This year has been a big year for the whole Crafty Gemini family! My son, Jonathan (aka- Juice) sold his first commissioned pet quilt just a few weeks ago! The kid is over the moon! If you’ve been following me for a while you have probably seen a video I shared years ago when he was 3 years old and sewing on his own sewing machine. If you haven’t watched it yet, please take the time out to watch it, HERE, it is a hoot! I cry every time I watch it. My little guy is just too sweet, careful and cute! I am so glad I captured that sewing lesson and that I have the video evidence to show the world that yes, a 3 year old can use a sewing machine! I was such a proud mama then. Today, 3 years later, I am even more proud of him! He really is an amazing little guy.
He stuck with it and has continued to sew and quilt over the years. Some people wonder if he sews every day…. umm, no. I don’t even get to sew every day. I wish! Sometimes he would go 6 months without touching his machine. That’s perfectly okay. I don’t want to burn him out or force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. I always… and I mean always let my kids initiate when they want to sew or quilt. What I find that does is that they keep coming back to it whenever they have a project in mind and it always comes from a creative place instead of feeling forced or like a chore. The last thing I want is to make such a fun and rewarding hobby feel like a job!
But, speaking of jobs…let’s talk business. Over the past year my son has been saving money and learning more about what things cost, how you buy things and how you can make your own money. Every time he would make a project he’d say something like, “Mama, I can sell these and make some money!”
We adopted two kittens this summer and the kids wanted to make them little quilts. He came up with the genius idea that he could make and sell pet quilts as his own business! So, I decided to let him take on his first commissioned pet quilt project. We talked about costs of materials, time, skill, etc. After discussing those points I asked him how much he wanted to charge per pet quilt and he said $30. Sounds reasonable, right? I was just happy he didn’t say something like $5. Fast forward to finishing this first project… he already says he wants to increase his prices because “making a quilt takes a long time and you have to be good at it.” hahaha. Yes, son. You are absolutely right. You deserve to be paid a reasonable wage for your time and skill! Let that be a lesson to all of us makers! HA!
The job: My friend Margaret of Eazy Peazy Quilts placed her order. A pet quilt for a cat named Puppy. {How cute is that?!}
• Juice took to my stash and picked out some 2.5″ precut fabric strips. He picked mostly Cotton + Steel and Mimosa strips. The binding was a Carolyn Friedlander Architextures print. What can I say?! The kid has good taste!
• I push pinned a scrap piece of batting to the wall (quickie design wall!) and had him lay the strips out in the design layout of his choice. He designed this quilt himself choosing each fabric and orientation of the strips as he went along.
• He cut and pieced the entire quilt top by himself. {See video below.}
• He took several months to finish this quilt but it was important that I not force him and just let him have fun with it. Every once in a while I would remind him that Ms. Margaret was gonna send him $$ when he finished that quilt for Puppy. Slowly but surely he finished it all and it was totally worth it! You should have seen the look on his face when I showed him the picture of Puppy the cat with her quilt! He felt so proud and happy that the cat was pleased with his work!
{Image credit: Margaret Travis of Eazy Peazy Quilts}
• We added a handwritten label to the back of the quilt. I had him write “For: Puppy,” his name and the date on a quilt label from this cool label panel by Northcott Fabrics I had on hand. It was the perfect size for a child’s handwriting! Then I traced it with a Pigma Micron pen and heat set it with a dry iron. With a pencil eraser I careful erased the pencil marks away. It worked like a charm and his cute little handwriting will forever be preserved on that quilt label.
• The binding was a bit of a process. I made and pieced the strips for him, then I had him stitch it down on the front while I helped miter the corners. Then I had him glue baste the entire binding down on the backing side of the quilt and heat set it with the iron so it wouldn’t move for stitching. For the finish we decided on a zig zag stitch from the front to ensure he caught the binding on the back. And that was it! I think it turned out great!
• I tried to chronicle the process of him working on the quilt as we went along so I will leave you here with a short video for you to see how it all came together over the past several months. Also, you may notice that at the end of the video he finishes quilting and binding it on a fancy new sewing machine! The little guy tried out my Juki F600 and was in love. He then decided to start saving to get himself one! Considering the machine costs almost $1000 I talked it over with my husband and we decided to gift him a Juki F300 for Christmas instead. The F600 and F300 are pretty much identical but the lower one comes with less decorative stitches, no extension table and I think less feet. I filmed that whole surprise but that’s another post for another day. Let’s just say he is VERY HAPPY to have his own new Juki sewing machine. For now, enjoy the video!
Cindy Byrd
Please let your son know how impressed I am with his quilt. I’m 50 and I’m STILL afraid to attempt quilting. However, I think your video may have been the inspiration I needed. Best wishes for a Blessed 2016.
Vanessa Vargas Wilson
Will do! Thanks!
Christiane
That was absolutely adorable!!! Great parenting Miss Vanessa!
Vanessa Vargas Wilson
Thank you!
Pam
That is fantastic Juice, I have a little grandaughter and I know she will want to try something like you have made.I’m sure it will give her inspiration,once she has watched your video, to make a little quilt for all her Teddies perhaps. Well Done. xx
brigitte
bravo ,bravo !!!
superbes couvertures , les chatons vont être contents comme des rois
bonne journée
Faith Rippee
Oh my goodness he is so so cute. This is the first time that I saw this video what an amazing little guy he is going to make it big in sewing. WOW!!
