A Dark Week, In Color, Weather and Mood

This was another week of dark colors for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Many of us are trying to finish up year-long rainbow quilt projects and making blocks from our dark black, brown and gray scraps. Perfect color choice for November, right? Why not join us over at Angela’s blog for Scrappy Saturday.

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“Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”. The saying is taken from a song recorded in 1944 by Ella Fitzgerald (when she was with The Ink Spots) which, in turn, was taken from a line in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem entitled “Rainy Day”. (Yes, I had to look it up).  The line has pretty much summed up the last month for Bruce and me. I’ve mentioned before about a dear friend Colleen who died suddenly in late October and possibly about Bruce’s lifelong BFF who suffered a major stroke but is, thankfully, home and recovering nicely. And now our friend and neighbor - and honestly, a local “hero” - Cal, died this week. He is the one for whom I made a What Cancer Cannot Do quilt a couple years ago. Cal fought valiantly for 7 years, but lost the battle this week on Tuesday, the same day that sewing legend Nancy Zieman died. He was only 52. The rain and clouds this week have matched our moods. Things can only get better, right?  We’re counting on it!

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Back to what you’re probably here for!  These are the only dark scraps I got sewn up this week; 26 bow-tie blocks that will finish at 4”. That brings me to 240 of 304 needed.

I got both the Autumn Sampler and my Rainbow Selvages quilts basted. I should have the selvages quilt finished by next week to show you. I also pieced the tulip quilt top for a friend Diane. This is the one that my friend Terri and I are collaborating on for a Christmas present for Diane. We split the making of the tulips. Here it is without the final white sashing on the top and bottom.

I accidentally cut the vertical sashing 2.5” wide instead of 2”, so the top grew in width by an additional 4”. When the top and bottom borders are added, it will measure 72” wide and 88” long. That’s bigger than I like to quilt on my machine, but it will be perfect for Diane, who is tall. Once it is quilted, Terri will finish up the binding. But one way or another we will get a finished picture to share.

This week I also put together a trial quilt block for a project I’ll be working on next year. I have a huge store of vintage linens, both from my family and from years of collecting (and occasionally selling online). But some were just “cutter” quality, meaning they were stained or had bad parts with holes, etc. I wanted to give them a new life. So, this project will combine sweet little cotton fabric prints with bits and bobs of embroidered and lacy linens.

It will be a jumble of pieces, sizes and orientations. I’d like to make the blocks in sizes of 6, 9 and 12” so that they will hopefully be easier to sew together later. But who knows if the scraps will let me stick to that plan! I would also like to try a combination of machine quilting (in the ditch between blocks) and hand quilting and/or embroidery on the blocks. This would bring an element of crazy quilting into this piece for me, which is something I admit to missing after having not done any for a couple years. 

And finally, to beef up the visual aids on this post, here are some pictures of my “Teddy Bears". Alfalfa and Darla have taken to napping on our bed.  Both of these pictures were taken the same day - one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Because cats are Superstar Nappers.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’ll see you back here next week!

What Cancer Cannot Do - A Quilt Finish

I hate cancer. Although I have never had it myself, and hope I never do, too many people I have known and loved - some gone, some still here - have suffered from this most evil of diseases.  My mother and my aunt, sisters, both died of lung cancer. My mother smoked for 40 years, then quit for 15. My aunt never smoked a day in her life.  My husband Bruce has had cancer twice and beat it both times.

This week, my dear friend Diane Matheson, whom I have known and loved for 10 years, passed away from complications due to chemo. Those dreaded complications. Cancer is such a coward; it forces other things, like infections and fungi, to do its dirty work.  Deflecting blame elsewhere. But it’s you, cancer, that allowed them in, that forced the administration of powerful drugs that destroy everything in their wake. That left our loved ones vulnerable to anything wanting to attack their bodies. We are not fooled. Damn you, cancer!

Another friend of ours (“C”) is suffering (and I do not use the word lightly) from cancer. Today he was hospitalized with breathing problems. Something is going on in his lungs and they have yet to identify it, let alone fight it.  But months ago, when he was still relatively healthy, I began gathering the materials and supplies needed for this quilt. Having seen one like it on a friend’s blog (Laura from Quokka Quilts), I knew I wanted to start one for C, who is a neighbor, fellow church member and friend.  And since his niece works as my part-time Etsy shop assistant, I invited her to help. We did add rows to the pattern on top and bottom and also columns on the sides of the pattern to enlarge it. It finished at 54 x 66”.

My intention was to finish it during the second quarter of this year, but it got put off until summer. And then C’s health took a bit of a turn, and we got busy on it right away. It is finished, and will be gifted to C the moment he returns from the hospital. It has been a sweltering week, weather-wise, so the most obvious use of this quilt, as a blanket or comforter, is not likely. But I hope it will be used in the other sense of the word - a comforter as in aiding or providing comfort. I found the messages thought provoking, and I hope the family does, too. I hope they will provide some comfort, much the same as certain scriptures or quotes do for people.

It was made with friendship, love, faith and hope, because in the end that is all I really have to give.



PS - I am linking up to the 2015 Finish Along with Adrienne of On the Windy Side.
And HERE is a link to my original 3rd quarter goals.

Also linking up to Blogger’s Quilt Festival with Amy.

