Nov 302012
 

I’ve finished another charity quilt, this one for a local charity fund-raising auction. Last two years I’ve donated wall-hangings. This year my husband said, “I think something big enough to use would be more popular.” For someone who likes the quilts I’ve hung on the walls at home, he still thinks they go on a bed. So I made a crib quilt, but it’s pretty enough to go on the wall, should the new owner want to hang it up.

I think the quilting took longer than the piecing, but it’s done, photographed, and delivered. I put a flannel back on it, first time I’ve worked with flannel but it was fine. And so soft! As soon as I pieced the backing I thought, “I want a flannel back on the horse quilt.” Then I remembered I’d already made a backing and had it all basted and waiting. Oh well.

Next up on my agenda – Christmas gifts. I won’t be posting about them just yet, for obvious reasons. As soon as they are done I have a twin-size quilt basted and ready to quilt. I’m planning to donate it to Equilter’s drive to collect 5000 quilts for Hurricane Sandy victims. I wanted to do more, but that’s life. I’ve already sent 5 quilts East, if I only manage one more that’s good enough.

Long term, I want to turn all of the “clutter” in my sewing room into charity quilts. “Clutter” is all the UFOs that are useable (some are too arty, and I still want to finish them), scraps, orphans, and cull fabrics. Easily 100 quilts worth, at least if they are all crib sized. The real questions is, how fast can I sew them?

 November 30, 2012  Posted by at 11:32 am Charity Quilts No Responses »
Nov 102012
 

Nothing comforts like a quilt, and quilters love to send quilts to people who need comfort. I know I do, Hurricane Sandy is not my first time to send quilts to victims of the latest disaster.
Okay, I’m preparing to send the last batch, they aren’t actually sent as of this writing. But I wanted to give any readers of this blog a heads-up about the three places you can send quilts that I have found so far:

Project Linus of New Jersey is collecting twin to queen size quilts, send now. Click HERE  for more info.

Basic Housing Inc of New York is collecting any quilt or blanket, new or used, handmade or storebought, any size (I’d assume crib and up, anything that can be used to keep warm), send now. For info click HERE.

And eQuilter, together with Timeless Treasures, has issued a challenge to collect 5000 quilts over the next few months. For more info click HERE.

If you have anything finished that is ready to go, send away to the top two (I’ve got one twin that I’m sending to Project Linus, the rest are smaller and will go to New York, along with a spare blanket).

EQuilter’s drive gives you time to finish up some UFOs. What a great incentive to pull those neglected projects out of the closet, finish them quickly, and send them to someone who will love them. No more half-done something hanging over your head, taking up space in your storage system, and you’ll never have to see it again.

For the rest of this year, my focus will be on FINISHING quilts to send to victims of Hurricane Sandy, from my abundant stash of UFOs. Join me!

 November 10, 2012  Posted by at 4:43 pm Finishing No Responses »
Nov 022012
 

I’m making real progress! Finished the top a couple weeks ago (then let the picture sit on my camera), finished the backing yesterday, and basted it this morning. Quilting will wait until I’ve done a little FMQ warmup, I’m feeling rusty. It’s been about 6 months, I think, since I last quilted.

These pics aren’t the greatest, I cannot get good color indoors, no matter what I do. I haven’t had good weather for outdoor shots in ages, and will wait until it’s done before I do that anyway.

Top – which somehow finished nearly 7 feet long despite my effort to shorten it.

Backing – I took the time to piece this from 5 inch squares, using up the leftover fabrics (blues and greens only) plus a 3 new ones. The border will be smaller (and a little crooked) in the final quilt, I’ve made it a few inches wider all around for ease of basting and quilting.

Next up is to finish piecing the “clean-up” projects, smaller pieces made to use up the leftovers and some scraps. Two tops to go. Then I need to do some quilting to free up some safety pins so I can baste them, so I can use them for quilting practice before tackling the big guy.

 November 2, 2012  Posted by at 9:52 am UFOs No Responses »