The plaid jewel box quilt is growing...here are the blocks I have completed so far. Nothing is sewn together yet. I worked the last couple days, so am catching up at home today. Laundry, cleaning, you know how it goes!! I will tell you...this quilt is a wonderful leader/ender idea...or just when you have 15 minutes, you can get an amazing amount done with this pattern!! A four patch based pattern...I like it!By the way...do you usually buy a pattern and follow it? I almost never do...although I have quite a few patterns, I buy them for the ideas, then end up tweaking it and making it my own...what do you do? Or I see a quilt and draft the pattern for it....that is fun. I would love to know what you do, and where you get your best ideas!!!
*********************Nursing notes**************************
Nurses: I am so blessed to work with an incredible group of nurses. It is strange, I am a generation older than most, and almost two generations older than the youngest nurses coming in. I feel very motherly toward the new nurses... The vast majority are ladies, but men are present in this profession too...mostly in the ER and CCU, the guys seem to gravitate to places of high adrenaline, LOL!! One dear nursing friend is just brilliant, graduating high school at age 15, nursing school at 19... Such an incredibly smart nurse...almost done with her master's degree in her very early 20's. Another is zany, wacky, crazy...and just as brilliant. Detail oriented to the nth degree, she is my polar opposite in that way...and she is wonderful. Another? In her 60's...a heart of gold, and still working 60 hours a week like all the rest of us...a dear, dear nurse who really cares. Many years of education, experience and love comprise our staff...I love them all.
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Have a great day!!
Julie
37 comments:
I love this quilt. It really looks pretty easy to make....I think I need to try one :)
You quilt is just wonderful!
Love your jewel box blocks. I have a similar project in the works as a leader/ender.
Your plaid quilt blocks are coming along nicely!!! I know how it is trying to fit in precious sewing time around housework and shift work - frustrating at times!
How nice of you to honour your nursing colleagues the way you do, I am a senior nurse (which really means an 'old tart' LOL!) I work with a great bunch of people too, you need a good sense of humour in the area I work in!!! I also preceptor nursing students and graduates, which I find very rewarding!
As far as quilts go, I rarely work directly from patterns, except some small quilts, but like you do gain inspiration from pictures/patterns, and end up playing around on EQ to get exactly what I want in terms of size, colour, design etc.
The jewel box pattern is one of my favorites! Love how it looks! Most of the time, I will start out step-by-step with a pattern and then do my own thing.
Kristie
This is a great plaid quilt. I have a stack of neutral plaids that I must do something with! Your friend with the fabric is a good lesson for all, I'm trying to use up and only buying for specific projects that I am working on in the moment. Next week another 50 collections will be released, they will be beautiful, this will repeat itself. I don't think the stores will run out if I use up some of what I have right now.
The quilt is going to be just fab!
I work with a great bunch of nurses too! They make work so much more fun.
I adore all those plaids!
Like you, a pattern generally gets me started, but then I go off on my own. I made my grandson this quilt for Christmas - minus the plaids. It came out great! I handquilted his name in block letters within one of the borders. It made a lovely gift. Yours is coming along very nicely! ~karen
Love the plaids.
I to am a nurse and feel blessed to work with an amazing group of people. Glad to know there are other nurses out there that are not eating the young so to say and scaring them off.
That is so nice you like the group of nurses you work with. I'm so glad to see men in the profession too. When my dad was in the hospital he responded the best to the men nurses.
I very rarely use a pattern, unless its applique.
I am the same as you... don't often buy a pattern and never end up making it as written. I bought 2 patterns this year so far and have not enjoyed either one. I do love mystery quilts and like to make quilts based on the inspiration of a quilt I've seen and loved...like your jewel box!
i luv your quilt....i just saw it hanging at my quilt store today and took a picture of it with my phone so i could create the pattern! What size are your finished 4 patch and HST blocks? Can't wait to see yours finished!!
I love the colors and pattern of this quilt. I am sorry if I offended in my last comment about plaids, did not mean to. Fantastic job. Have a wonderful weekend.
From one plaid fan to another, LOVE IT!!!!
I made this quilt as a quilt-along from another blogger. Usually I see a quilt I like and try to figure it out on my own. Or I'll try a free pattern that I get off the net. I like the plaids that you used. Thanks for sharing, your quilts and comments about your job.
cindy
its great to be able to add a few blocks whenever you have a "spare" minute! Nice to work with such a talented (and nice) bunch of people...makes going to work not so much of a chore! Lucky patients too!
I am a lurker on many blogs and when I see a pattern or quilt that strikes my fancy, I use my EQ7 to draw the block and put it in my file marked blog patterns. I have patterns that I rarely use. I am scrap quilter through and through.
This is a beauty! Most patterns, I follow the instructions because I liked it enough to buy it. Sometimes I change the way it is bordered and do my own thing.
The quilt is looking great! Yep, I change patterns too at times to suit myself.
Love those plaids!
I find myself using patterns less and less. I love them and buy them, but when it comes to actual quilt-making I'm more drawn to photos of vintage quilts as inspiration.
Can be a challenge - but so, so fun *s*
Jewel Box was one of the first quilts I ever made, and is still one of my favorite patterns. It was just so satisfying to see that wonderful design develop. Your quilt is beautiful.
Your plaid jewels looks fabulous! Interesting to read the comments. I tend not to use patterns, but use books, magazines and blogs to get ideas. Have a great weekend!
I'm with you Julie. I never use the pattern as given, but get the inspiration from it and change it to my liking. I love drafting quilt designs on graph paper, then play with the sizing until it's just the right block size to work.
Your jewel box is looking great, and I'm so glad you are working with wonderful people. We've never had a bad experience when hospitalized, and I think the nurses made that happen!
And while we're on the subject, what do you like as 'thank you' gifts for the nursing crews....we've always done muffins or chocolates....but is there something better? I'd hate to think that they all rolled there eyes at yet another basket of muffins. Tell the truth, I can take it!
I usually work from a pattern as I am a fairly new quilter. Where can I find the jewel box pattern? I love it in the plaids. TIA I read your blog often and love your nurses notes as much as your quilty news. Thanks for taking the time to chat with all of us "lurkers'.
Love your quilt! I haven't worked on a quilt in a while, and I get so inspired when I see quilts like this one. I really need to try to take a break from playing with yarn to play with my poor, neglected sewing machine.
As far as patterns, sometimes I follow one, sometimes not, just depends. But I do like having lots around for inspiration.
Wow, your jewel box is looking great! I'm mostly a pattern follower but am trying to do more of my own thing! Wonderful group of co-workers you have!
Looking good! I must confess to usually following a pattern exactly - I always colored within the lines. I like following directions - LOL!
I love hearing your nursing stories!
Yup! I'm definitely putting this one on my 'to do' list (in plaids). It is marvelous!
YOur quilt is just wonderful! How nice that you can work with such great people! Makes you want to go to work!
Love this quilt, Julie!!!
I have a tendency to follow a pattern almost to a fault. LOL Too lazy to tweak. LOL
Your jewel box is beautiful. What more can I say?
I've never bought a single pattern, but I do love books. Rarely follow a pattern to the letter ... I almost always tweek the size to fit the donation size I like. Sometimes change the block size too! Often use a different method to get the pieces done, eg half-sq triangles. I just love seeing lots of different ideas and then I use bits from here and bits from there to make something that will work for me :)
Plaids are just magic in your hands! Just love this quilt! You sure have been busy.
Sometimes I follow directions and sometimes I don't. Depends on what I'm trying and the mood I'm in...
You are making quick work of your Jewel Box quilt..........
I like your quilt! Really fun!
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