When I’m laying out a quilt, I try my best to follow the pattern. But when I’m asked, for example, to turn every third block one clockwise quarter turn, I always end up with a couple flying geese headed the wrong direction! What can I say? Some of us are directionally challenged!
If you struggle too, the One Direction Quilt is calling your name! Every single one of these adorable arrows points right to the center of the quilt. No left or right to remember. You just can’t fail! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
(Psst! This quilt is featured in the newest issue of BLOCK Magazine. If you’re a subscriber, your issue is on its way!)
Today we are wishing Jenny and Ron Doan a very happy 38th Wedding Anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, we sat down with Jenny and Ron to learn a little bit about their relationship. Check out the Q&A below.
How did you meet?
Jenny:Ron and I met at a church dance.
What was your first impression of your spouse?
Jenny: I thought he was shy and a pretty snazzy dresser!
Ron: I thought she was really cute with a nice smile.
What would be your spouse’s ideal date?
Jenny: Ron would like to go to the motocross races.
Ron: Jenny would want to go out to dinner and a James Taylor concert!
If you could describe your spouse in one word, what word would it be?
Jenny: Ron is sweet.
Ron:Jenny is spontaneous!
If your spouse had a superpower, what would it be?
Jenny: Ron’s superpower would be that he can fix anything!
Ron: Quilting is definitely Jenny’s superpower.
What is the best gift your spouse ever bought for you?
Jenny: Ron once got me a toolbox with my name engraved on it.
Ron: Jenny made me a life scrapbook.
What was the first meal that your spouse ever cooked for you?
Ron:Jenny made me Swedish pancakes, and they were delicious.
Jenny: Ron made me mac and cheese.
When did you and your spouse first dance together and to what song?
Jenny:We are kitchen dancers, so I don’t really remember the first time we danced—when a song came on we would always dance. Our song has changed throughout the years, but “Grow Old Along with Me” by Mary Chapin Carpenter and “Annie’s Song” by John Denver are favorites. Also “A Groovy Kind of Love” by Phil Collins is great. There are so so many more! More recently, “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds and “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele. We are music lovers for sure!
What is your spouse’s favorite color?
Jenny: Ron and I both like blue.
What is your spouse’s favorite flavor of ice cream?
Jenny:Ron likes anything chocolate.
Ron: Jenny likes Cherry Garcia!
What is your spouse’s favorite movie?
Jenny: Ron loves the original Star Wars trilogy or any of the Indiana Jones movies!
What is your spouse’s favorite restaurant?
Jenny: Ron and I both love Texas Roadhouse and we loved Lobster Grotto in Monterey as well. They had the best clam chowder!
What is your spouse’s favorite TV show?
Jenny:We both like NCIS and action shows!
Who controls the TV remote?
Jenny: Ron does, but I don’t mind. I like to knit while we watch TV together.
What is your spouse’s most repeated catchphrase?
Jenny: Ron is always saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
Ron:Every night Jenny tells me, “Dream sweet dreams.”
When did Ron start sewing?
Jenny:Years and years ago, he made his sister a quilt for Christmas, but most recently he was sewing at a retreat. He also has a quilt featured in the latest issue of ModBlock Magazine and it’s awesome.
Do you like to sew together?
Jenny: Yes, we are a very good team!
How would you describe each others’ quilting style?
Jenny: Ron is relaxed.
Ron: Jenny loves the details.
How did you celebrate your first anniversary?
Jenny: We had a 1-month-old baby, so our options were kind of limited. I fixed him dinner at home, and he rubbed my feet!
How do you like to celebrate your anniversary now?
Ron: We usually go out to dinner and just spend time together.
Do you have any advice for the newlyweds out there?
Jenny: It’s hard work to stay married. Give it your all! People become what you believe they are, so make sure to tell your spouse how wonderful, kind, and handsome he is and he will become it. Words have great power.
Ron: Never be selfish. Always put your spouse first.
What is your definition of, “And they lived happily ever after”?
Jenny: Being happy where you are, no matter what your circumstances are and that’s us.
The first time I bought a car that locked with a keychain remote, I felt pretty special. That is, until that newfangled remote stopped working.
But after an accidental trip through the washer and dryer, my key fob came back to life, locking and unlocking the car doors again and again. Lock. Unlock. Lock. Unlock. Finally, I was forced to remove the batteries.
I learned a lesson that day. Sometimes simple is best. Who needs a fancy remote when an old-fashioned key and keyhole will get the job done right every time?
The Keyhole Quilt is as simple as it gets, and it’s a beautiful way to use your favorite roll of 2.5-inch strips. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
How patriotic are you? Do you plant your petunias in bold stripes of red, white, and blue? Does your doorbell chime to the tune of Yankee Doodle? Is your station wagon decked out like a 4th of July parade float all year long?
This week we’re paying tribute to Old Glory with a beautiful patriotic quilt. Stars and Stripes is a quick strip project that was inspired by the beautiful “United” Tonga Batiks by Timeless Treasures. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
During the golden age of cinema, you’d never catch a leading man without his fedora in place. Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and even Mr. Dreamboat himself, Gene Kelly. They all wore hats, and always with a dapper little tilt.
A perfectly positioned angle adds so much charm – even to quilts! Click HERE to learn how to use our Large Half Hexi Template to transform 10-inch squares into a beautiful Slanted Half Hex Quilt!
(If you haven’t watched Jenny do hexies before, you’re in for a treat! They’re easy as pie and so fun! Click HERE to check out all our Half Hexi tutorials!)