Back in the saddle

 Well well well... so much for trying to get back into a more regular blog posting routine.  I really hadn’t been able to quilt any big projects for a very long time because my machine needed  to be serviced.  I did make Christmas placemats and a bag or two on the machine I borrowed from my daughter and that was the sum total for almost a year.  I finally have my machine back and have managed to quilt three quilts this week before going to work.  I didn’t commit to Hands2Help This year because of my machine needing service but I did send one of the quilts off to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo so I was happy about that.  Unfortunately I forgot to snap a photo.  Here are pics of the other two scrap quilts ( old WIPS) I was able to complete.  A quick mention that I ordered custom quilt labels for the first time as I have decided to finally open an Etsy shop😊.  Hope you all are healthy and happy after the difficulties of the past year.

Regards,

Maxine

Hands2Help link up

The time has come for the final link up for Hands2Help 2020 .   As I mentioned in my last post, my  my Janome is being serviced so I was only able to complete three baby quilts and not the original total of about 5 quilts I had planned.  My daughter lent me her machine and I was able to make three pillowcases to supplement the baby quilts I sent to Little Lambs foundation.  I’m linking the same photo of the baby quilts from my previous post as that is the only picture I have and a picture of the pillow cases.  Thank you again to Sarah for your hard work in organizing this event!  I look forward to it every year and I maintain that the quilting community is comprised of  some of the kindest and most generous people I know.  Stay safe and be well!

Maxine

H2H 2020

Hello there!  I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these unprecedented times.  I am happy to participate in Hands 2 Help again this year.  Originally had planned to compete 5 quilts in total but then the lockdown happened and I got distracted by the need for fabric face masks.  In total I have made around 150 and I still have some to make for myself for my eventual return to work.   I was able to pull from scraps and make three baby quilts.  I used the “Stacks” pattern from the book Gowing Up Modern by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew fame.  I really like this book for easy and yet striking baby quilts.  I made one decidedly girl, one boy and one gender neutral.  I was also able to piece a top and a backing for a large throw intended for gifting to a health care worker but then..... my machine went on the blink.  The tension is off and I tried to remedy it myself and was unsuccessful.  As soon as my machine is serviced I will quilt it and give it to it’s recipient.  Here are the baby quilts I made for Little Lambs.

  I was also able to borrow my daughter’s machine and make some Easter placemats and a runner.  It ate some scraps and kept me busy.  That is a win and I’ll take it.  Her machine is straight stitch only so I hand quilted each one a bit just to embellish them .  I gifted them without getting pictures of them completed, so typical, but they were well received.  Stay well everybody!

Until next time,
Maxine

Thank you cards

These are my thank you cards.   I have a daughter who is an emergency room nurse in NJ and I am doing my part by staying indoors and following all recommendations for slowing the spread of this virus.  I am so very grateful for the sacrifice all of the first responders, medical professionals and essential workers alike.  To hear my daughter is given one mask and they have no gowns etc frightens me beyond belief and she certainly is not alone!  The news highlights the desperate need for PPE and the only thing I know to do is to sew.  I stopped the work on charity quilts and made some face masks.  I am sending them out as a symbol of gratitude and support for those who are working so very hard!  Please stay safe....

Birds of a different feather

Hello out there!  I have been staying busy at the sewing machine.  I finished a long  languishing Goodnight Irene quilt.  It was made of the last earth tone scraps I had from making two prior quilts from same scraps.  These colors are NOT colors that I am drawn to at all and that is probably why this project sat for so long.  As luck would have it my daughter and her boyfriend were in need of an outdoor/picnic quilt so I upsized it with borders and backed it with camo fabric and gifted it to them.  I consider it a win!  I Also gifted a Sailboat quilt to a cute two year old for his birthday.  As of late I have put together my scrappy bird blocks and am currently working on the scrappy borders.  This is an effort to use up my never ending supply of scraps.  This quilt makes me smile not only because of the riot of color but because there are pieces of nearly every quilt I’ve made.  I have several pieces of fabric my eldest daughter brought me back from her trip to Thailand and I plan to use one of the pieces for the back .  Indoor pics due to weather do not do the colors justice but I have to make do.  Until next time,
Maxine

