or a weight lifter, but yoga is totally my cup of tea. I love the control you gain, the strength you find in your own body, and the relaxation and peace. And this time around I really want to learn about it... not just do it. I want to learn why a pose has it's name and how it helps my body.

AND... to treat myself and my new yoga practice I made a mat bag. The first one I made was a little short. It totally still works, but because I'm a bit of a perfectionist I made a second one with a longer body so the drawstring can close properly and a longer strap so I can more comfortably tote it from home to studio messenger bag style. AND I just LOVE them!! I want to wear my yoga mat all over town to show off the bag. I know that sounds absurd, but I really do. Would it be weird to wear it to the market?? what about the mall??

Well at least I can wear it to the studio!! You can see more photos of the bags here.

Namaste

Patterns Available.

I made a quick note of this in my post yesterday, but I thought I'd do a formal post. Yesterday I picked up my patterns (YEY) and they are now available in my shop!

I'm off now to start the cleaning and baking and cleaning... and gardening and cleaning... did I say cleaning??

John's entire family is coming over for Thanksgiving tomorrow and I want everything to be just perfect.

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!! There is so much to be thankful for this year!!
xoxo,
Jennalou

Holiday Ornament Swap

This is my first year participating in the Holiday Ornament Swap put on by Kathleen of cake & pie and Nicole of freshly blended.

I decided to do some recycled sweater mitten ornaments. The sweater was picked up at my local thirft shop for a couple bucks and I felted it at home. Then to give it an extra touch I embroidered the first initial of each girl onto a little piece of felt. Each mitten is strung with a bit of vintage ric rac to hang it on the tree. I went with some untraditional colors, green and hot pink, and now I'm thinking of decorating my entire house for the holidays like this. I'll have to convince the boyfriend of it, but I think hot pink and dark green are swell for Christmas.

Yey for the Holiday Ornament Swap! I had so much fun making these little lovelies and hope all you girls in swap group 23 love 'em.

xoxo,
Jennalou

P.S. The Fiona patterns are READY TO GO!! They will be available in the shop today!! WHOOO!

 

The Big Reveal: Fiona Handbag

I know I've been going on and on and on about this big secret project. Teasing with photos, but not a good solid hint. It's been in the works for several months now, and I've made you wait and wait.... well... wait no more! I can't hold it in any longer!!

All this time I've been researching and writing and drawing and photographing the Fiona for it's grand reveal as a pattern!! Yes that's right. I finally wrote a pattern!! It's been a dream of mine since I started designing almost two years ago. Due to some rather unfortunate events I kinda finally fell into the project of my dreams. And once I started I knew I had to follow through.

It was a quite interesting process. As a designer you only have to think for yourself. You know your limits and you know what you are good at, but as a pattern writer you really begin to look at how other people sew. At how your techniques will be received by beginner, intermediate, and advanced sewers. It has really opened up my eyes. And not only to sewing, but also to photography and graphic design and dealing with printers and ordering all the little things that will bring it ogether and on and on and on (I've learned SO much). It has been a truly amazing experience and if all goes well with this first pattern I will be planning many many more to share with you in the future.

The patterns aren't quite available yet, but they will be... and SOON. I'm scheduled to pick them up on Wednesday of next week (right before the holiday) and I will get them listed in the shop as soon as I possibly can so those who want to make Fiona as a holiday gift will have time.

Thanks to everyone who patiently awaited the reveal!! I hope it's more than you expected.
xoxo,
Jennalou

Quick Quilt WIP

I don't really know if there is such a thing as a quick quilt, but I'm trying to whip this up and so far so good. I did what you see in the picture in a couple hours the other night. All the squares came precut (5" by 5") from a seller on Ebay. It was my first time buying a charm pack, but I have to say that it really saved a TON of time. I'm sure many of you have long known the joy of these little beauties, but I just figured it out so bear with me.

All the squares are Charm by Amy Butler mixed with some yummy linen from my local shop. It's not much of a fall/winter quilt, but I'm not much of a fall/winter person. At least not in color choices. I love the cooler breezy days of fall... they are perfect for bundling up, but I'm not so keen on the darker colors. It's just not me. I've been trying to turn on the fall switch to m ake some things for the shop, but it's been pretty hard to come up with ideas for the season that really speak to me. Maybe a long walk through the leaves will tune down my color pallet.

Anyways back to the quilt. I think I'll add a boarder and not sure what I'm doing for the backing yet... we will see.

xoxo, Jennalou

ps. anyone else having problems with viewing typepad blogs?? I can't get any to load and feel like I'm really missing out on all the Quilt Market excitement.