Kathleen
Keep up the good work Jonathan! I’m proud of you for completing the quilt.
Kathleen
Oh my gosh, I have to comment again! I just watched the video from when he was 3. How adorable!! I love not only how careful he was but also how he spoke to his “camera friends” !! Smart boy.
Vanessa Vargas Wilson
LOL. Isn’t it awesome! That video gets me every time and I filmed and edited it! When he introduced himself I was in shock! I didn’t even tell him to say that… but since he had heard me film so many tutorials and I say I’m Vanessa from craftygemini.com he did the same thing. It was so cute!
Belinda
Wow! Great job Jonathan. Keep up the good work.
Melissa
JUICE! Excellent work! I’m sure Puppy loves the beautiful quilt you made. I bet you could make some spectacular cat nip toys from scraps to go with your pet quilts! Congratulations on your first commission.
Vanessa Vargas Wilson
Thanks! Funny you said that because that is what Allie likes to make.. the cat toys! They make a great sibling team! lol
Gwendolyn Saffo
Juice is absolutely amazing to me and so is his little sister! Brandon and Vanessa are outstanding parents!
Pamela
I just watched the video when Juice was 3 years old. He is the cutest male sewer in the world! He knows how to work the camera! I love how you stressed, before the video, that the sessions should be short and to teach the correct terminology. Kids like to learn and have the freedom to create. My daughter showed interest when she was 8 years old. She started off making little projects like napkins, potholders and coasters. Her first big project was an outfit for her piano recital. I think I was more excited about the skirt and top than she was. She is still sewing and started quilting in high school.
Getting back to Juice, I love the expressions on his face of determination and confidence. He is blessed with a supportive and loving family. Because of your love and patience, he and his sister will continue to be your pride and joy. God bless your family and your business.
Donna
Thanks for helping me choose a good sewing machine for around $1,000. My inherited Bernina still has life in it but when it goes I won’t replace it with another Bernina due to the cost. I’m looking forward to getting a Juki! Love the design of the quilt. Good job, Juice!
Annie Payano
Vanessa you know I am one of your truly fans and followers, and I love the way you are rising your kids and how they react to the challenges you provide for them. Very proud of the whole family. Go Juice!
Denise
I could watch him all day. What a great job he did and he does a better binding than I do for sure. Keep up the great work with your children. Imagine them grown up and quite able to handle anything, Way to go, Vanessa.
Ruth-Anne Hayes
I loved watching Juice sew. Your sewing lessons are so sweet and respectful of where he is developmentally. What fun! My cat Tigger may want to commission him as well!
Gayle Barfoot
Cute!
Vikie
Your little guy is so good to sew, hé has probably gold in his hand, his work is really good, and only 6 years old, i remember one more time the first video (when hé was 3 yaers old)… he has perfecly understand….. really proud to see that a little boy can made so beautiful things…. i hope hé find more customers ^^
Lori
Vanessa and Juice,
How awesome that you both enjoy creating such wonderful items!! I’m a great granny and my great-granddaughter is 9 and just loves to sew clothes for her 18″ doll. She is starting her first quilt for her bed. That is thrilling for me since the only one of my four kids and ten grandkids that was the least bit interested in sewing/quilting is my youngest son who is 39 now! His first project was a baby quilt for his new niece. Great Job, Juice! It is exciting to have a new generation that is capable and creative. Keep up the good work, both of you!!
Karen Heaton
So happy that Juice likes to sew and loves the “puppy the cat” quilt! They are very lucky to be learning such wonderful life skills! Who knows where this will go someday! At the very least he can one day tell his grandkids that he made a quilt his first quilt when he was just six!!
Kathi
Thanks so much Vanessa for sharing your son’s emerging business 🙂 He did a wonderful job and I love his fabric and label choices too! 🙂 Lovely photo the recipient’s owner shared too! Kathi
FLOR
Juice, you are such an inspiration!!!
Can’t wait to see the next one
Nicky H
That is such a cute video! Juice did a great job! He may have inspired me to make my cat, Rocky, a quilt. Great job! I showed my boys (ages 12 & 15) the Instagram video a couple weeks ago and they said “so cool” and then walked away back to video games. :/
Jules
I think it is so wonderful your son has shown an interest in learning to sew and you have been able to fulfilled his want / need. Neither of my daughters showed any desire to learn nor do any of my grand kids. Great job!!!
Jen Reardon
What are the sewing machine guides called? I know I heard you say somewhere they were from Missouri Quilt but I can’t find the name. Love this post..
Vanessa Vargas Wilson
Here is the link for them. They are called Seam Guides: https://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/detail/28610/guidelines-4-quilting/-/guidelines-seam-guide
Anne McKenzie
Thank you for sharing this with us. Great way to start teaching your kids. I sewed with my grand daughter when she was younger, but has let it go—hopefully just for now. We has a summer she stayed with us and really got excited, and was trying to do new things. It was wonderful returning from work & seeing what new project she had come up with. I loved it