Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Sew Some Love

Welcome to the Sew Some Love linkup!  Please link-up any post about a project you're sewing for charity.


This week I got my February do. Good Stitches blocks done in the nick of time!  This month we made an assortment of heart blocks.  Pink is so NOT my color, so it was fun to get into my pink scraps and play with different fabrics than usual.  They are more saturated colors in person... this photo was the best I could do with the overcast sky outside.


Covered in Love has been so blessed by donations from quilters, I want you all to see what each other have going on!  For purposes of the linky, I'm going to define "charity" really generally.  If you're sewing a quilt for you co-worker's mom with cancer or your friend's uncle who lost his home, that totally counts!  Anything you're sewing out of the goodness of your heart for someone outside you immediate circle of family and friends. 




Some Quilt Charities:
Books and a Blanket - quilts for needy children in central Texas, promoting literacy
Covered in Love - quilts for mourning families
Kennel Quilts - small quilts for animals in need
Margaret's Hope Chest - several programs for children and adults
My Very Own Blanket - quilts for children in foster care
Ovarian Cancer Quilt Project - quilts auctioned to raise money for cancer research
Project Linus - quilts for children in the hospital
Quilts Beyond Borders -  quilts for poor children around the world
Quilts for Kids - quilts for abused and ill children
Quilts of Valor - quilts for veterans
Threading Hope - children and families in poverty and war torn countries
Victoria's Quilts - quilts for cancer patients
Wrap-a-Smile - quilts for children treated for cleft palate on medical missions
Wrap Them in Love - quilts for children

If you know of any that need added to the list let me know!

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Grandad's Shirts Block Drive

Welcome to the March-April Covered in Love block drive!  This time we're going to make blocks inspired by this awesome quilt. I'm calling it "Grandad's shirts" because that's what the colors and texture remind me of. 


The color scheme for this block is black, grey, and true-blues (not teal, aqua, turquoise, etc). Think manly colors :)


You need to cut (4) fabrics 4.5"x8.5" and one (the one in the middle) 4.5"x6.75"


Lay the 6.75" long piece sideways and measure from one side, making small pencil marks at the top and bottom as shown: 1.5" in from the edge, 2",2.75", 3.25", 4", 4.5", 5.25", 5.75"


Begin at the first set of hash marks that are half an inch apart, make a fold, wrong sides together, so that the adjacent hashes match up, and pin at both edges of the fabric. (Look at the pictures and hopefully this will make sense.)


Pin through the hash marks, then press the crease.



Sew the crease in with your quarter inch foot, which should mean you're sewing at the line of the hash marks you made earlier, connecting them. These stitches will be visible in the final quilt.  You can match the thread color to the fabric or use white or black, but please use the same in the top and bobbin.



Basically what we're doing is sewing in 4 creases. Each one falls right between the hashes that were half and inch apart, with 0.75" in the "valleys" between one crease and the next.


Pin the next crease in the same way as the first one and sew.


Once you've sewn all 4 creases carefully press just the outside half inch or so down. On one edge press them up and on the other edge press them the opposite direction.


Sew a line of stay stitching less than 1/4" from the edge to keep the directionality of the creases.


It's a little difficult to measure this little block since it doesn't want to lie flat but give it a try. Hopefully it measures 4.5" square, but there was a little play in the original measurements so you may need to trim a bit.


Now you can start to really lay the block out. Yes, partial seams! Don't worry.  **PS- do yourself a favor and flip your middle block upside down from how mine is, so that the creases are closer to the bottom of the block than the top.


Start applying to side blocks by taking one and sewing it to the middle block from their flush edge to 1/2" from the point where the small block ends.


Apply the next block across the new edge made by the joined middle and edge block.


...and the next, same way.


To apply the last edge piece fold down the first side you sewed so you can clearly see the edge where this block will join.


Sew it just like the others.


Then flip the first edge piece back up into place and fold it over to see your last seam to be sewn. Finish sewing that partial seam and you're all done.


The block should finish 12.5" square.  Press all seams toward the outside.  Try not to press directly on the creases if you can avoid it.

