Distracted

I told myself I was going to get lots of sewing done last night.  Wrong!  I couldn't help myself - once I turned on the election returns, I couldn't pull myself away.  Luckily, before I grabbed the remote, I got some other things done.

I made a stop at Goodwill to pick up materials for my READY TO QUILT workshop with the kids, which starts next week.  On Day 1, we are going to start prepping our materials for the Denim Comfort Quilt that we are going to make and donate, so I needed some denim.  And I was thinking of the backside of the quilt being made from upcycled shirts, but I realized it was going to cost too much at our thrift store to get enough shirts for that, even using the really big ones.  After all, they are $3.50 each.  Instead, I picked up a forest green flat sheet for a dollar and a pair of pretty floral cotton valances for $2.95, so for just a bit more than the cost of one shirt, I have enough fabric (and fabric that won't need as much deconstruction) for the whole back.

Then, before watching the returns, I had Donald pop some popcorn while I melted the butter so we could spend some time catching up with the Huxtables in The Cosby Show.  Funny thing, I put the butter in the microwave to melt, and went into the other room to do something, and came back to find Donald on the floor cleaning up a sea of popcorn.  He forgot to put the bowl under the chute of the air-popper.  I think he thought I'd be mad, but I laughed because that is exactly the kind of thing I would do.  While watching, I grabbed my spring-loaded snips and cut each pair of jeans apart through the middle so that I can give each kid a pant leg to deconstruct while I read The Quiltmaker's Gift to them on Monday.  I meant to take a photo, but I forgot.

I did remember to photograph the scrap of fabric I picked up for myself at Goodwill - isn't it pretty?

So, no new photos of the mini that I was supposed to be working on last night, although my husband's team has a scrimmage tonight, so I will take it and work on it there.

I also didn't get a Sandy Relief quilt top assembled last night.  I received 7 more Sandy blocks yesterday (and a donation check to help with batting - my list of Heroes is growing!),

So pretty - Thanks, Julie and Toni!

but I am undecided about arrangement.  Do I make it completely random?  Do I make stripes or blocks of a particular color run through the top?  Do I try to make dark and light placements rather than color placements?  I tried so many different arrangements.  I think that yesterday, I was just too distracted to make a decision, but today, now that's a different story.  Look for a quilt top photo tomorrow for sure!  I want to have at least 3 done by weekend's end if I receive enough blocks so I can send them out to the ANGELS who have volunteered to quilt them.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Proud!

I know that pride is a sin, but gosh, sometimes I just can't help it!

I received a number of packages in the mail yesterday with quilt blocks for the Hurricane Sandy Relief quilts, plus received PayPal donations for batting.  In one of the packages was a little note on this paper:

Yup, I'm PROUD to be a quilter, too!  You guys are awesome!  Look at the 28 beautiful blocks that came in just yesterday from NC, SC (2), DC, AZ, CA, and CT!

28 blocks received 11/5 - thanks, Sheila, Liz, Linda, Nancy, Debbie, Lisa, and Elaine! 

I was tempted to add them to the 17 I've made and start sewing them into a quilt (just 42 blocks  needed for a 72" x 84" twin sized quilt), but I decided to wait until I get the mail today so I'll have more variety and options.

I've added a new element to my blog - see over there on the top right?  MY HEROES!  I doubt I'll have a chance to email everyone who sends donated blocks and fabrics and whatnot, but I am going to take a group photo of all blocks received in a given day and give a shout out in that post, plus I am going to keep a running list over there under My Heroes.  I know you guys don't do it for recognition, but you deserve recognition nonetheless.  You are my heroes!  A reader who is sending blocks shared with me this quote that seemed so appropriate for what we are doing together:

"When we cast our bread upon the waters, we can presume that someone downstream whose face we will never know will benefit from our action, as we who are downstream from another will profit from that grantor's gift." ~ Maya Angelou~

I hope to get one top assembled tonight before I hunker down in front of the TV to see who wins the election.  I know that is going to stress me out, so I have my hand sewing project picked out and ready to work on to soothe my nerves.  Remember this little cutie that I started a while back before my Quilter's ADD kicked in again?

My version of a mini I saw on Julie's blog last month 

I hope to finish the embroidery and buttons so I can sandwich it and start the hand quilting the next time I am sitting somewhere with nothing for my hands to do.  What do YOU do to keep yourself sane and calm during times of stress?

Preparing for a storm of my own - quilt blocks for Sandy

We live 7/10th of a mile off the main road, so when it is cold or dark in the mornings, I drive my kids to the school bus stop.  I was unprepared to see frost on my windows today, so, of course, I had to scrape the windows of the car, and we were late and missed the bus.  My bad.  But it is nice to spend the extra time with my kids in the morning every once in a while during the drive to school.  This morning, during a commercial when the news anchor was talking about how cold it got up north overnight and how blankets were handed out Hurricane Sandy victims, I started thinking about this quilt making project again, planning my days so I have time to quilt, quilt, quilt.  But my 7-year-old son's voice pierced through my thoughts and grabbed hold of my heart.

