Follow the Charity Quilt Process, Part I: Day 12

Comforters Made by Serging

This past week I popped up to the Mennonite Christian Committee's Connections Thrift Store in Kidron, Ohio. To say it is an impressive operation is an understatement. More than 300 volunteers rotate through the month to assist in the many ongoing projects housed there besides the thrift store. Many help daily. The back of the store where donations were being sorted was teeming with people when I arrived. There were departments for electronics, books, clothing, shoes, furniture, home goods, plants, decorations, toys, sewing machines, and on and on. It was a cross between a small city and Santa's workshop, and everyone was genuinely glad to be there. 

A Two Top Finish: Day 11

Scrappy Trips Around the World
& Effy Helps

The past two days have been icy with both periods of snow and rain. If you didn't have to go out, you didn't. I stayed in as much as I could and finished tops. I also started another quilt or two, and have been piecing in front of the t.v. The dogs have been good company, but muddy feet and quilt tops do not mix. Effy sneaked onto the quilt as I stood on a stool to snap this shot. Thankfully she was clean. Around here we always say, "Effy helps." She's always there in the middle when you want to do something. 

Sorting Cottons from Man Made Fibers: The Fire Test Day 10

Unknown Fiber Contents:

Fabric Samples Above and Below

I've gotten some fabric donations, and like all the rest it went through a wash and dry cycle. It helps me to know fiber content before using the fabric, and paying attention to it during this process gives me clues.

Shake out a piece of polyester or nylon blend fabric from your washer, and it smooths fairly quickly. Cotton tends to stay bunched together, and usually has more wrinkles.

Pulling it out of the dryer is an even bigger clue because man made fibers tend to have fewer wrinkles. Notice I said tend because that's not always the whole story. Some cottons are treated with chemicals that make them wrinkle far less now. It's just hard to tell so sometimes I do a burn test to know for sure.

Herding and Bordering Flying Geese:Day 9

Rows of Geese

I made these flying geese with a method that produces bias edges on all sides of the original HST. Check it out HERE. After turning them into flying geese strips, I was left with just a bias edge on each outside edge. These will all be bordered with fabric so it won't be a problem. 

The Cost of Charity Quilts: Day 8

I believe most quilters are free of heart and hand, and love the quilting experience along with the actual quilt. When we are hungry, we are reminded of those who have no food. When we are cold, of those who cannot get warm. We want other people to have at least the basic things we ourselves appreciate, but all families struggle themselves at one time or another. Let's talk about ways to keep the cost of giving quilts at a reasonable level.

Don't Fear Bias: Day 7

Yesterday's post, Bustin' the Scrap Piles with Easy HST, brought up a good comment. The comment mentioned that the HST method I had used would produce HST's with 4 bias edges. True! So many quilters hear the word 'bias', and they go into a sort of panicked frenzy--not everyone, of course, but particularly new quilters that have been warned about the dire dangers. Let's talk about this to bust the myth.

Bustin' the Scrap Piles with Easy HST: Day 6

HST the Easy Way

Even after yesterday's Scrappy Trips Around the World quilt, I still had a big pile of 5" squares left over. Sticking with my new theory of dealing with scraps as they happen, I took control. There is a terribly easy, no stress, low attention way to turn them into HST. (I say this because I plowed through the stacks all day while hanging with the dogs, and catching up on some t.v., and still didn't screw it up. I like that kind of sewing!)

Scrappy Trips Around the World: Day 5

Using What You Have

I've been reading every book I can about the history of quilting. Some things are surprising. In recent centuries, even fabric scraps were too precious for some people to come by. Many countries depended on textiles solely as an import, and had few raw materials to produce their own fabric of any kind. That's hard to imagine for most of us, isn't it? But as textiles mills became more plentiful around the world, so did fabric, and those who couldn't afford new fabric did find scraps or salvaged their own used clothing. Not all parts of clothes wore out at the same pace so pieces were cut from them to recycle into something else like a quilt.

The Human Element of Charity Sewing: Day 4

Julie Stocker, 2014

January for Charity: The Logic
Behind the Project

1. I am storing too much fabric.

2. People need something with which to cover themselves.

3. I will make them quilts.

How simple is that? Deeper down, it's far more complex. You have to appreciate the Devil is always in the details.

When we think about making charity items, there are things to consider:

Sawtooth and Variable Stars: Day 3 of Charity Quilts

1980's-1990's Fabrics

I was blessed with a sister-in-law who gifted me her stash when she decided she was no longer interested in quilting. That was over a year ago, maybe longer, and it's been hard making a dent in the tubs. The fabric is still in beautiful condition, but a little harder to use because it looks dated. I've been looking for ways to use it so the overall quilt doesn't look like it's from the 80's.

