Off Centered Quilt

I saw this quilt on Alycia's Blog and knew that I had to make one. So when I woke up Friday morning at 5am I got started on it.

Large blocks and easy to piece. Got it quilted and bound on Friday. The orange is actually red. It is about 52 inches square, this one will also go to Sarah's Ministry.

Pattern can be found here. 

Scrappy Charm Star

I save all my extra charms in a shoebox. When I have extra from quilt backs or pieces left over from the top I make charms. When there is  enough variety of charms I make a star quilt. Another easy to piece quilt. This one is about 72 x 89 before washing.

This will be put in the pile for Sarah's Ministry. Someday I will be over on her side of town and will drop them off.

TOPS "Elves" at Work

TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. They are a non profit organization that provides a network of low cost weight loss support groups.  And we are lucky to have two in Molalla Oregon. I belong to the evening group.

Recently the evening group, known as TOPS OR0322, committed itself to doing more to support the needs of the community.

We completed a community service project that was very fun. In fact so much fun that we now plan on having a sew-in once every quarter. We made lap robes for a local non profit. In one evening we finished eleven tied lap robes with an additional four being provided, already completed, by one member. 

Here are some photo’s of our work session.

 

I hope this inspires you!
Cheers!
Toni

2 charm pack quilt

This quilt is going to Sarah's quilt ministry. I used two charm packs and some yardage to make it.
The quilt is 72 x 63 before washing. It was a fun quilt to put together.

Merry Christmas!

a HAPPY quilt

I'm having a little blogland party this month.

Some of the participants have been sending me

EXTRA house blocks

and

ORPHAN blocks

so that...

I could make some charity quilts!!!

 

This is the first one!

Isn't it a HAPPY quilt??

 

 

Admitting to my Addiction

There is a great charity here in Oregon that will take quilts, quilt tops or quilt blocks that have lost your favor. It is: http://www.quiltsfromcaringhands.com/.  We quilters, always being in search of new challenges, new creativity, and just loving new (or new to us fabric), often go on to these NEW projects, leaving discarded, but not unloved, UFO's behind.  I’m thankful that there are charities to take these projects.  

I have to stand and say: “Hello, my name is Toni, and I’m addicted to quilting”. This addiction has led me to be in a position of having 50 (for sure) or more, UFO’s in my cabinets and closets. Don’t get me wrong! I do finish quilts. Last year the number was 11 and I’ve not yet counted this years finishes but it will be a similar number. But I love trying new patterns and combinations of fabrics. And don’t forget those sometimes addictive, block swaps, block lotto’s, and your on line quilting bees. And free patterns! And so much inspiration!  And sadly, so little time.

So today these UFO’s are off to "Quilts from Caring Hands."

The rainbow scrap quilt now layered and basted and ready to quilt. It is 50x60.
The Zig Zag, is a top that is 40x50. And the last quilt was part of a BOM, although I changed the center, that I never finished. It is 60x72. I'm sure they will all go on to loving homes.

Cheers!
Toni

http://aquiltyconscience.blogspot.com/

Rememberence Quilt for Teacher

My 2nd granddaughter is in the 7th grade this year. Her math teacher, Mr Benton,  just adopted a baby from Ethiopia. While flying to his parents for Thanksgiving he had a heart attack and died on the plane. He was only 34.

My granddaughter called me and said we needed to make a quilt for his family. I cut out some 5.5 inch squares, drew the 1/4 inch seam on them and she took them to school, with fabric pens, so everyone could sign them.

Good thing some got lost as this is one huge quilt.

As you can tell he was a NY Mets fan. She insisted that the quilt be blue and orange and used many different fabrics of each. Then she thought we should make the baby a quilt. NY Met fabric is not readily available - I found some on ebay and it was $14 and up for a fat quarter. I purchased some fleece and we tied a lap quilt so the mom and baby could snuggle together.

I am very proud of my grandgirl for thinking of honoring her teacher with a quilt. This grandgirl has enter quilts in her county fair and won best of show for the 18 and under group. She has gone with me to Ronald's House when I dropped off quilts.

She did the quilting on it, using a Circle Lord template - swirls.

The pattern we picked to use is "Puzzle Box" by Tracey Brookshier. We picked it because there weren't any seams that had to match up.

We took the quilt and throw to the school to have it on display so everyone could see. Our hope is that this quilt shows how loved Mr Benton was by his students and his colleagues.

For a Sandy survivor

I made this quilt this week for Aunt Kat.  Kat is not a true aunt but one of those people who were around as we were growing up and were just part of the family.  Kat is actually my aunt Gert's little sister and a wonderful person.




She pretty much lost everything to Sandy. She is currently living with her daughters family. As she starts to rebuild her life I hope she feels all of the love that comes with this quilt. 

Last QOV of 2012

Here is my last Quilt of Valor for the year.

My granddaughter was home from school for a few days. So she decided she wanted to help me make a quilt. I let her pick the pattern and fabrics. I did the cutting and tried to show her how to sew a 1/4 inch seam - wasn't very successful at it. She was here for three days and when she went home each night I took out her seams and resewed them.  She came back today and with her mother's help, quilted it. I did the binding. It measures 71 inches square before washing.

