Friday, May 3, 2013

Fun For Friday - Somewhere over the Jello Rainbow


Happy Spring Friday!  I hope you are having lovely spring weather, except for my friends in the snow belt - hang in there!

Last week I had a Birthday luncheon party for my friend, Norma.  I love to have "ladies lunch" and sit and sew and gossip, chat.

The hit of the party was Jan's Rainbow Jello.   It was a masterpiece of patience and beauty!  If you want to try one yourself, you can find one of many on line recipe like this one here.



Jan lives a few blocks from me and recently sold her home.  It was so nice to have her support and help.  Thanks Jan!


Lunch was simple, Rubens, chips, pickles and soda and the Rainbow jello - yum!


Norma requested the Orange Crunch Cake that I recently posted.  I decorated it with cuties orange sections and a paper parasol.


Flying Fiesta! 

On a recent post I asked if anyone could guess what the "keys" were to my scrap flying geese quilt.  I had over-heard someone say "She just throws all those colors together and somehow it works".   I took it as a great compliment, but it's not exactly true.

Successful scrap quilts nearly always have a some unifying elements.

Exchange Rules:

Solid colors
Modern Prints (so this ruled out repros, pastels, muddy colors)

Construction Rules (mine):

Take the exchange sets (4) and piece them into strips.
Make color blocks by pairing blocks with similar background colors.
Make all the blocks the same:
   Geese flying down on the right and up on the left.
Alternately turn the blocks.

The next time you see a scrap quilt that you really like, take a little time to study it and see if you can come up with the unifying "keys" to the quilt.


Lastly, look what I made!  I've always wanted to know how to make a Cathedral Windows and our friend, Ruth Ann, gave our sewing group a tutorial.  She has made several bed sized Cathedral Window quilts.  They are Stunning!

I'm planning to make exactly 1 doll bed sized quilt.



Happy Weekend and I hope it involves some sewing!  I'm off to the Northern Star Quilt show and will share photos next week.


34 comments:

Me and My Stitches said...

Looks like lots of fun! My Grandma used to make that layered jello, and my Aunt and I were just talking about it yesterday! Very pretty, but so much time involved. Love your cathedral windows - but don't blame you for sticking to doll sized!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

Great tips on making the scrap quilt, I will keep them in mind!
That jello brings back some 1960's memories. I also need to try that crunch cake, just the name is making my mouth water.
Cathedral windows? Wow!

fiberchick said...

I love your scrap quilt!!! That cake and striated Jello look pretty good too...

Karen said...

You've been having fun. Lunch looks delicious. And Flying Fiesta may have to be added to my ever growing to-do list. Love it!

Janet said...

Oh Cathedral windows!! I love how yours looks so far. A doll quilt is the perfect size to try it out. :0) What a lovely lunch. The cake looks amazing again. Enjoy the quilt show!!

Lori said...

I always thought the cathedral windows quilt looked so hard. It must be if you are making exactly 1 doll size quilt! lol
Happy weekend!

Dawn said...

What a fun luncheon!
I've never done a cathedral windows quilt - but it looks fun and a doll size seems manageable.
Thanks for the FG tips.

Laurie in Iowa said...

Fun luncheon and lovely rainbow jello salad. I'd never have the patience to make that.

Kyle said...

I can't remember the last time I made jello. What a fun girl party!

Mayleen said...

We didn't get any snow which is enough reason to party! That's an impressive jello salad. I'm going to have to look up the recipe. I think you're torturing me with the pictures of that cake! Just kidding, I'm waiting for a special occasion to make it.

Rachaeldaisy said...

Your jello is a masterpiece! All those wonderful colours! Rubens and chips and orange cruch cake too, ooh you're making me hungry! I love cathedral window quilts! What size are your squares, im curious because you said it'll be a dolls quilt and wondered if they're really small. Thanks for the scrap quilt tips, now you mention it I agree that scap quilts will usually have a unifying key.

Pat said...

Always the best of times to gather with quilting buddies - the jello salad was always a huge hit when our son was growing up. His grandma knew this and it was always a part of his birthdays. It has been years....we are overdue for a repeat!!

Your Cathedral Window is lovely oh girl with a ton ofvpatience!!

Anonymous said...

I'd never seen jello like that...cool! Sounds like a fantastic day spent with good friends! Your mini doll quilt is sweet.

Kim said...

Ooooh Cathedral Windows! Always loved those. Maybe I'll have to eventually give it a go...crib size of course! ;o) I'm going to have to make your orange cake...looks so good! Happy weekend!

Nancy said...

Lovely luncheon, lovely quilts. Thanks for the scrap quilt keys. Now that you've said it, I can see it. Oh no, I'm experiencing jello envy! It's so impressive.

libbyquilter said...