16 Patch Sawtooth Stars with 4 Patch Variable Stars

7 Grid Chain Quilt: Day 2

7 Grid Chain 

Yesterday I started playing with blocks, and today it all came together. Like many of you, I work best without a pattern. If you haven't tried it, it's liberating! Just start with an idea, and keep moving forward until you arrive. Let me give you a quick walk through this quilt's process. 

January Goals: Charity Quilts

Happy New Year!

Isn't it heavenly to start with a clean slate? 

Are you ready to do a fabric purge in your studio, 

and put it all to good use?

A whole year of new starts, and fresh eyes toward our future is a gift. We stand on this exact spot, but recognize the opportunity less than we would like to admit. Many times it simply becomes routine with the New-Year's-Resolution-Thing. This time is different. I've taken the entire month of December to dream about what I was seeking in 2018. Nope, that's not a typo. How can you plan the year at hand by not looking further down the pike? Do you ever just get in your car and drive around and around? No. We plan destinations, and we determine the best routes. Energy is in limited supply.

Wanted: Other Quilters Seeking Joy

Another Scrap Box Dumped

"The End (of the Year) is coming! The End (of the Year) is coming!" If you heard this, and you only had one quilt to make before the End, what would you make?

Seriously, if you only had one more quilt to make 

EVER, what would you make?

Snail's Trail with Depression Scraps aka Feed Sacks

Snail's Trail Block

Always Start by Sorting!

About a year ago I started collecting vintage fabrics. They can still be found around here by hunting little shops, word of mouth, or scrolling through Ebay. Everything I buy comes home, and gets a good wash and press, and then stored flat. Up to this point I haven't used a thing. I've been literally stockpiling it waiting for just the right project.

150 Canadian Women Blocks

150 Canadian Women Quilt Along

Next Step Quilt Designs is hosting a quilt along celebrating Canada's 150th Anniversary next year, and I hopped on board with some friends. The blocks are released 3 per week, and I'm close to being caught up now. The suggested palette is a range of red and white. I'm making this one more of a Glory Quilt palette by adding blues, grey tones, and a some gold.

'En Provence' Mystery Blocks Piling Up

One Possible Combination

Last week's installment is all finished here. It's time to start putting things together to imagine. My thoughts: Did I pick the right combination of colors for this?

Saturday Lists, Stash, & 150 Canadian Women

The Day of Big Lists 

and Why You Should Have One

More than any other time of year, this is the Craziest (with a capital "C") for most of us. There would be no other opportune moment for me to plug the value of making lists than today, one week before Christmas and Hanukkah. My current lists are:

Santa's List

Shopping

Home and Holiday Budgets

Calendars: His, Hers, Theirs, Yours

Menus

Travel Itineraries

Studio Work/ Holiday Sewing

Scrappy Dresden Baby Quilt

No Pressure Quilts

Can I tell you what I love most about making baby quilts?  I love that when someone looks at this quilt, it's only going to be for a moment before their eyes go back to the new baby. They aren't going to see the little imperfections you and I might pick apart with our eyes. This is about the baby--not the quilt! No pressure. But for the sake of letting you in on what I learned, I'll pick apart the process. 

Mish Mash Monday: Piecing, Projects, & Partnerships

A Little Bit Sweet

Oh, Sweet Monday! Through the wonders of air travel, I woke up in foggy Florida, and was back in a snowy Ohio by lunchtime. I was travelling very light, and my computer was stashed at home--not my choice. My little phone had such a workout to stay connected, but with big limitations for me. Can I please do a quick catch up for you?

Last Friday morning I started a quickie project with 2.5" strips, and a Creative Grids ruler. I turned out this Dresden Plate early in the morning, then used the rest of my free time before my trip to blanket stitch it on to a low volume background. I added a few spunky borders to round it out to a 36" square, and it was ready for something I'd never tried before.

Give Away Days at Sew Mama Sews

Give Away Time At Sew Mama Sew!

It's Here! It's Time! Are You Ready?

It rolls around just once a year now, and it's fun for everyone involved. Let's just say it feels like Christmas comes early for quilters.

I'm going to make this short and sweet. I'm giving away a new tool I've found, and am over-the-top thrilled with. I used it cutting out triangle for this lovely flying geese quilt, and anytime I have stacks of fabric to cut through.