Does anyone else think it looks like a giant Swoon block?

Calling ALL orphans

I'm taking up a collection....

Orphan quilt blocks

to be made into CHARITY quilts.

 

More details on my blog.

 

I'm hoping to make a few quilts

this month and next.

 

I bet you know of some orphans

NEEDING a good HOME!!

right?

 

Lull before Frenzy - Part Two

Now that the Frenzy of November is over, there is a short lull before the frenzy of December starts.  I'm using the time to make a couple of more charity quilts in the interim.
Here's two St. Anne's quilts - I make tops for the our parish organization - St. Anne's Sewdality.  We make baby blankets for first time mothers.
A tube quilt top

and another rag quilt. All I do is make the top and others finish it for St. Anne's.

This is the back.  The front has that cute leaf fabric everywhere you see the solid beige flannel here.  I only assemble, others clip and wash. Next step is to quilt an "x"in each pair and then sew the rows.  When we get together we pray over them and send them on to the babies and their moms.

What are you working on?

Quilties for Christmas

My church is collecting Christmas gifts for families in need. The agency through which we work suggested some doll blankets for all the baby dolls that are donated; no doll blankets are donated, so I got busy and made a few during our recent crafters' retreat at church. One of the knitted blankies is by a friend at the retreat. Most are for baby dolls that are a little bit larger than Barbie, but I did make one for Barbie, too.

Then I also made these 8 Christmas stockings for a family who just adopted three more kids. Each person chose their own fabrics, so each stocking is unique. These were so fun to make!

--by Carol E.

For Sandy Survivors

This block is part of a group of blocks I made

 

for Erin who is coordinating a project to make quilts for Sandy surviviors.

http://vesuviusmama.blogspot.com/2012/11/taking-action-wanna-help.html

 

If you haven't stopped by her blog yet, please do.  Maybe you can help in some way.

 

 

It is a pretty addicting block to make and they whip up in no time.

 

One For Sarah's Ministry

I had a stack of 1/4 yard cuts of some florals and decided to make a zig zag quilt. The background is a soft Kona yellow. It finished at 63x68 before washing. When I get a few more made I will be taking this to Sarah for her quilt ministry.

Quilt of Valor

This quilt is going to Alycia. The pattern came from the Sept/Oct 2012 issue of Love of Quilting. I made the stripes using 1/2 square triangles, the pattern called for curved stripes. Measures 66x80 before washing.

One of our Baby Charity Quilts

I wanted to share with you one of our St. Anne's Sewdality quilts:

It's brighter than it seems in the picture -the camera doesn't want to cooperate some days.  This quilt is one of our prayer quilts that we give to low income mothers at their post-partum visit.  One member made the embroidered blocks (Thanks, Deanna!) and provided some of the fabric. I put the top together. Then a couple of members sandwiched, pin basted, and tied it.  Then Isabelle took it home to be bound - thank you all.  We're going to silent auction this one at the Altar Society boutique next Sunday, so that we can buy batting. The back is a flannel plaid. We like to use the bring the back forward to make the binding method.  Here's a close-up.  You can read about us here and see more quilts.

Measures about 36" square.

Caregiver's Quilt

This is a quilt I made for my mother's caregiver. She celebrated a birthday this week.  I used the pattern Fly Away by Bonnie Olaveson/Cotton Way. That is a lot of fly geese, 360 of them. It took a few days to make and trim the flying geese, other than that it went together very nicely. Since I made geese using a different method, I used less fabric than the pattern called for. Measured about 63x75 before washing.

Something New - Project 40!

Hi, all!

I'm willing to bet that, like me, most of you are multi-talented in the crafting areas - and may know how to knit or crochet in addition to your mad quilting talents.  So I've got an opportunity for you to use those skills in a simple and low-commitment way to give someone a warm "hug".

My friend Pam, one of the ladies in our church's quilt ministry, has started something called Project 40.  No, it's  not quilting, but it is still a creative and much needed way to give someone in need a hug - so please go check out her new blog and see what it's all about!  And at the same time, you can see the absolutely gorgeous king-size quilt she made - and hand quilted!!  It has a great story, one you really should read....

Hugs!

Sarah

Make a block or two!

An opportunity.

A chance to GIVE.

Something I KNOW you like to do!

;)

 

Sew up a Disappearing 9 patch today.

More info here.

Erin is collecting them,

Assembling them,

and

making QUILTS happen!!!

 

Woo Hoo!!!

 

 

 

RMH

This little 47 inch quilt is going to Ronald's House.

It started with 2 inch by 3.5 inch blue strips that I over cut for a previous quilt. I added the orange because it was across from the blue on my color wheel and luckily for me I had the perfect flowered border.

I used a lot of different oranges. It is really a bight and cheery quilt and I am pleased that I was able to come up with a quit using leftover bits.

For A Friend

I found this quilt online at http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/06/23/my-next-scrappy-project/ and just had to make it.

