Thursday, January 23, 2025

Red Skies Finish

It's been in the works for 19 days... It felt as though it was slow going as I cut the many, many 2-1/2" squares that make up the various units of this quilt.  I admit that I was whining in the beginning...

Was it totally worth it?  I answer that with a resounding YES!  

Amanda's Golden Afternoon pattern was well written and worth every cent that I paid for it as I made a donation for the hurricane Helene relief to Samaritan's Purse.  This scrappy Red Skies version of it is attention grabbing and has received comments ranging from beautiful, stunning and gorgeous.

The backing, as you can see from the flipped over corner, is red gingham... I've had it in my stash for years and have looked at it for years wondering if I would ever use it... or should I give it away to someone?  I'm sure glad I didn't give it away!  It seemed befitting that the small checks reflect the assorted, scrappy 2-inch blocks that are used throughout the quilt.  In fact, this entire quilt was made from stash!  

The serpentine chains that pass through the Irish chain units felt natural to me... and then the chain around the stars added interest.  But then there was the star.  I was stumped as to how I needed to quilt it.  As I slept, I dreamt of the solution (it came to me around 3 a.m.).  I thought once I had the plan I would get back to sleep quickly.  Not so... Ok, I fell asleep, but all I did was dream that I was quilting it.  I woke up at 6 a.m. exhausted! 

No rest for me though... I got to quilting those stars lickedy split! Those pointy loops within the star points did exactly what I had hoped.  They fill the star and reflect the shape of the chains surrounding it.  


I'm not generally a big fan of red... but it happens to be the team color of my granddaughter's softball team, the Pueblo Heat. I have stitched this quilt up as an opportunity for her team to use it as a fundraiser.  You see... they have big plans.  They were given free entry to participate in the Triple Crown Tournament in Oklahoma City, OK.

The coach is especially excited because it takes place at the same time as the Women's NCAA softball championship.  

However, this also means additional fundraising events for the team to get there.  It is my hope that the girls see what it takes to grow as an athlete... not just physically, but financially as well.  I hope, too, that they have a little bit of fun along the way.

Here are a few more "glamor shots"... 







Dave and I plan to travel to OKC to watch her play and cheer the team on.  We'll be taking our camper, of course. ;)

We are slowly coming out the polar vortex that has gripped most of the US this week and look forward to camping season coming soon!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Sunday, January 19, 2025

Sew & Tell ~ Red Skies Flimsy ~ January 20, 2025


Welcome to Melva Loves Scraps and another session of Sew & Tell... the party where everyone gets to share the progress of their projects... or, in some cases, the lack of progress. ;)  It happens... and that is ok, because sometimes life happens.

I made lots of progress, little by little, this week with the Golden Afternoon quilt that I have renamed Red Skies.  This scrappy red and white(ish) quilt graduated to finished flimsy on a cold FRIGID and snowy Saturday. (I am contemplating a border of some sort... Hmmm...)

Does it need one??? 

Yes, it needed it.  Though I am not 100% in love with the grey border.  I will trim the border down a little and a red binding will help me get over that.

The next question is... how do I quilt it?

We, like so many others across the US, are in the middle of a polar vortex weather system.  I am thankful that the furnace is working properly and that we can afford the propane and electricity to keep it that way. 


As I chain pieced this together, I contemplated many things. I thought of the many colorful, reddish, sunrises and sunsets that we have.  This is just one example... and decided that the name "Red Skies" was an appropriate name for the quilt.  I mean, there is not a hint of gold in this one! ;)


As I chain pieced the many components of Red Skies, I used some pink scraps as a leader/ender project to create a few RSC challenge blocks.  Korner Kabin (my name, I don't know a real name...) is my block of choice for this challenge.  A variation of the Log Cabin block, this will not require as many neutral scraps, which is a good thing since my supply of neutrals is greatly depleted after Red Skies... 

The little star block was an orphan that I discovered in the stack of pink scraps.  It is a little wonky, but it deserves a home too, just because it was a discarded test block from the Pieces in the Garden quilt doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve a forever home. ;)

It is just how I feel about any abandoned UFO quilt project... like the Bride's Quilt that I shared in the TGIFF story.  I was vague about so much in that story because I was respecting the privacy of my brother and sister-in-law's family.  It's been nagging at me and after much prayer, I have decided that that quilt deserves the attention and acknowledgement of the maker's story.  Nothing more than what was shared at Loressa's funeral.  