(Edited to Add: View some finished quilts here)

I know many of your are old hats at these block drives, but for anyone who's new to Covered in Love, we give quilts to patients who pass away at a hospital in east Texas.  Family members can take the quilts home with them to wrap up in afterward.  Anyone can participate in the block drives and make as few or as many blocks as you like.  Email CoveredinLoveTx@gmail.com or leave a comment (make sure I can reach you) for a mailing address or if you have any questions!

If you blog about working on these blocks, or any other charity sewing, you're invited to join the linky. Every Wednesday!
You can check out finished quilts from previous block drives here.

Linking to Oh Scrap!

Thursday, February 23, 2017

More Block Drive Orphans

You may remember that a few weeks ago I finished a couple of quilts using leftover star blocks from a CiL block drive.   This week's finish is another quilt made from block drive orphans, this time from the Sun & Sea and Lattice block drives.  This took care of the Sun & Sea blocks and all the cutoffs from Lattice. There are still a few more, larger lattice blocks to be used somewhere later.


I had asked folks to send in their corner cut-offs with their lattice blocks, if they wanted.  This flying geese/zig zag pattern is where they wound up ;)  The quilt finished about 58"x74" if I remember correctly.  I love how the bright colors shine!



Covered in Love's quilts are given away in the hospital to patients who are dying or have passed on for the families to take home with them.  Losing a loved one is obviously very hard and having a transitional item like a quilt to take home can help.  One of the chaplains told me the other day about a man he followed up with who told him "I sleep with that quilt every night, because it still smells like my wife."



Remember, the Jan/Feb CiL block drive is still going on if you want to jump in and sew some blocks. You can find it HERE.


 Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Oh Scrap!

Listening to... these high school kids covering the opening number from Hamilton and killing it. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Sew Some Love

Welcome to the Sew Some Love linkup!  Please link-up any post about a project you're sewing for charity.


This week I assembled some donated black and white paper pieced blocks along with black and white scraps to make this top.  The blocks, each 8" finished, were originally part of some kind of block swap or bee and each was signed on the back of the paper by the maker.


Covered in Love has been so blessed by donations from quilters, I want you all to see what each other have going on!  For purposes of the linky, I'm going to define "charity" really generally.  If you're sewing a quilt for you co-worker's mom with cancer or your friend's uncle who lost his home, that totally counts!  Anything you're sewing out of the goodness of your heart for someone outside you immediate circle of family and friends. 




Some Quilt Charities:
Books and a Blanket - quilts for needy children in central Texas, promoting literacy
Covered in Love - quilts for mourning families
Margaret's Hope Chest - several programs for children and adults
My Very Own Blanket - quilts for children in foster care
Ovarian Cancer Quilt Project - quilts auctioned to raise money for cancer research
Project Linus - quilts for children in the hospital
Quilts Beyond Borders -  quilts for poor children around the world
Quilts for Kids - quilts for abused and ill children
Quilts of Valor - quilts for veterans
Threading Hope - children and families in poverty and war torn countries
Victoria's Quilts - quilts for cancer patients
Wrap-a-Smile - quilts for children treated for cleft palate on medical missions
Wrap Them in Love - quilts for children

If you know of any that need added to the list let me know!

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Scrap Recycling: Bookmarks

I'm hardly the first person to think of sewing scraps of fabrics onto paper to make cards or crafts, but an idea doesn't need to be original to be good ;)

Side A
I read, a lot. It's one of my favorite hobbies right after quilting. So making scrap bookmarks was a natural choice.  To make these I cut paper to 5"x7.5" and marked a crease line long-ways in the middle (2.5").  Then I sew fabric to both sides (raw-edge applique). You can use any stitch as long as it isn't too short as that would perforate the paper too much and make it tear.

Side B
After sewing I coat the back sides of the stitching with Elmers glue, fold the bookmark in half (glued sides together), and put it under a heavy book for a day to dry.  With time the fabric's raw edges will ravel and become fluffy :)


And now for your Sunday Smile, here's a photo for the girls enjoying some fresh air, safe from dogs, cars, and other cats.

Linking to Oh Scrap!

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Caturday

Our local MQG had the incredible good fortune to have a dinner with Jacquie Gering several months ago.  She's an amazing quilter and so nice in person! After an extended conversation about everyone's pet's one quilter asked Jacquie if her dog, Sideways, had ever made it into a quilt?

