Quilters' Meet & Greet

Hello! And welcome to my blog for the 2018 Quilters' Meet & Greet!

My name is Kat and this is my blog, which used to be about my cats and quilts, but these days it's mostly all Covered in Love.

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that I started in 2015. We collect quilts, tops, blocks, and other quilting materials to be made into quilts for patients who die in the hospital.  Quilts are placed on the patient's bed and family members can take them home as a memento.  To date over 350 quilts have been donated!

One major source of quilts for Covered in Love is the block drives I run every 2 months.  Lots of quilters around the world participate to make blocks which get made into quilts for grieving families.  The current block drive just got started HERE if you'd like to join in!

I post finishes related to Covered in Love almost every Friday and my cats still make frequent cameos.  I also post tutorials relatively frequently; these string quilts were recently a big hit.

Thanks for visiting! Be sure to enter for the grand prize and visit more blogs in the Meet & Greet!

Hunter's Star Block Drive Wrap Up

Like my split screen effect?

 Yes, at long last all the quilts from the March/April Covered in Love block drive are done and delivered! 

Assembled and quilted by Kathy

 There were thirteen of these "regular" blue Hunter's Star quilts made from 390 blocks sent in by over 60 quilters.  I also count the RWB Hunter's Star UFO blocks sent in by Pam during this drive and there will eventually be one more quilt made from leftover blocks, so 15 total!

Assembled and quilted by Kathy

Even though this was a really simple block I love the quilts made from this drive.

Top by Gail C., quilted by me

Covered in Love gives quilts to the families of patients who pass away in the hospital as a comfort item.  We are always in need of more men's quilts, so these blue ones are especially nice.

Top by Gail C., quilted by me

Gail C., besides sending in two tops, a stack of loose blocks, and some backings also gave me a bag of prepped bindings that I used to finish these.

Assembled and quilted by me

I grouped some of the blocks together deliberately; this quilt has blocks with blue-on-white prints.  Those of you who have sent in backings, I really appreciate it.  I have such beautiful blue, grey, and brown "manly" backings to compliment these quilts perfectly.

Assembled and quilted by me

The new block drive just opened up and it's a repeat of an old favorite of mine, another one that's great for masculine quilts. Be sure to check it out.

Assembled and quilted by me

 This top has blocks with a teal or aqua color base.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the March/April block drive! The number of quilters and states participating increases with every drive!

Sorry about the color! I forgot to change setting on the scanner.

  
Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 300 so far! The Sept/Oct drive is a repeat of one of my old favorites, the grown-up eye-spy quilt.  Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved.

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

New Covered in Love Block Drive!

Happy Fall, y'all! It's still hot here, but I hold on to the hope that Fall is coming and it might cool down sometime in the next 2 months.  Meanwhile, it's time for the next Covered in Love block drive, which will run through September and October.

This block drive is a repeat from March 2016, but hopefully it will be new to many of you. This was one of my favorites of all time and there are so many more quilters participating in CiL now, I want to see what we can make!

The tutorial is HERE. Note that this time we're making a 10.5" block instead of our usual 12.5".  Each block has 4 fussy-cut "eye-spy" blocks, so a 60x70" quilt ends up with 168 different little images.  Something perfect to look at and kill time in the hospital and lots of little easter-eggs for people to connect to.

If you're looking for inspiration you can look at the finishes from the old block drive here.

If you haven't ever participated in a Covered in Love block drive I hope you'll consider it!  We make quilts to be given to the families of patients who pass away in the hospital. Anyone can participate and make as few or as many blocks as you like, just get them in the mail by the end of October.  Email CoveredinLoveTx@gmail.com or comment (make sure you aren't a "no-reply" blogger or leave your email address) to get the address to send blocks.

(More) Americana

Blocks by Pam, assembled and quilted by Kathy

The Summer block drive, Red White and Blue Stars, is wrapping up and I've got some more thematically-appropriate finishes for Covered in Love to show!

This first quilt was made from some RWB hunter's star blocks sent in by Pam during the March block drive.  I added some more donated fabrics for a border and Kathy assembled and quilted the whole thing.  I love the layout she chose!

Blocks by Priscilla, assembled and quilted by Kathy

These Snowball blocks were a UFO sent in by Priscilla.  I made a few more blocks from the pre-cut pieces she sent and Kathy assembled and quilted them.  I love how scrappy and cuddly the finished quilt looks. 

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 300 so far! Our block drives are back on track and July/August is the annual "Oh My Stars!" 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

Pretty in Pink

Pieced by Paula, finished by me

Pink's not my color, I'll be the first to admit that, but sometimes it is so lovely on other people's quilts. Especially for Covered in Love.

Backing from Sandra

These two beauties were pieced by Paula, backing from Sandra, and quilted by me.  Aren't they great?

Pieced by Paula,finished by me

The first one with the layer cake blocks is my favorite, I love the soft colors and the mix of pink, blue, and green.

This batik disappearing nine patch was made by Sandy and quilted by me. 

Pieced by Sandy, finished be me

Again, I had a perfect backing from Sandra. Pretty soft purple wisteria blooms.

Backing from Sandra

Last up, another disappearing nine patch style quilt top from Janet quilted by me, this time in zebra print and bright pink. The soft pretty quilts are all well and good, but sometimes you just need something a little bit wild!

Pieced by Janet, finished be me

Covered in Love donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 300 so far! Our block drives are back on track and July/August is the annual "Oh My Stars!" 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

Tiny Strings, Big Quilts

Happy weekend! I finished two scrappy quilts for Covered in Love this week.  These were pieced by me back in late April during a fit of scrappy productivity using 1.5" string scraps.

I made a tutorial for these blocks and it has become pretty popular on Pinterest.  I wish I knew if any one has actually made their own version!

Basically I sewed together skinny strings to make panels of warm, cool, and neutral fabric, then made HSTs from them.

I had a whole lot more blue/cool colored strings than neutral or warm, so I made one cool/neutral quilt and one hot/cold.

They each measure 60" square and I stippled them densely. I hope the finished quilts live up to the promise of the tops!

Thanks for visiting! I hope you have a great weekend.

Covered in Love donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 300 so far! Our block drives are back on track and July/August is the annual "Oh My Stars!" 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

Americana

Pieced by Christy, quilted by me

Isn't this red white and blue quilt a beauty? Christy sent in the top for Covered in Love and I quilted it.  It's a generous size, something like 60"x85".

Perfect timing with the red white and blue stars block drive going on right now. We always have veterans in the hospital whose families are especially thrilled to receive patriotic quilts.

Pieced by Christy, finished by me

Christy also sent in this smaller quilt made from shirtings that I like ever better.

Great masculine colors in all kinds of stripes and plaids. 

I spotted this recently removed button and part of a label as I was quilting it. How wonderful is that?

Michele also sent in a top for CiL, this one a sampler with vintage reproduction fabrics.

Pieced by Michele, finished by me

The fabrics are cute and happy looking and I especially like all the different block designs.

Beautiful quilts that will bring comfort to patients and families. Thank you ladies!

Covered in Love donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 300 so far! Our block drives are back on track and July/August is the annual "Oh My Stars!" 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