She had much to deal with all of her life... Her story/life started with the fact that her mother died from complications of childbirth when Loressa was just days old.  Her dad, Leland, was overcome with grief and the responsibility of raising her as a single dad in 1965.  Loressa refused a bottle.  Leland's brother and his wife had recently had a baby girl and stepped in and raised Loressa as one of their own.  Colleen was just a few months old and was being breastfed but easily accepted her meals from a bottle and Loressa was happy to be at the breast. 

Loressa became a teenage mom and struggled in her marriage.  After her first marriage ended, her son Shawn lived with his dad.  Loressa was a very loving Mom on a very tight budget but always made plans for something fun to do with her son.  

As her brother-in-law told at her service, Loressa was a loner, even from a young age.  While in school, she would often get home, grab a snack and her homework and head to a tractor by the barn.  She sought out solitude, and despite coming from a large family, did not like gatherings... whether family or not.


It was one of the reasons we never really got the chance to know her after she married my brother, Kelvin.  Our interactions with her were always brief.  She was very pleasant and a joy, but our encounters were always brief.  Through the years, she kept making her circle of interaction with others smaller and smaller... and eventually even cut out my brother.  Her sisters and brothers were upset with her for that choice.  Her son was upset as well.

Perhaps it went back to a sense of abandonment when her father couldn't care for her... Perhaps it was a genetic mental illness, as her father had.  Perhaps it was that she felt unworthy of love.  We can't ever really know or understand, but we were all reminded at her funeral service that it was understandable that most present didn't agree with the lifestyle that she was living... but we are not called to judge... we are called to love.  Loressa expressed her love through creating in her crafts.  And this Bride's Quilt was just that... an expression of her love from to Kelvin.

Loressa had made amends with Kelvin, of sorts, as she moved to Omaha a few years ago for a job. Kelvin expressed his love and forgiveness to her in having me make a quilt for her for Christmas, 2022 from clothes that she left behind when she moved out.  In the end she had reconciled with her family as well.  With the finish of the Bride's Quilt, Kelvin can have the chance to feel her loving embrace as he covers up with it.  As Gail says, "Anyone who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!"


Oh, I feel so much better now.  If you have made it this far... thanks for the "listening ear."  Now for the randomly selected feature from last week's Sew & Tell party! 🎉  Nann at With Strings Attached shared her RSC projects... Pink galore!

Who's ready for a warm up?  Me, ME, ME!  We are just entering the coldest part of the cold snap that will be in place until Tuesday... Keep repeating "This too will pass. This too will pass... this too will pass." 🥶

Do you suppose that's what the dinosaurs thought about the ice age???  lol

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

TGIFF - Another Bride's Quilt


Welcome to Melva Loves Scraps and this week's edition of Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday.  I hope that you enjoy the story of the quilt I share and that you'll join the party with a recent finish of your own. :)

For the past two years my Sew along events - Pieces of the Garden and Pieces of My Life - have been centered around the story of the "Bride's Quilt... (Patterns for both of these sew alongs are still available.  Simply follow the links provided to find out where.)


The story came from a crafting magazine (in about 1985) that featured a needle-point pattern and the story.  This is the needlepoint I made for my Grandparents' 50th Anniversary. (I'm certain that Kelvin & Loressa - brother & SIL - had been gifted one, which inspired her idea of an actual quilt.)

In olden days, it was traditional for young girls to make a “Baker’s Dozen” (13) quilts by their wedding day.  The patterns, often handed down from generation to generation, were usually planned when the girl was very young; and, as soon as she could hold a needle, she would start sewing her first quilt.  The last (or 13th) quilt was the fanciest of all.  After a girl became engaged, she would invite her friends to a party to quilt the top of this “Bride’s Quilt”… and in this way she would announce her engagement.

The twelve patterns were chosen to tell the following story…

Once upon a time, there was a little girl, who wore a bow in her hair.  When she grew up, she began a friendship with a young bachelor.  As the hours and days passed, they began to look at each other with stars in their eyes, and as their love grew, they thought about taking steps to the altar.  So, the young girl got out her spools of thread and made clothes to get ready for their wedding ring day.