"Well," Jacquie replied, "he's in every quilt I make."

Ah, yes. The hair issue. Try as you might, it's hard to keep a little extra fluff from sneaking into the batting.

"You mean I'm not supposed to roll around on this?"

Full disclosure: I do try very hard to keep cat hair out of the quilts and everything gets washed thoroughly before delivery.  You win some you lose some.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

UFOs and WIPs Finished



This week I am showing off 3 quilts recently finished for Covered in Love.  Each of these was given by a quilter as a top and I quilted them up. I'm always willing to take UFO tops off your hands (and your conscience!) to finish for CiL.  Jean from Connecticut sent in this beautiful, bright, HST top.


It is a very generous size, and the colors practically glow in the sunshine! I quilted it with a stipple in tan thread and bound with bright scraps to compliment the colors in the top. 


This top came from a local quilter, Janis.  I believe it started it's life during a quilting cruise.  How exotic!  The top below was made from the same fabric pull as one of our CiL block drives by Johanna from North Carolina.


The VAST majority of CiL quilts go to dying patients but there have been a few special cases.  I recently heard about a woman who was recovering from a terrible car wreck. One of the chaplains decided to take her a quilt and it meant so much to her. It lifted her spirits and soon she graduated from the hospital to a rehab facility.



Remember, the Jan/Feb CiL block drive is still going on if you want to jump in and sew some blocks. You can find it HERE.


Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Listening to...  Appalachian Journey. I can't recommend this album highly enough!

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Sew Some Love Linkup

Welcome to the Sew Some Love linkup!  Please link-up any post about a project you're sewing for charity.


Things tend to move in waves around here. Some weeks are spent on piecing or binding or photographing; this has been a quilting week.  I was gifted a bunch of cutoffs of wool batting from a longarmer and have been getting to know that material. It sure is cozy and fluffy!  Rory is extremely helpful when I'm basting.


Covered in Love has been so blessed by donations from quilters, I want you all to see what each other have going on!  For purposes of the linky, I'm going to define "charity" really generally.  If you're sewing a quilt for you co-worker's mom with cancer or your friend's uncle who lost his home, that totally counts!  Anything you're sewing out of the goodness of your heart for someone outside you immediate circle of family and friends. 




Some Quilt Charities:
Books and a Blanket - quilts for needy children in central Texas, promoting literacy
Covered in Love - quilts for mourning families
Margaret's Hope Chest - several programs for children and adults
My Very Own Blanket - quilts for children in foster care
Ovarian Cancer Quilt Project - quilts auctioned to raise money for cancer research
Project Linus - quilts for children in the hospital
Quilts Beyond Borders -  quilts for poor children around the world
Quilts for Kids - quilts for abused and ill children
Quilts of Valor - quilts for veterans
Threading Hope - children and families in poverty and war torn countries
Victoria's Quilts - quilts for cancer patients
Wrap-a-Smile - quilts for children treated for cleft palate on medical missions
Wrap Them in Love - quilts for children

If you know of any that need added to the list let me know!

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Caturday

...just some cat pictures for your Saturday...

Rory- Bath Time

Rey's fluffy toes

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Applique Quilts Courtesy of Meg


We all have our weaknesses, Achilles heels, when it comes to quilting.  Mine (well, one of mine) is applique. I absolutely hate applique.


That's why it was an especially pleasant surprise when Meg from Colorado sent in 4 gorgeous tops with a mix of applique and piecing. 


Of course anyone can participate with Covered in Love by donating to the block drives, but I also accepts WIPs and tops that need quilting to finish off for donation.





These tops of Meg's are gorgeous.  I especially love the careful Celtic knot-work on the one with the angel.



The pink one above is made from flannel, so soft and pretty.



Meg said she worried this last one, with the log cabins, was too far gone to be any good. One of her earlier quilts, not squared or flat-lying.  Oh ye of little faith ;)  I flattened the top out and quilted the bejezzus out of it, squared up the edges and I think it looks just lovely!



Thank you to Meg, and so many others, who continue to donate to Covered in Love.  I dropped off more quilts a week or so ago and snapped a photo of Chaplain Perry, the Ham, with the delivery.  If you want to participate in the Jan/Feb block drive you can find it here.


Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Listening to...  Yellowcard.