If you ever met Jenny in person, that would answer part of your question. She has not always been a quilter. She sewed costumes before moving to Missouri. She also has a very fast thinking mind and works fast too, that is why pre cuts are her bag. This along with all her kids and grandkids, she gets so much done, I really thinks she is a woman who can meet any thing put to her.

I think Jenny is wonderful. I don't think she will ever win any awards for her accuracy however, there are a lot more quilters like her than there are like all the precision quilters and if we all had to be precision quilters the quilt business would no longer survive. When you watch her she makes you feel like "Oh I can do that". After all is said and done she will generate more new quilters than any precision quilter ever will because like I said she makes you feel like I can do that....

My mother used to say A BLIND MAN on a galloping horse ....etc!

But, I have made the churn dash quilt using layer cakes I cut myself , so I know they were accurate. I am generally very accurate, from years of practice, but try as I might, those squares were just off! But,I think Jenny's point is to get beginners quilting and finishing, and enjoying the process! After all, we all complain about the quilt police being TOO precise!

I'm sure she doesn't sew the finished quilts you see behind her... she has STAFF, including her daughter Natalie, who do loads of that for her. She is showing the method, in the quickest way possible for the video. The pieces you see her sew don't go into an actual quilt. She's just showing you the shortcut methods she's famous for. It's fine for you to take more time than she does to get your accuracy.

I´d say she´s there to show how to use things she has to sell. Everyone knows making quilts take time so the idea of easy, fast and fun might sell well. She`s nice and fun :thumbup:

I just watched her Dresden Plate Wallhanging video and she is so contagious, I want to make it right away!

I am always worried she is going to cut herself with her rotary cutter, especially when she's cutting it backwards. I know an accident would never end up on the video, but I still hold my breath. Maybe it's because she has such a friendly attitude, I feel like I know her.

She also uses a lot of templates, which definitely helps with accuracy.

I like this post, very much, especially the part I underlined up there. A nice philosophical treat for my morning. :)

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Not to take away from her expertise, remember that we are watching videos which can be edited, just like a movie. So what we see may not be exactly what was done ..unless it was done several times to get it "right".

I agree that she is just demoing the concept, and is most likely much more careful when making actual quilts. But also, that she is not a fanatic about perfection, as she does want it to be fun. I like her videos because I can go back and watch again when I can't keep up, which is often, LOL.

I will be the first to say that watching Jenny's Videos brought me to quilting. If I have not seen them I would still strictly be a garment sewer.

And the very first quilt I made way back in the mid 80's was a Quilt in a Day pattern brought through Canadian Living Magazine. In that pattern Eleanor has you rip the fabric for the Around the World pattern. It was tied and although it took me more than a day it has held up for 30 years.

So my quilting experience went like this:

1985 - Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day Around the World
2002 - a few rag quilts, flannel on one side, denim on the back
2013 - a quilt based on a Jenny demo video
2013 - a Jelly Roll bag based on a Jenny demo - This was my mother's Christmas present and she was thrilled to receive some useful. It is meant to be a beach bad.
2014 - a Jelly Roll race quilt, Pattern Review had a Jelly Roll Race online, this one is still a quilt top
2014 - My first pattern from a quilting magazine, this is still a wip and simple rectangles. This is for my mother's 80th birthday
2014 - my next project a red black and white quilt for my son who graduated this month, pattern will probably be https://www.byannie.com/media/images...s_patterns.pdf

So I am still a rank beginner, but without ladies like Eleanor and Jenny, I would not be quilting at all.

I can appreciate the work that goes into intricate accurate quilts, just as I can appreciate ballet. But I love lots of colour and quilts that make me smile more like modern dance. I guess I like the freedom of expression more than the accuracy of the work.

Personally I think she does a wonderful job in her demo's....granted using precuts does speed things along. She's known for having the largest array of precuts in the Midwest. For me, her demo's are the perfect length to see if I'm interested in making quilts as she does. When I get stuck it's easy to view again and again. Ok....so I really like Jenny!!

You are so right, if your going to put a quilt in a show and winning is all, take you time and be perfect. But ladies, it is time to have fun and if not perfect, it will be close enough when quilted and when quilted, the person who receives it will be thrilled, what else matters. Not to say don't try, but it is not worth ulcers over it. Enjoy and both Jenny and Eleanor make me laugh so much. My DH goes around saying "stitch in the ditch" a lot when shows are on and I have a good laugh as he is 81. 4 kinds of CA and I am sure the humor and laughs we have have a lot to do with fact he is doing great.