After they are married, some of their times together will be bright as noon and others will be dark as night.  But they will try to share their happiness, their miseries and their chores – she grabbing a wrench to help with household repairs and he grabbing a towel to help with the dishes.  Sometimes they will have broken dishes but they will try to remember that “things” can be replaced, whereas harsh words, possibly spoken about the broken dishes, could chip away love.  They will try to follow the Golden Rule as they are learning to communicate openly with each other.

They will also try to keep in mind the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves on earth and God in heaven.


My brother's wife passed away in July following a very short battle with cancer.  She was a crafter for much of their married life and she enjoyed a variety of activities... cross-stitch, scrapbooking, home decor and much more.

As my brother has been slowly sorting through her items, he found this quilt.  Loressa had made the blocks and used a quilt-as-you-go method and had them all joined together.  Kelvin thought this might be a nice sized throw quilt for the back of his couch.


As I examined it, I saw that it was imperfect, with points missing, but it doesn't matter... I am not the quilt police!  She made it with love, and that is all that matters and it deserved to be finished.

Since there was no fabric in the bin that it resided, I skipped any kind of border.  I used some large sashing strips to cover the raw seams on the back of the quilt.  I went with pink... I had it, and it matched pretty well.

I enjoyed a few days of slow-stitching and watching a new (to me) show "Wind At My Back." The arrangement of the sashing strips on the back reflect the quilting she used on the blocks.

I thought the timing of this quilt finding its way to me was interesting... 

When a particular word, topic or subject appears to me repeatedly, I stop to consider just what it means to me... more specifically, "what does the Lord want me to see in this?"

For this quilt and in this particular situation, I believe it is the message and idea that Loressa did love Kelvin, despite the fact that they had been separated for a bunch of years... Who am I to judge their marriage/relationship?  I need be only concerned with my own... a stay in your own lane message. LOL

It's time to get the TGIFF party started.

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Sunday, January 12, 2025

Sew & Tell ~ January 13, 2025 ~ RSC & Golden Afternoon


As the snow came down on two separate days last week, I stayed tucked away in my studio making slow but steady progress on the scrappy red Golden Afternoon. 

There are lots of pieces in each unit... and because I am working with scraps, strip piecing for the 4-patch units didn't really happen.

Here's what I have so far...


I need 13 of the star units and 16 of the chain units. I need many more low volume 4-patches... many many more.  

On Friday I shared some thoughts about the losses our family experienced in 2024... three members of my family tree of quilters...


I also mentioned that I would begin my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. I ended up with 25 pink hexies as I sewed as we traveled to my Uncle's service.  It was a sweet time as family remembered him and stories were shared.  Mom thoroughly enjoyed the trip. (front row, on the left)

That's all I have for now...


This week's Sew & Tell feature is Melisa at Pinker Punkin Quilting.  She showed us the progress she made on her Merry Little Winter quilt.  She shared several cute little snowmen.  Go check it out!

Let's get this party started! 🥳 

Keep Piecing, 

Melva

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Flashback Friday - Quilters Through The Generations

As I have spent time this week going between housework, studio time and doing year-end (monkey) business, I have been contemplating some of the "hard" that Dave & I experienced in the last half of 2024.

There were multiple losses... not all of them were shared here at MLS.  Individually, not that big of a deal... The cycle of life continues.  The news in our family Christmas letter revealed that we, along with both of our daughters lost some beloved furry friends.  Three households and three dogs crossed the rainbow bridge. :'( In August I shared in a Pieces of My Life story (newsletter, possibly?) that a grandchild had been lost through a miscarriage.  


In July I did share with you about the passing of a quilty cousin - Diane.  In November, my Uncle Forrie, slipped away peacefully and in December another quilting cousin, Mae passed away.  All three of these family members had feature stories about their love for quilts and quilting in my Quilters Through the Generations series.  

As I prepped 3" hexies for hand-stitching to pass the time during our trip to my Uncle's celebration of life service, I thought of all of these losses... and how I have been blessed by their presence in my life - for it is in the valley that we suffer, but also the place that we can see the most growth.  I offered thanks and experienced deep gratitude for the fact that I preserved some of their personal thoughts about quilting and what it meant to them.


As I sorted through an old collection of scraps and "chunks" of pink that came out of deep storage for my RSC hexies it was like revisiting some old friends!