LOVE that doll sized cathedral window quilt~!!~ i don't think that i want to make a full sized one either, but a doll quilt . . . that's just inspired thinking~!
right on up there with rainbow jello i think.

;-)
libbyQ

Teresa Rawson said...

That is some intense jello...it makes me think of the expression, "watching paint dry." Now I will be thinking, watching jello set." Fun...may God grant me the patience to make one of those some day...it is so cool!

Your flying geese quilt is so cool. I did not notice the solid fabrics in the previous post. I like it. Keeps things from getting too chaotic. I admire your efforts on the Cathedral Window...it is on my bucket list, but as a small quilt, like you are doing. It is nice to have a friend show you...I've read the directions and they make my head swim.

Your lady lunches always look like so much fun. You will be "rushed" like a sorority hopeful in your new neighborhood (I wish you were moving to Michigan!).

In stitches,
Teresa :o)

Teresa Rawson said...

That is some intense jello...it makes me think of the expression, "watching paint dry." Now I will be thinking, watching jello set." Fun...may God grant me the patience to make one of those some day...it is so cool!

Your flying geese quilt is so cool. I did not notice the solid fabrics in the previous post. I like it. Keeps things from getting too chaotic. I admire your efforts on the Cathedral Window...it is on my bucket list, but as a small quilt, like you are doing. It is nice to have a friend show you...I've read the directions and they make my head swim.

Your lady lunches always look like so much fun. You will be "rushed" like a sorority hopeful in your new neighborhood (I wish you were moving to Michigan!).

In stitches,
Teresa :o)

Nifty Quilts said...

Wahoo! That jello mold is amazing. LOVE your flying geese quilt. It has just the right amount of "rules."

Crispy said...

What a great luncheon you all had. That jello is amazing!! Love your cathedral window doll quilt, something I've often wanted to try :0)

Crispy

QuiltSue said...

Ooh that jelly (as we Brits call jello) looks amazing. Not sure I'd have the patience though.

I love the Cathedral Window quilt, but why stop at a doll quilt? Go for it and make a bed quilt!

Vicki said...

Morning Barb - I ran into you in the store in FL. Congrats on the quilt in Quilter's Almanac (I think that's right)! As I was flipping thru the magazine, a log cabin quilt caught my eye. As I looked closer, there was your smiling face. CONGRATS!

Browndirtcottage said...

Well, I'm just swoonin' over everything!! Yummy desserts and Fabulous Flying Geese! THAT quilt is FANTASTIC!!

I.LIKE.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Your posts are always full of such great inspiration! Yummy jello strata, orange cake, color and fabric decisions (I always want to know the key, I have a hard time figuring it out for myself) and cathedral windows. I would like to try to make one of those someday as well - a small one is a great idea to see whether a bigger one would be enjoyable.

Thimbleanna said...

Aha! Maybe that's why my scrap quilts always look like barf -- no key LOL! The jello and cake both look amazing -- Yum Yum Yum! And I love that you came clean about chatting at a get-together -- the gossip is all the fun!!!

Maureen said...

Sounds like a lovely luncheon. I've never seen jello done that way.
Thanks for explaining the keys. Very interesting and so true.
I like the way cathedral windows look but have never made one with fabric. I think I, too, would limit one to doll size. Very pretty and it looks like you'll be done in no time.

Scrapbean said...

I am so inspired by your flying geese quilt! It definitely has great design - nothing haphazard about it! I am working on one now - using solids and modern prints and decided to use opposing colors - solid and dominate color in the pattern for each match. Then keeping each up/down pair close to the same color - side by side on the wheel. Make sense!?

Thank you for sharing your work!
Jill

Beth said...

I love jello!!! My vegetarian daughters will not eat it, so I never make it. That rainbow is a masterpiece!
Thanks for sharing the great "keys".
The cathedral windows are so beautiful, but as lot of work. I made a pillow. Now I am done. :)

pandchintz said...

What a lovely birthday party!!

Sue-Anne said...

Looks like a wonderful "Ladies Lunch"! thank you for explaining your rules for your scrappy quilt. It makes a lot of sense and I will have to see if I can see "rules" next time I see a scrappy quilt.

Carrie P. said...

I want to come eat lunch at your house. fun! the jello dish is just like a quilt, so colorful.
love your little doll quilt. I have made one cathedral window block in the past but I would like to make a bigger one. One day!

Unknown said...

Packers and Movers

LOVE that doll sized cathedral window quilt~!!~ i don't think that i want to make a full sized

Kim said...

Hey where are you?

Are you moving?

Happy Sewing

needlesandpins said...

It is gorgeous your flying geese quilt. What kind of tutorial did you use to make them? Just GREAT!
Brigitte/A