Purple Posies

My daughter-in- law has two friends that she has known since around kindergarten and it is safe to say that the three of them are definitely the Three Amigos personified.  One of these young ladies is due any day with a little girl.  Months ago when discussing the nursery theme and or colors,  she said she had no information because the expectant mama wasn’t sure if they were moving before the babies’ arrival.  She said only that purple was her favorite color and roses were her favorite flower.  Well the light bulb went on almost immediately.  The French roses quilt has been on my quilt bucket list for a long time.  So I set about perusing Pinterest for some inspiration.  There are many different layout possibilities but none that struck my fancy so I grabbed my draft paper and sketched out something a little different.  I love the look of old vintage quilts
and I think this turned out with the vibe I was shooting for.  I made coordinating cloth diaper burp cloths and they will be gifted this weekend.  I was forced to take pictures in the classroom at work because it was raining today so the colors don’t look quite right but they will have to do for now 😉

Hands2Help 2019 wrap up

Hello All !

It has been such a productive and inspiring challenge this year.  Every year seems to surpass the last in the number of participants and quilts donated.  It reminds me that the quilting community is such a generous one indeed.  Like many of you I see so many beautiful tutorials online and then think “I want to make all of them !😀”.  Then reality sets in and do what I can with time constraints.  I am however armed with a bucket list of  quilts I’m going to make as my schedule allows.  Fabric hugs ( quilts) are needed year round so I will use the inspiration I have gotten to make and donate a quilt a month.  That is my goal.  A huge thank you to Sarah and all the participants who gave of their time and talent to make Hands2Help a success!  I completed three quilts this year that have been sent to Emily.  I apologize for indoor pics but the rain just won’t quit.

Thank you again to everyone who participated!  Keep on quilting 😀

H2H and Birthday Crafting

I have been negligent in posting here and feel almost lost.  My intention was to check in more frequently.   I have obviously missed the mark but I have been busy behind the scenes just the same.  My dear grandson celebrated his first bday recently and I created three banners and a baseball score board to fit the baseball theme.

It all started with an inspiration picture from Pinterest and a  a request from my DIL about making  high chair banner.   Of course I was delighted to contribute and with her blessing made extras 😊.  

They came out nicely if I do say so myself.  I signed up for H2H again this year.  All the charities are such worthy causes and any excuse to use up scraps is a perfect reason to sew! Here is my first one basted made with some of my various blue scraps and the backing was left over yardage from my stash so it is a win win.  I have at least two more to finish and hope to finish those by the deadline.  Until next time....

Maxine

Long time ... no post

It seems it has been forever since I visited this spot.  I have meant to post on several different occasions and didn’t because life got in the way.  I have done quite a bit of sewing and visiting with the grand baby when the schedule allows.  I have a few pictures to share of some of the quilts I have completed since my last post.  There is one baby quilt I still have to transfer pictures of from my old phone but here are the photos I have. There are bibs and pillows and divided baskets and also a swaddler  I didn’t get pictures of.  It has been a good year.  May 2019 be a year full of joy and good health for everyone!

Well Hellooo.. It has been a long time since I have visited this space.  The most exciting news is that my first grandbaby arrived on the 6th of April.  He's happy and healthy and the whole family is over the moon😁.  Of course there was plenty of sewing for him.  His crib bedding and burp cloths and a pillow for his rocker.  I have been busy making 2 more baby quilts for two more baby boys that were born a couple of weeks before my grandson.  I will save those for my next post.  I'm hoping to get back into a routine with my blogging. Until next time....

Christmas Sewing

I have been checking off my Christmas sewing list one project at a time and making headway.  Currently I have finished a quilt and pillow cover and have 2 out of 8 Christmas stockings fully complete (sans the names emroidered) and the six others in some form of construction and also another pillow intended for a gift awaits hand quilting.  The reason I have the first two stockings complete is because they are for my first grandbaby !! I am over the moon excited about my grandson and although he isn't due to arrive until spring, I made him a stocking for my house and also one for my son and daughter-in-laws home.  I do have a picture of the quilt and pillow cover to share and when the stockings and other pillow are complete I will share those as well. I see alot of sewing for baby in my future and I am so excited.