Fabrics that were used in many baby girl quilts... and purses.

The colors of pink range from light pinks, deep fuchsia, puce, and dusty roses... some of the scraps lean toward a lavender.  Some are playful with polka dots and multi-colored.


All this to say... 

Tell those that you love how you feel.... make sure they know.  And tell them often!

Find joy in each and every day... even if it only for a small, seemingly insignificant thing.  I started a blessing jar on January 1... one small note of paper with a blessing that made the day special.

Pet the fabric and make beautiful things!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Sunday, January 5, 2025

Sew & Tell ~ January 6, 2025 - A Grand Finale


Happy New Year! 🎉We welcomed 2025 with little fanfare or celebration... it was simply "another day."  Though we did "take the day off" of our regular work.  As we watched the Rose parade, the Christmas tree came down and all decorations were packed away until mid-December, when we will repeat the traditions.  Our tree is so big... and it takes up so much space in our living room.  **sigh** It cramps my style for sandwiching quilts!  (I'd love to get one not so broad but that won't happen until Dave is unable to get the boxes {yes, plural...boxes} in and out of the crawlspace.)  

I was forced to use a different space in the living room to sandwich the Camping Journal quilt... and do it in sections.  I had promised you that there would be no mention of this quilt until it was complete.  And... D.O.N.E., it is!  **insert happy dance **

I finished the binding by noon on December 31.  I washed it and dried it to get the full effect of the squished up, wrinkly, well-loved look that the Heirloom batting that is 80% cotton offers. Ta-da!!!!!  

I had planned on getting it placed on the camper bed as proof that it was done... and then after lunch, this happened.

Dave and I have discussed the need to replace the flooring in the 5th-wheel for months... since Shelby is no longer with us. :(  The camper is 30 years old... which means the carpet is also 30 years old.  Bleh!  I know how much dirt, mud, sand and spills happened in just the 2 years we have owned it.  And carpet in any bathroom is just gross!

We have vinyl plank to install throughout the entire "lower level".  Did you know that when campers like this are built that they start from the bottom up?  Meaning, the flooring goes down first and then the walls and cabinets are set over it.  The carpet was heavily stapled along ALL of the edges.  Neither of us anticipated the challenge it would be to get the carpet out.  There was a horrible squeak in the stairs that Dave wanted to fix while there.  We have decided to redesign the stairs so that we can use the "empty space" for additional storage.  It's a brilliant idea!  

The weather forecasters are calling for a snowstorm to come in on Monday night... this will stall our advancement and progress in the camper.  Not to worry though!


I have a list of projects waiting in the wings... 

First up is this quilt that was started by my brother's wife. She passed away in July. My brother, Kelvin, has been slowly going through some of her things and this was among them.  

I'll share the whole story of this quilt with you when I host the TGIFF party in a few weeks. 

When I finish hand-stitching the strips on the back of the quilt to cover the seams, I will do the binding.  

It will then be returned to Kelvin for him to display on the back of his couch. :)


Next up will be a scrappy red quilt using the Golden Afternoon pattern by Amanda Woodruff at Westwood Acres Fabric.  This was the quilt that inspired the 50th Anniversary quilt that I made last year.

Amanda has a few patterns available, but the only way to acquire this pattern was to purchase a kit.  At the time that I wanted to make the anniversary quilt, the kits were out of stock.  You may remember, I made up my own design/pattern loosely based on her quilt.

After Hurricane Helene, Amanda offered a few copies (less than 10) of the pattern for "free" if you offered proof that you made a $50 donation to one of the specified charitable organizations she selected, in support of the hurricane recovery.  I took advantage of the opportunity.  I felt it was well worth it.  My red version of Golden Afternoon will be used as a fundraising opportunity for our grand-daughter's softball team.  

What other items are "waiting in the wings", you ask? Two t-shirt quilts - one to finish for our oldest daughter.  She started it 12 years ago... I just need to decide on a layout and join the blocks together.  The second t-shirt quilt is for a friend.  Gina had been in a "purging mode" and sent them to me (along with others but stated that she was in no hurry for this quilt).  I have trimmed all the blocks and prepped them with the fusible stabilizer.  I even have the fabric selected for the sashing strips.  I just need to get them on the wall.  Both t-shirt collections are from the same university.  What a coincidence!