I love Jenny and her light hearted attitude about quilting. She may use a lot of precuts, get to do retakes of anything that goes seriously wrong, and she gives us permission to be human, maybe make mistakes occasionally, but learn from them and keep on quilting. I love Jenny, because, like Eleanor Burns she injects humor into quilt making and they both teach us the shortcuts they have learned along the way to make quilting fun for us. I give both ladies credit for getting to where they are from humble beginnings, and to keep smiling.

I too Love jenny & Eleanor's video's they make me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to and have fun doing it. I will be making a lot of Jenny's quilts because they are easy and I have 5 more kids to make quilts for then on to my 9 (so far) grandkids quilts. Then I'll be able to play around with wall quilts & some harder patterns because I'm sure by then I'll be a lot better at quilting.

I totally agree..

IMHO, Jenny is as much an entertainer as she is a quilter & entertain she does. She makes things enjoyable & fairly easy to understand. I wish I had her "joie de vivre" because she obviously enjoys what she is doing & I love watching her. Maybe things aren't so perfect but are our "super models" so perfect either without air brushing etc.
Let's just enjoy her work & all the videos that she provides to us, free of charge.

If it's anything like a movie, they may be doing more than one "take". Also, she could have been quilting for many years. I saw a tutorial last night where she mentioned that she sews almost ten hours a day. That can lead to a great deal of confidence.

Gosh, I thought I was the only one who could starch fabric as stiff as a board and still not cut it and have it come out the right size.

I've noticed the ironing thing too. Somehow it works out for her.

I was there that same day for the trunk show and was impressed with her "off stage" enthusiasum and sense of humor. With a large family, as she has, both stand her in good stead as well as her ability to laugh at herself without embarrassment. She shows a great deal of thoughtfulness for her followers as she left a stack of signed posters for Q & L to distribute later to those who attended. Her husband was also a delight!

I don't think the way Jennie does or doesn't do something is going to change the way we, as individuals, work. If I'm a fanatic about accuracy, I'm going to continue to be a fanatic whether Jennie is or not. I personally don't care if she is accurate or neat or not. If someone were new to quilting or just sewing in general, she makes it seem not so intimidating or scary. I think she is an absolute delight to watch and listen to. Her friendly, relaxed, as long as you're trying and having fun attitude is refreshing and enjoyable. Keep on doing what you do any way you want to do it, Jennie.

I love these ladies. I didn't try to quilt for a long time because I could not get them as accurate as I wanted them to be. Then I went to a judged quilt show and noticed that lots of them were not perfect..so like the Amish, who deliberately make theirs a bit imperfect because only God is perfect...I do try for perfect..but never happens..but the people I make them for seem to like them anyway! even other award winners when demoing do not always get them absolutely perfect..
Have fun!

Thank you,,, well said.

I started out with Sewing With Nancy many, many years ago, Eleanor back in the 70's, added Jenny in 2013, and without them I wouldn't even know what a sewing machine was. Wouldn't know what life would be like without them. I've spent many happy hours learning with these fabulous ladies and with the help of God will spend many many more.

This is my thought on the subject. There is a completed quilt on the wall behind Jenny. Why would she begin a new quilt. Its a demo! She is sewing and pressing and cutting purely to give the viewer information that would help them start the project, iron out problems and overcome nervousness people endure when beginning something new to them.

I love her, her work is beautiful and that makes me accept my less than perfect work. It seems not so bad.

I'm with you. Neither quilting nor anything else that's supposed to be fun is fun if the goal is absolute perfection. Years and years ago, one of my teaching colleagues--a man who did wonderful bulletin boards for his classroom--said to me, "It's the effect you want, not perfection!" And he was right. At least I think he was right or maybe all these 50 years later I really should have measured the margins of the construction paper before I put the pictures on it! Maybe it's not too late for the bulletin board police to get me! HELP! froggyintexas

[QUOTE=jclinganrey;6737231]IMHO - I think she's presenting an idea; a concept; introducing a new pattern. I don't think her intent is to focus on precision and accuracy because that's up the the individual quilter. Her objective is to generate excitement, hold your interest ((our attention spans are much shorter than they used to be)) and drive traffic to her site, which she does quite well.

Ditto - Jenny is "demonstrating" not really making the quilt on film. She has others to help her with that process. She's just trying to get your creative juices flowing and excited to try new ideas and techniques. I enjoy her videos immensely.

I enjoy making technically challenging quilts. I love Jenny Doan's videos and frequently have them on in the background while I'm sewing. Her great personality and approach have appeal across all types of quilting. These videos are a marketing tool for her company (and likely something she really enjoys doing). I think she is doing a great job appealing to a younger and busier audience. Keep up the great work MSQC!