Since I already had a bunch of 2.5 inch squares and strips cut out, my quilt turned out a little bigger than the pattern. It finishes at 113 inches square, before washing.

I am sending this quilt to a friend who has had more than her share of sorrows over the past 19 years. Hoping she will know just how much I care about her and that it will lighten her heart just a bit.

It made a great scrappy quilt. Used about 23.96 yards of fabric, including the backing and binding. No the quilt isn't sewed as crocked as it seems in the pictures, my hanging job was bad.  The corner stones are white with black dots and the binding is black with white dots.

block wall quilt

Every year I head up a tradition that began

more than 15 years ago.

The ladies at my church give the graduating high school seniors a quilt.

 

It used to be a group effort.

Squares were cut at meetings....

Ties were added later....

but times have changed.

We don't meet monthly anymore.

That doesn't mean we can't give quilts, right???

Now...

We meet only ONE time to sew together.

I usually do the rest.

But you know what???

I love it!

 

This quilt is SO nice...
I think I'll cut strips and bring them to our gathering.

Then....

EVERYONE can help make another BEAUTY.

Isn't it the perfect BOY quilt???

Yeah.

I think so too.

;)

 

Scraps of Love...

Hi, all!

I've got a special quilt to share with you all today - made for one of our quilt ministry members, who had a brain aneurysm rupture last week.  

The word blocks were donated by Sharon...

Christy is a new member - she had just joined a couple of months ago, and after making her first quilt for herself (she was afraid it wouldn't be good enough to give away!), she made six baby quilt tops and started on a quilt for a friend.  

The monkey fabric came from the first baby quilt Christy made...

And the red striped fabric above is left over from a dress I made
for my daughter about 20 years ago!

Then suddenly, last Monday, she suffered the ruptured aneurysm and has been in the hospital ever since.  She is still sedated and they are unsure of the extent of the damage.  

Lots of the ministry members joined in making blocks for this quilt - it was the first experience for many of them with dump-and-sew blocks, but it went well!  

In fact, the block on the right above was the first block a new member had ever made, and actually the first thing she ever sewed!  She was so excited....

And this block has the best story - one of the ladies in the group was making it at home before leaving on a trip, and her daughter was helping her pull fabrics.  When KatieBeth brought the princess fabric over, Deb said, "Honey, this quilt is for a grown-up lady - and that's a little girl fabric."  KatieBeth responded, "Well, she's a princess too, isn't she?"  As Deb said, how could she tell her not to put it in after that?

There are pieces of fabric in this quilt from many of the quilts we've made for the ministry, and many hands had a part in the making of it.  Our hope is that it will remind Christy of how many people are praying for her and cheering her on as she recovers from this horrible event in her life.  

Thanks for letting me share this special quilt with you.  I hope you'll join us in praying for Christy - she'll need a lot of prayer over the coming months......

Hugs!

Sarah

Tessellating Cross

This one is for Sarah's Quilt Ministry.  It measures 64 inches square, before washing.

I decided to join a Tessellating Cross quilt along. It was to make one block a day for 90 days. Well,  since I had all the fabrics out I decided to make 64 of them at one time. It is a quick simple quilt to make. I used 2.5 inch strips I had leftover from other quilts.

Margaret's Hope Chest - Fun in the Middle

Here are some of the 22 blocks that I am sending to Margaret's Hope Chest, the fourth and last project for 2012.

For block size and directions go to their website - http://margaretshopechest.blogspot.com/2012/09/project-hope-2012-final-project-fun-in.html

The blocks were fast and easy to make and are due by November 15th. You can make 3 blocks from 2 strips of fabric.

This is a great project for a good cause.

Quilt Of Valor

This quilt will be sent to Alycia. I used the pattern Kim shared. I did not add on the last two borders. This one finished at 74 x 80 before washing. I used a flag fabric for the center of the stars.

I really like the stars in the sashing. Great pattern and it used a lot of scraps.

Quilting For Good Linky Party #11

Hi, all!

Well, it's that time again (and it's still actually Tuesday - aren't you proud of me?)  So come along and link up blogposts or pics of your charity quilting efforts for the week...

This week, I have something a little different to show.  As you may know, I host a charity quilt challenge on my blog each spring, called Hands2Help.  This year one of the charities we were sponsoring was my church's senior high mission trip to New Orleans.  They go to St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans several times a year, working with school age children in this area which was hit very hard by Hurricane Katrina.  They are still recovering from the devastation, and just a few weeks ago, Hurricane Isaac hit this area again and flooded many families out of their homes again. We have collected nearly 70 quilts to send with the mission team to give out in this area, and here are a couple of pictures of the quilts....

I love this pic - a massive expanse of quilt-y goodness!

And here's a picture of all the quilts laid out on tables so that church members can pray over them before they go to New Orleans.

And just for fun, here's a great picture of my sewing sisters from church - they helped lay out all these quilts for the pictures on Saturday!

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

And now it's your turn!

Show us what you've been working on this week -

Progress shots,

Finished quilts,

Donations you've sent to others!

It's all Quilting For Good!

Hugs!

Sarah