And lastly... I have an empty bin ready to gather all of my pink scraps for a RSC project.  I am still undecided about what sort of blocks I'll be making.  Three-inch hexies or scrappy/wonky log cabins.  The hexies lend themselves more for a traveling project.  The log cabin blocks would be perfect leader/ender sewing.  Hmmmmm...


Rather than continue to sit and ponder this decision and take up your time with my reasonings for one or the other (or something completely different), it is now time for this week's Sew & Tell feature... Maggie at Making a Lather has a unique method for making progress in completing her UFOs.  I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and they need to be finished one way or another. 

Maggie's finish of her Midnight Flight, pattern by Bonnie Hunter, is stunning!

Follow the link above and see what other projects she has on her list.

I have never made participated in one of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts... I am intimidated by the small pieces - more specifically, the number of small pieces required.

Have you ever done one of Bonnie's quilts?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Tuesday, December 31, 2024

2025 Planning Party

 




As the year draws to a close, I am looking forward to 2025 and enjoying the calendar of Pieces From the Past quilt blocks that I made.

I did a review of 2024 last week.  Take a quick peek HERE for that story.  You'll find my comparisons of the what the stats show as the "Top 5" versus what my "personal favorites" were.

As a quick review of the goals I had for 2024...

❧ Taking my Pieces from the Past and Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail programs on the road.  
 
❧ Continue with my custom quilting and t-shirt quilts... I will also continue leaving a trail of love from my quilted hearts.
 
❧ With my fingers crossed, I think I may be able to complete our Camping Journal Quilt. 
 
❧ Make certain that I am creating and finding joy in life even in the midst of the move for Mom.  

I am pleased to say that I did reach every goal listed.  

Looking forward many of the goals remain the same:

❧ Taking my Story Telling Quilts program on the road.  I have multiple quilts now that could be included.  I was blessed to be able to present to a wonderful group of quilters in Greeley.  Would you be interested in having me visit your group?  Let me know, we can make plans!  I will have the new quilts hanging at the local library again in March to celebrate World Quilting Month.
 
❧ Continue with my custom quilting and t-shirt quilts... I will also continue leaving a trail of love from my quilted hearts.

❧ I'll continue my weekly Sew & Tell party, and I've signed up to be the hostess for three TGIFF linky parties.  In early December I saw that many participants of the Virtual Cookie Exchange party were disappointed that it was the last one as the hosts were ready to hand up their party hats.  I'm considering picking up that "baton" and running with it.  If I were to continue the tradition, who would be interested?  Leave me a comment... If there is ample interest, I'll make plans for it.
 
❧ With our Camping Journal Quilt complete, I am thinking of taking up a hexie project for some of my hand-stitching.  I've printed and cut 3" tall hexies.  These large hexies could easily become a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  But I haven't settled on that yet.  TBD


❧ I need to compile all of the stories from our camping adventures into a book to accompany the Camping Journal quilt.  Which means I will be looking into a blog-to-book option.  While I am at it, I will gather all of the patterns and memory book pages from the Pieces of My Life quilt and get them in a published format as well.  
 
❧ Above all, I want to make certain that I am creating and finding joy in life through my quilting projects.

It seems like a pretty vague list... but I am okay with that.  

Like last year, I have no plans for another sew along.  Of course, we know how that turned out ;)  The idea for the Pieces of My Life quilt came along in February.  Will the same happen again???  I will simply wait and see.

Last year my focus Scripture was:

This life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!  ... the joyful anticipation deepens.

In looking back over all that happened, I feel that the year was more of a lesson of patience. A very long lesson of patience. ;) Patience and anticipation are similar... As the year went on and the lessons continued, I forgot the joyful aspect. We had some camping adventures... most with our little brown dog, Shelby which helped to make the adventures more exciting and joyful.  I mean an excited and friendly dog that loved to smell and explore and say "hello" to everyone she met certainly helped with the "childlike" joy.

I've been considering a focus word or Scripture for the coming year and Proverbs 3:5-6 has been showing up in numerous places... since October!  Just recently, verses 7 and 8 were included with it...   

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Do I understand exactly what the Lord intends to do with this?  No.  But I would be foolish to think that I did!  

Happy New Year!

Melva

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