Rainbow Scrappy RED Saturday

This post could be sub-titled “When it’s Hot - SEW!”  Except that the heat also makes me want to (a) nap (b) drink Margaritas (c) nap, and (d) drink Margaritas.

But seriously, we have had a lot of fun in the sun with family (picnics), a minor league baseball game last night complete with fireworks and working in the garden. Peppers, squash, turnips are on.  Beans and rhubarb are done. The spaghetti squash, corn, onions and turnips are about ready.  Pumpkins and grapes will be late summer/early fall. Summer is really a busy time.

BUT LET’S TALK QUILTING.

These are the five red wonky log cabin blocks I completed for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. July’s color was obviously red.  These blocks are made up of 4 smaller blocks, and they are 16.5” (16” when finished).

They join my other blocks in a large pile that will eventually become a large bed-sized quilt. I have revised my plan for the blocks at Grid Paint, which you can see below with the blocks. I need to go back and make one each of some of the past colors (yellow, teal, and blue), but will do that as time allows. After doing five blocks in July, the rest should be easy peasy.

My friend Mary and I (she is also my Etsy shop assistant, my neighbor across the street, a high school student, plus a DARLING young lady and the niece of the recipient of the quilt below) have been working on Cal’s Cancer Quilt. Cal is in remission, thankfully. He is also a super dad, hard-working, devout and generous with this time and talents. He heads up our Community Gardens program, plus he and his wife Michelle throw monthly neighborhood  ice cream socials in their lovely backyard.

So, Mary and I have cut and sewn all the blocks, and now they are pinned up to the design board. The vertical row on the right will actually be the bottom horizontal row, but my new-ly expanded design board is not long enough. But that is OK, because it is plenty wide and I can compensate. Or lay a quilt on it sideways. Anything to keep Certain Cats away from the temptation of pins. Those two said cats shall remain nameless to avoid encouraging them; if they see their names in print too often, they may suffer delusions of grandeur. You know how cats are.

Who? Us??

Join us today over at Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

3rd Quarter Sewing Goals for Finish-Along

No time to waste! I have been participating in the 2015 Finish-Along with Adrienne of On the Windy Side. Each quarter we set our goals, and I only have a day or two left to announce my quarter 3 goals! That is what this post is about. But first, let’s talk about the Q2 finishes.

For second quarter, I had five goals and only finished two; Bruce’s Banjo quilt and the Summer Skirt for London.

However, in my defense, I did finish a lot of blocks that were outside my goal list. For example, I participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC). For that, I finished 7 - 16” blocks (made up of 4, 8.5 inch blocks each) as well as over over 30 12” blocks for the Farm Girl Vintage (FGV) quilt-along and the FGV Retreat we had locally at Thimbles and Threads. Also, it does not take into account the three other unplanned makes; an ironing pad to use with my travel iron, a quilted/pocketed underpad for my Bernina, and a zip pouch for carrying my travel iron.  Most of those have been posted here during the last 3 months, so I can laugh and prove I’m not a slacker!  :-)

But now it is time to set some goals for the 3rd Quarter Finish-Along, and after careful consideration, here is my list:

1.  Black Crazy Quilt Wall Hanging  

This is actually all sewn together now, and the trim is mostly stitched around the inside needlepoint.  I have one seam and one medallion to add, then it is just backing and binding. I have been putting it off because (a) black wool is not particularly appealing to work on in the heat of summer and (b) it will be featured in a magazine in the winter, so I don`t want to really give the finished piece too much exposure before it is published. So I keep waffling on this....

2.  Cancer Quilt for Cal

This quilt is well under way; my friend Mary and I are both going to be working on this (Cal is my friend and her uncle). So far, about half the cutting is done and some of the sewing.  This will go together quickly once it gets our primary focus. And that will likely happen as soon as my Etsy shop sale is over....

3.  Baby Quilt for DGD Oakley

We are expecting another granddaughter, Oakley, in September.  This quilt will be a simple patchwork front in pinks and greens and white. The back is the floral fabric - a vintage sheet - that inspired the color scheme.

 4.  Finish Pretty in Plaid Wallhanging. This is an Anka’s Treasures pattern in Bonnie and Camille’s fabric
 

 5.  Helen’s Garden Quilt

Helen’s Garden is the name of the fabric line I am using. Besides falling in love with the dragonflies and accompanying prints by Tamara Kate last year (it was named for her mother Helen), I love it because my mother was also Helen. It will be a bed-sized quilt for our bed.
By the way, I LOVE Tamara Kate’s new line The Birds and The Bees.

The pattern is from Missouri Star Quilt Company (see pic above); the plain off-white will be used for the sashing and the lavender checked bedsheets (upper left of picture) will be the backing.

6.    Farm Girl Pincushions
 
I’m getting a head start on some of my Christmas sewing.  These pincushions will be for my cousins, etc (my quilty peeps) as part of their Christmas gifts. I think they will all be presented in little zip pouches, which will likely either just happen OR will become Q4 goals.

And one of my supervisors, Alfie (Alfalfa) insisted that I show you how intent he is about quality control.

Alfie checks the measurements of the cut pieces

So, I think that about wraps it up for this post.

I will be back later in the week to show you the latest Farm Girl Blocks....

Until next time,