Tag Archives: Passion

Grow Your Blog 2015

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I’ve been working at growing my blog since I started it over a year ago and am super excited about this GROW YOUR BLOG event!  Thank you Vicki at 2 Bags Full for coordinating it! 

My name is Zenia Rene and I am a quilter. I started quilting in 2011, thanks to my friend Mel who was so persistent in me going to “Quilting”.  You can read more about that,  here.  I feel quilting is a gift from God. You can read about why, here.  


 I started blogging about quilting in 2013 to give my family, coworkers and non-quilting friends a break from all my “quilty” talk.  And...I wanted to share this incredible, God-given, quilting passion with others who love and appreciate it as much as I do.  The funny thing is, I hated writing when I was in school.  However, when I start/finish a new project, find a new pattern/tool, or make a great fabric score, I just have to write about it and share it w/the quilting/blogging world!

I do work full time, but I’m looking to go part-time real soon. My 3 kids are all adults but my 2 sons still live at home.  I have 2 grand-kids and my daughter is due to have her 3rd child in about 3 weeks.  I’m still single, but very much desire to be married someday.  I’m a born-again Christian and enjoy going to church.  I recently bought a bass guitar and named it Ruby.  If I ever take the time to practice, I might get good enough to play Ruby in the worship band at church…which is my goal.  


My creating process is pretty simple.  I keep two lists. An extra long list of Quilts I Want to Make and another list, not quite as long of Peeps to Make Quilts For.  I choose a pattern and a peep then pick out fabric based on their favorite color/colors.  If  I’m not making a quilt w/a specific peep in mind, I choose fabric based on what I like and want to put together.  A lot of the time, my choice is scrappy. I am quite fond of scrappy! (I also adore pieced backings and I don’t think they have to match the front of the quilt at all)  I usually get all the cutting out of the way in the beginning, then I start piecing.  I never get bored because I always have multiple projects going at once.  I’m sure some would disagree, but I feel this process makes me more productive. I made 22 quilts in 2014!

My writing mostly coincides w/the progress of the various projects I’m working on. Rarely, if ever, do I write anything philosophical.  However,  I do like to end each post w/something encouraging; be it scripture, song lyrics or just words of wisdom from devotions or other quotes.  I call it A Thread for Life.


This is one of my current projects which I’m in the process of quilting.  I call it  Walk Like An Egyptian.  The pattern is Broken Chevron and written by the very talented Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic.  It was an honor to be one of your pattern testers Jan!

I follow a bunch quilters via Blogger, Instagram and  G+,  many who are mothers of young and/or multiple children and it seems like they quilt and post constantly! I have no idea how the heck they do it!  I think many of them are stay-at-home moms. But even then…how they juggle motherhood, homeschooling, quilting/crafting, AND still have time to blog and post so often, truly AMAZES me…and makes me a little envious.  KUDOS to you ALL!

Several months ago I committed to writing 1x/week and had been meeting that commitment for quite awhile, but lately I’ve been slacking.  On my honor I will try… to get back on the 1x/week blogging track soon. 

Thanks for stopping by!  If you are so inclined, follow me!  I look forward to visiting your blogs too!

Until next time, Happy Quilting and God Bless!

A Thread for Life
What’s The Good Of Prayer?  Lord, teach us to pray. — Luke 11:1

It is not part of the life of a natural man to pray.  We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible’s idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.

When a man is at his wits’ end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get into touch with Reality. Be yourself before God and present your problems, the things you know you have come to your wits’ end over. As long as you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.

It is not so true that “prayer changes things” as that prayer changes me and I change things. God has so constituted things that prayer on the basis of Redemption alters the way in which a man looks at things. Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonders in a man’s disposition. 
– Oswald Chambers

WIPs

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I’m officially on a fabric fast. I’ve taken a challenge not to buy fabric from Jan 1 –  Jun 30.  So far, so good.  I even went to Goodwill last weekend and looked at (and touched)  fabric and didn’t buy any! There is a 2nd part to the challenge and that is to use up all the fabric I have on hand. My stash isn’t as big as some…but I am proud of it.

I get so anxious when I think about the WIPs I have and all the works I want to have in progress…and I’ve got myself all stressed out. So, I’m going to try to do just 1 project at a time for awhile.  I’m supposed to be participating in 2 quilt-alongs:  a mystery quilt w/QA and a crazy quilt along…so I may allow myself to do these in addition to my 1-at-a-time projects…but I might not.



Currently I have 6 WIPs.  I’m really close to finishing 2 of them . I should have some pics posted this weekend.  Then I have 3 small quilt tops (2 pictured below) that need to be quilted and listed on Etsy…and lastly, I still have my Spring/Summer 1BW that I just really want to keep folded up at the top of my closet.


4-Step Flagstone

quilt top #1

                                     Cuttin’ Corners

quilt top #2


















I sold my Quilt Frame this past weekend to a Snowbird here from Iowa.  It was really just a catch-all in my sewing room and a dust collector. I’d only used it twice in the last 2 years, plus I’m raising money for my trip to Canada in May.   



I also have other WIPs besides quilting.  A few weeks ago I transplanted some Aloe Vera and Prickly Pear. Someone told me all you have to do is stick it in the ground and water it occasionally.  So far, so good.   I also planted 2 Mesquite trees in my backyard.  Thankfully the weather is mild enough to plant year round  here in AZ and everything seems to be doing well. 

Last week at Goodwill, I by-passed the fabric…like a good girl…but look at this treasure I found, that I couldn’t resist! I paid $4 for it.  I sanded it, threw some ebony stain and a coat of poly on it and, voila! it’s a lovely little side table! =)

Before


After

A Thread for Life

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep My faith will stand


And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior


–Oceans by Hillsong 


Basting a Quilt on Carpet

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Basting a quilt is the process of preparing it for quilting. It includes layering the backing, batting and quilt top and then pinning it together through all 3 layers, to make a quilt sandwich.  It’s usually done on a hard floor by taping down the backing. But what if you have carpet?  Don’t despair! Basting on carpet is possible…I do it all the time! Here’s how.

First, lay the right side of the backing on the carpet and smooth out any wrinkles.  Remember, backing and batting should be bigger than quilt top, at least 2-3″ on every side.  Once smoothed out, start pinning around the perimeter to keep it in place, every 8 – 10″.

I use T- pins.

T-pins should be inserted at an angle away from the center of the quilt backing, around the perimeter.

Once the backing is secured, layer on the batting.

Next layer on quilt top, right side facing up and start pinning.

I use curved safety pins. I think they work best whether pinning on hard floor or carpet.

 I was taught to pin from the center out, which I did for a long time, but now I pin from one end to the other.  Also, I used to pin about a closed hands width apart (4″), now I pin about an open hand width apart (8″).

So this is how I baste my quilts.  Occasionally I do pin to the carpet, but surprisingly it doesn’t happen often.

A Thread for Life
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14