Quilters Save the Day!

I have had two rather lousy work days back to back.  But when I come home, I'm greeted with so much beauty and generosity as I open your packages for Hurricane Sandy victims, that I can't help but feel better.  I hope these quilts serve as that same kind of balm to the soul to the recipients.

Here's Thursday's haul - 22 blocks:

Thanks, Em, Nicki, Debra, Sue and (unknown first name) Mills!! 

And here's what arrived today - 105 blocks:

No time to lay them all out for a photo. Thanks, Carol, Maddy, Michelle, April, Nancy, Linda, Evelyn, Sheila, Maria, Barbara and (unknown first name) Heyes!

So far, 274 blocks have come in - that's 6.5 quilts!  And it doesn't even count the blocks I've made!

So far, I only have one top completely assembled which will be shipped off for quilting by a quilting angel tomorrow, but I am diligently working on assembling #2.

Top #1 on the full sized futon in my husband's office

Another view of top #1 - do any of you recognize your blocks in there?

I have a guild meeting tomorrow, and I'm sure some of my guild members will take a baggie of 42 blocks home to assemble.  We'll get these blocks made into tops in no time at all!

I appreciate all that each of you has done, whether you sent one block or 27.  But I have to make special mention of two items received today.  Sheila sent some blocks, but also included a pillowcase that she had made.  Isn't this going to make some little girl happy?

Thanks, Sheila!

Close-up of the pillowcase fabric

And Maria sent a whole BEAUTIFUL completed quilt!

I love these colors - to me, this quilt says "soft and warm".  Thanks, Maria! 

I love the use of ric rac!

And I adore pieced borders!  Cool backing fabric, too!

Some of you have sent money to help with batting, so I stopped at JoAnn's today and picked up 4 full sized batts - pre-packaged batting is 50% off this weekend - woo hoo!

And others of you have sent additional fabric for blocks and for backings.  I've been keeping track of addresses so I can properly thank you all later, but for now, let me just say a blanket

THANK YOU!!!

I can't always match up names on packages with email addresses or blogging names to acknowledge that your packages have arrived, but know that if your name appears under MY HEROES over there on the top right, then I got it.

You guys are awesome!

One hundred and fifty-three

153 - That's how many quilt blocks arrived in the mail yesterday.  112 were the disappearing 4 patch, and 41 more were donated 16-patches.  I also received backing material and additional money for batting.  You guys are amazing!  We are going to make so many people warmer this winter!

Donald was excited to help with all the packages that were left outside our mailbox in this plastic bag . Even more blocks were in envelopes INSIDE my mailbox.  Wow!  I'm sure the mail carrier is curious about what is going on!

112 12.5" disappearing 4-patches covers A LOT of floor space! I use this spot in the basement to sandwich large quilts. 

I'm excited to make some other donation quilts with these donated blocks. 

Thank you, Nancy B, Patricia C, Becki W, Carol J, Sharon V, Barbara H, Robin B, Carol C, (unknown first name) Reiner, Barbara A, Charmaine T, (unknown first name) Thomsen, Terri J, Pat M, Susan L, Barbara W, Beth S, and Marilyn P!  You are on my ever-growing list of HEROES!

I managed to sew together most of one top last night.  I had hoped to do more, but my husband's team had a scrimmage and we went out to support him.  Of course, I went to THE WRONG UNIVERSITY!  What a bonehead!  Luckily, the two universities are only about 20 minutes apart.  While watching the game , I made some progress embroidering my mini.  For a tiny quilt, it sure is taking me longer than expected!

I wonder what today's mail call will look like?

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!