"Mom," he said, "I want to donate my allowance to the people who lost their homes in Hurricane Sandy.  I mean, they lost their HOME, they lost EVERYTHING!"

I couldn't speak for a moment because my throat closed up with tears.  First, because my children are some of the most beautiful, sensitive, imaginative, compassionate people I know.  Every day that we spend together makes me a better person, as I push myself to do my best to deserve the love of such wonderful little people.

But I was also unable to speak because I was offering up a desperate little prayer that he go on thinking that losing your home and your belongings is the absolute worst thing that can happen.  Please God, let him go on unaware of how much worse it would be to lose a loved one.  Please let him not know how much worse it would be to lose hope.

I spent quite a bit of time this weekend responding to offers to help with this project - I am so heartened by the outpouring of support from all over the world!  No matter how much bad there may be in the world, you will never convince me that there isn't much more GOOD out there!

I worked on my disappearing 4-patch blocks, but came up short on my goal of making 24 - I only made it to 17.

First of all, I had to work until 9 PM on Friday night and then again on Saturday until 1 PM.  Plus, I spent most of the weekend with an upset stomach. (NEVER AGAIN will I try the quick soak method of preparing a 15-bean soup; if I don't soak the beans overnight, I'm just not making them.  Enough said.)  I also had a birthday party to go to on Sunday, and wouldn't you know it, I got the time wrong, so we showed up 2 hours early!  Ugh!  Back home we went (half an hour each way!), and then went again at the correct time.

Then, in anticipation of all the blocks I expect to start pouring in, I tidied up a bit in my sewing room, getting some other projects out of the way.  I made my November Let's Bee Together block for Linda:

and I finished quilting my Orange Creamsicle quilt made from upcycled sheets and pillowcases.

The front - the orange was a sheet, the white floral was a pillowcase, both purchased at a thrift store 

The back - was a sheet purchased at a thrift store 

Close up of hand quilting - this is the first time I've marked a motif in a border 

I couldn't make the border fit exactly on the short sides, so I added a butterfly to the middle of each end side 

Nice "crinkle-age" after being washed and dried 

I always see cool photos of binding on edges of folded quilts - why isn't my photo cool like that? 

So, I'm ready for the storm of quilt blocks for Hurricane Sandy relief.  Bring 'em on!  I can't wait to get started making these blocks into quilts.  HUGE thanks to all of you for taking my little idea and running with it!

The blocks are coming!

Man, you guys are FAST!!  Many blocks are already in the mail, on their way to me.  Thanks so much!  This project is getting much bigger than I initially considered, and I am THRILLED!!!  Keep them coming!  There are more people suffering from Hurricane Sandy than we can help, but I'm game to help as many as we can!

Just a note, if you are a no-reply commenter, I can't send you my mailing address.  If you haven't heard from me, that is why - I have already emailed everyone that I could get in touch with, and have tracked some people down through blogs.  If you are or if you know any of the following commenters, would you please let them know I can't reach them?  I can be emailed at ehutchinson@wlu.edu, and I'll get my mailing address out to you all.

Leeb678
MoranArtandQuilts
Moosecarol
RaggedySister

Again, thanks so much!  Look at what is on its way already!

Thank you, Becki in PA!

Thank you, Char in PA!

(And if you want to make it so that you are no longer a no-reply commenter, there are many tutorials out there.  One I just found is at http://www.happyhourprojects.com/2012/02/blog-tips-are-you-noreply.html)

Wow!

Your collective response to my call for quilt blocks to make quilts for the victims of Hurricane Sandy has been phenomenal!  I'm so excited to get these quilts together and humbled that you would participate in my little project.  And it is certainly motivating to know that there are quilters all across the US, Canada and Great Britain who are constructing blocks for this.  Knowing that was the little extra I needed to head downstairs for an hour last night after putting the kids to bed, instead of heading to bed myself after a pretty lousy day (stress at work, it'll pass).

I made four more blocks, started construction on two more, and pulled fabric for about 6 more.  I hope to have made at least 20 blocks by the time the weekend is over.  (Maybe 24 since we get an extra hour as we move our clocks back?)

If you are just tuning in and want to participate, the block instructions are on my last post.

Have a great weekend, everyone!  You are THE BEST!

Taking action - wanna help?

EDITED 11/3/12 - Just a note, if you are a no-reply commenter, I can't send you my mailing address.  If you haven't heard from me, that is why - I have already emailed everyone that I could get in touch with, and have tracked some people down through blogs.    I can be emailed at ehutchinson@wlu.edu, and I'll get my mailing address out to you all.  Thanks so much!

While my kids were home from school on Tuesday, enjoying the reprieve that Hurricane Sandy afforded us here in Virginia, I got started on an idea for a baby quilt.  I wanted to make a spiral log cabin like I had seen on Beth's blog, but I was wondering if it could be done with some of my pre-cut 2" squares that are overflowing their tin.  In no time at all, I had four 9.5" blocks to play with.  It turns out, I like Beth's better, but I can do something with these...

Then I went upstairs on turned on the TV.  Sandy may have given us a reprieve, but she bashed the heck out of our friends north of us.  The images on the screen horrified and haunted me.  My first job after college was in NYC.  My first date with my now-husband was on the Jersey Shore.  He surprised me with a trip to Atlantic City for my 22nd birthday.  The first home that we bought together was in Hoboken, NJ.  All these places that played such a significant role in my past were cold and dark and underwater.  People were were losing their belongings, their homes, their lives.

I can't sit by and do nothing.  I'll donate money, to be sure, but I'm going to turn my sewing room into a sweatshop these next couple of weeks and donate some quilts, too.  My program with the school kids doesn't start until November 12, so I have a week and a half to concentrate on making quilt tops.

Do you want to help?  I wanted to make big block quilts, something interesting but simple.  I saw the disappearing 4-patch online recently, so that's what I chose to make.  One block takes me about 10 minutes to make, including the cutting and pressing.  If you want to make a block to send to me,   leave a comment and I'll send you my mailing address.  I will put the quilt tops together and either find someone to machine quit them or (gulp) machine quilt them myself.  We can't help everyone, but together, we can make a small difference in the lives of some.

Block guidelines:

Choose two fabrics: a multi-color FLORAL and a coordinating fabric that provides good contrast to the floral and reads as a solid.  Cut two 7" squares from each fabric.  Sew into a 4-patch.

Press the 4-patch, and then using a long ruler, make four cuts on the 4-patch, one at 1.5" to each side of the center seams.  Do not move your fabric after each cut; either rotate the cutting mat after each cut, or rotate yourself around the mat.  Once cut, you should have this:

Granted, I moved them a little bit so you could see where the cuts are. 

Move only the skinny center pieces from each side clockwise one space (musical chairs for fabric). It should now look like this:

Sew into rows and then into a 9-patch.

Your final block should be 12.5".  Don't bother to trim your block to size, send them to me as is and I will trim them all to the same size together.  This is a block that is pretty forgiving - when trimmed, you don't lose the integrity of the block.

Thanks so much for considering helping out.  I know that a subconscious reason for wanting to help is to ease this feeling of helplessness that I have as I think about what my fellow citizens are going through. But is that such a bad thing if, through the easing of my own discomfort, I bring comfort to others?

“Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” - Martin Luther King, Jr. “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” - Sally Koch 

READY to quilt!

During the Mountain Days Festival earlier this month, I was approached about teaching a workshop to kids through an after school enrichment program at a local elementary school.  Well, I'm doing it!  The school received a 3-year READY grant (I don't know what the acronym stands for), and there will be workshops offered to the kids each quarter.  For now, I'm just starting with this marking period - we'll see how it fits into my schedule and how well the kids and I like working together.  I'll be doing 2 workshops per day, twice per week, one with grades K-2 and one with grades 3-5.  My workshop is called READY TO QUILT!

I set up a blog to be able to communicate with parents about what we are doing and so the kids can show off their work.  I made my first post today (http://centralquilts.blogspot.com), outlining workshop goals and displaying my class samples (since Hurricane Sandy canceled our Open House on Monday).  Basically, I want the kids to:

1) make at least one take home project, either a pillow or a composition book cover.  In keeping with the season, here are my class samples:

I recovered one of my couch pillows.  I drew the design freehand.  If I were doing it again, I think I'd leave out the word EEK and make the spider bigger.

I figure the kids should be able to do a backstitch, right?

For the first time, I made the pillow cover small enough that the pillow is plump, without wrinkles or empty corners

Envelope back so it can be removed

 

Donald wants this composition book cover for himself!  I told him I'd teach him how to make his own.

I don't know where I got that skulls fabric, but I love it, and have been trying to figure out what to make with it for a while now.

2) contribute to a group quilt to enter in the quilt show at the 2013 Rockbridge County Fair, along the lines of this quilt that I made with my cub scouts two years ago

The boys won 2nd place at the County Fair quilt show that year.

They traced images and then colored the blocks with crayons

3) assist in making a denim rag quilt to donate to my guild's Comfort Quilt program.  I want them to understand quilting's history as a community building activity.

The denim quilt I made for Jason earlier this year

The back of the denim quilt

 I'm so excited!!!  One of the things I'm going to do is incorporate some children's books into my workshops, probably starting each session with a reading.  I know I'm going to use the following books, but if you have suggestions for others I can use, please let me know.  Since there are 8 weeks, I'd love to have 8 books to share.

Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt - to talk about how quilting is not just for girls, about entering quilts in fairs and how working together often allows us to make something even better than if we work separately

Reuben and the Quilt - another quilt that shows boys quilting and introduces the idea of giving a quilt to comfort someone else

The Quiltmaker's Gift - to talk about how it is better to give than to receive (and because the illustrations in that book are AWESOME!)

The Patchwork Quilt - showing how quilting is an intergenerational and a multicultural activity

The Keeping Quilt - I've not read this, but the READY coordinator really likes it and wants me to use it

Have any of you or do any of you currently teach quiltmaking to kids?  If so, do you have any suggestions for me?