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!