Staying busy

Oh boy... These days seem to be filled with saddness in the news and sewing has filled my extra hours with a welcome distraction.  The latest tragedy in Las Vegas is just heartbreaking but once again I am consoled by the bravery and courage of those who risked their lives to help complete strangers in many cases.  In the face of these atrocities humanity reminds me there is so much good.  I have continued to use up scraps this week. I made 5 identical tote bags from the scraps left over from the red, black, and gray split decision quilt I made for charity.  These colors are our school colors so each of the girls I work most closely with will recieve one.😀  I also have been working on a Christmas quilt .  I took progress pictures inside so they are poor quality.  I have several other Christmas projects in the works also but I am unable to share them yet... They are secret... It is safe to say I'm anxious to show them!  Hopefully soon...

Hello Again

With the start of the school year I found myself very busy getting into the rythym at work but also determined to reduce my scrap stash.

 I mentioned in an earlier post that I wanted to finish languishing works in progress and reduce my stash ( specifically my scraps).  I was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of scraps I had accumulated.  So I have been sewing in earnest to make charity quilts out of those scraps.  A coworker recently had a baby girl so I pulled out some pinks, greens, and oranges and made a stacked coins quilt for her.  Once that was done... I got to work on the others.  During this time hurricanes ravaged Houston and the surrounding areas and I decided to kick it into overdrive and finish as many quilts as I could for the "Quilts for Harvey" quilt drive through the Linus connection.  I took some quick pictures of them during their construction and then feverishly basted, quilted and bound them.  I shipped them off in haste and forgot to take photos when they were done 😕.  I hope they bring some small measure of comfort to someone who needs just that.  Although I cannot replace a lifetime of memories or a family home that has been lost, I can send a quilty hug to someone in need and let them know I care.  I have also been busy with secret Christmas sewing... Hopefully I will be able to share that soon!

Rainbow Bugs

Given the title of this post, one might asssume I've been under the influence of psychadelic mind altering substance.  Alas, that is not the case.  A few years ago I was given a ton of fabric, some scraps and some yardage.  Included in that ton was 5 yds of rainbow Volkswagen bugs on black background fabric.  I have kept it thinking sooner or later the right project would come along.  The right project came along in the form of a picnic quilt for my niece who celebrates a birthday this month
It is serendipty as she is bright and colorful just like the fabric, she just recently recieved her drivers license and also.... She drives a Volkswagen Beetle.  Here are some pictures.  They are low quality as they were taken with my phone but you get the gist. ☺

I made and atttached the tie to the back so she could easliy keep it in her car.  I hope she likes it.  Happy Birthday sweet niece of mine..

Hippy hippy shake

This weekend I decided to purge some of my stash.  I bagged up some to pass along, and started yet again another 3 projects.  I took my most colorfull scraps and played around a little bit.  I have a rough idea for one project... the other two maybe quilts for charity, I'm undecided.  One thing I know for sure is these colors brighten my sewing table and leave me feeling kinda groovy 😉.

Stay tuned for some colorful, bright, and happy finishes...

It's finished...

I finished the "camo stars" quilt.  It is washed and properly crinkled 😉 and ready to be gifted to my coworker and his wife.  Although the color palette is not anything I would normally gravitate to, I'm pleased that I was able to pull a harmonious bunch of camoflauge inspired colors together from my scraps to construct the stars.  This quilt was made entirely from fabric I already had on hand so it also put a nice dent in my scraps which is always nice.  I hope the recipients like it and I hope that this new chapter in their  lives is filled with happiness .  I decided to incorporate the cowboy boots on the back instead of on the front as originally intended.  Its been so hot here 109 degrees.  Looks like I picked a great time to move to the desert.  I snapped pictures lickety split on the fence in the backyard.  Not the prettiest as the back yard is all dirt thus far ... it is likely to stay that way too... until it cools down 😜