May/June CiL Block Drive

Hello Quilters! It's the beginning of Summer and time for the May/June CiL Block Drive.  We're going to be doing a fun block that I saw around the internet recently, it originated with sushi.farmer on instagram. 

photo by JessicaQuilter

This is called the "Scrappy Pixel" block and we are making a version inspired by JessicaQuilter with only one color on each side of the midline. This will be one to get into your scrap bins for! The photo above is of 4 blocks put together and I have made a template below to help you with arranging your blocks. 

Each block is made from (36) 2.5" squares. Start by laying out 6 dark (basically black) squares down the midline. Then place 2 very light squares into the two empty corners and (2) more low volume (but not quite as light) squares onto the diagonal in each corner.  From there sort the scraps of your two chosen colors into three categories based on saturation from dark to pastel.  These are arranged with darks nearest the middle and lights close to the corner squares. 

You can assemble the blocks by sewing together strips and then columns, or by sewing together nine patches and then joining those. However you like and find convenient is fine. 

The finished blocks should measure 12.5" (unfinished).

I can't wait to see all your blocks! I have to admit I'm partial to the drives where you can't tell where one block ends and the next begins.

For anyone new to Covered in Love, we run these block drives every two months and have been since 2015. Anyone can participate and make as few or as many blocks as you like. Email CoveredinLoveTx@gmail.com for the address and get your blocks in the mail by the end of June.  Our blocks are combined together into quilts to be given to the families of dying patients in East Texas hospitals to bring comfort in a dark time.

Wonderful Wendy

Today's post is a celebration of Wendy! A wonderful quilter with a longarm who has been volunteering to finish tops for Covered in Love for a while now. 

This purple twist top was made by Kathy B and quilted by Wendy. The two shades of purple work really effectively together. 

Wendy also sends in bonus quilts from time to time, like this patriotic quilt with a simple but very effective pattern.

This batik sampler quilt was made by a friend of Wendy's and hitched a ride in a box that was heading this way. 

Gorgeous beachy ocean batik colors and ripple pattern quilting.  It's almost summer and beach time again! 

Julie K sent in this Scrappy Trips top in cool jewel tones and Wendy quilted it with a swirly, loopy design.  

This top is called "Beveled Blocks" and also came from Julie K, so I include it here.  Since it was smaller I actually quilted this one myself.  

Thank you Wendy!

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 1000 so far! During March/April we are supporting the Hands2Help Challenge instead of our normal block drive.  Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday

More Tops by Becky

A few weeks ago I made a post with tops that I finished from a quilter named Becky, and this week I'm back with more!

I LOVE the colors in this one with the golden yellow borders.  Blue, green, and purple and traditionally cool colors, but these shades feel warm and cozy somehow!

These aren't all of Becky's tops yet, either. This is just the end of the ones small enough for me to quilt easily on my mid arm machine. There are about 5 or 6 left that will probably go to longarmers eventually.

Becky met me in a parking lot almost a year ago with a trunk full of quilt-bits and it's the gift that keeps on giving!

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 1000 so far! During March/April we are supporting the Hands2Help Challenge instead of our normal block drive.  Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday

Finished Quilts

Covered in Love hit a BIG milestone this week you guys.  One Thousand quilts delivered to the hospitals! This belongs to all to you who have contributed to support CiL over the years since 2015 when I started with just a handful of quilts. Congratulations to all of you and a big pat on the back!

Quilts that arrive already finished and require only a label from me are my favorite kind, I admit.  There's nothing like a delivery of a box that is light for its size!

These first two quilts were made by the NURTURE circle of do. Good Stitches and quilted by Jenny S on her long arm.  

Unfortunately these may be the last two quilts of that quilting circle, with many of the senior members having to retire due to life events.  It's bittersweet, but that circle ran strong for many years and I know there are plenty of other sewing bees.

Debbie sent in this card trick quilt along with a big box of novelty yardage suitable for quilt backings.

The novelty fabrics will make cute backings, especially for things like the string quilt blocks we just made. 

The last donor in this post is Tina C, who has been involved with CiL for a long, long time. She recently sent in a couple of huge quilts. 

I especially loved the concept of this quilt with the Grandma's Squares in floral fabrics. There is one to represent each state flower of the 50 United States! 

I wrote that onto the label so the future family can enjoy trying to spot them all. 

This very large quilt had a sad story, a wedding that was planned but didn't happen.  Although we don't prefer extremely large quilts, we do accept them, and Tina wanted to send it off for a new life and a new purpose.

The feather quilting is stunning and really compliments the patterns in the blue fabrics.

I was recently talking to a doctor with the Palliative Care group at work. She expressed how much the quilts have meant to patients and families she has worked with in the past and what a meaningful gesture it is to those who need them.

Paraphrasing a bit, she said something like "I can't think of any one thing that you could do that would make such a huge impact. Like, if you wanted to do something to help, that's it."  

Tina C's awesome sampler quilt

It was meaningful to hear from someone who is so often right in the middle of these end-of-life situations about the genuine impact our quilts make and how much they are appreciated. 

Thank you to everyone who supports CiL and continues to make these impactful quilts for East Texans!

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 1000 so far! During March/April we are supporting the Hands2Help Challenge instead of our normal block drive.  Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday

Quilty Friends

Happy Friday once again, quilters! I think Spring is officially here. The daffodils are blooming and the trees and budding. My allergies are going crazy :)

All the tops in this post were sent in by three quilty friends from Illinois who live in the same city and enjoy sewing together.  Beth T began sending blocks and tops to me first, back in 2020.  This first top of hers is the pattern "Strip Joints" by GE Designs. 

I got these tops quilted during a burst of productivity recently.  My quilting machine was humming and there were batting fluff-bunnies on all the corners.  This pattern is "Straight and Narrow" Jordan Fabrics. 

Beth also sent in several of these "Charm Quilt on Point" pattern tops made with charm packs. The pattern is by Missouri Star Quilt Company. 

Since the pattern makes a square quilt Beth adds her own rows of checkerboard squares to make it rectangular, for a cozier quilt size!

Beth usually sends along binding to match her tops, and sometimes backing as well, which are both a big help to me. 

I'm not sure what fabric line this is, but I thought the colors were really sweet. 

But I told you this was a story about 3 quilty friends. After Beth had been sending in blocks and tops for a while her friend Holly joined in. They often share postage and load up a box together.  

Holly also made a version of the "Strip Joints" pattern in a different colorway and it looks completely different! 

Then most recently their friend Ginny joined in with blocks and tops.  So now I get boxes with notes and donations from all three! She made this top that looks like layer cakes split with white strips.

Ginny said her friend had made this top and she added the rainbow border.  It looks like a disappearing hourglass block with a few odd blocks thrown in?

As you probably know, I keep a spread sheet of names, addresses, and email addresses of people who donate-- for charity paperwork purposes and also so I can send out Christmas Cards. I'm surprised at how many of you live in the same town as other CiL contributors, or at least very nearby! It makes me wonder if you know each other as these Illinois friends do, or if it's just a coincidence.  

You might have an online quilt-friend who lives just down the road and not know it!

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 900 so far! During March/April we are supporting the Hands2Help Challenge instead of our normal block drive.  Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday