Never Waste the Cast Offs!

My recent project has been hand-pieced... Rectangles with half-square triangles - using the stitch and flip method...

The finished blocks are snowflakes for a "Frozen" quilt...  Aren't they cute?!?

But, no fear, those little cast-offs did not go to waste...

  

I used all of the cast-offs to make the May Bitty-block for Quiltmakers Row Quilt!  All I had to do was trim them to size and add a 2-1/2" block for the pad and the 1-1/2 block for the corner... Easy-peasy!  Didn't the tiny Bear Paws blocks turn out cute???

You can find the pattern for these bitty-blocks here... Quiltmaker Bitty Block-Bear Paw

I think I will be spending some time piecing the remaining snowflake pieces this weekend... and catching up on my rest before Mom gets to come home...  What will you be doing?

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Hand Piecing is So Much More Than Just Piecing...

In the past week I have spent a great deal of time sitting and waiting... I waited as my Mom was prepped for surgery - a double total knee replacement.  I waited for the updates during surgery telling me that the first knee was being closed and eventually the second. I waited to be able to see her in recovery.  I waited for her to be moved to her room.

And that was just the first day!

While waiting I did some hand piecing.

I had 76 of these rectangles with a half-square triangle to piece.  Seventy-six... and only one was stitched incorrectly (with the wrong side of fabric up).  I think that was pretty good, given the various distractions and interruptions that occurred.

I had numerous comments on my choice of activity... One lady seemed envious that she hadn't been able to do any quilt for about 6 weeks because of complications with her husband's knee replacement.  She spoke longingly of the quilting group that had a project that was to be donated for a benefit dinner. She hoped that she would be able to be part of the project and contribute her two blocks.  

There is just something soothing and calming about piecing and quilting.  It helped me to pass the time, sure.  But I have always spent my time making quilts in prayer... so what better activity to do as I waited?

I am happy to report that, so far, my Mom is doing well.  There were some issues with nausea, but that is under control, as well as the pain, and she will soon be making a transfer to the rehabilitation hospital.

If you feel so inclined, I would welcome your prayers as she continues on her journey.

God Bless!

Melva

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Creating Heirlooms with a Passion

In addition to having a passion for quilting, I have a passion for heirlooms and history. So when the two come together I get really excited!

The latest project features a 25 year collection of patches/badges from fire departments.

This is a large collection... 121 patches - from all over the US... some commemorative patches (for the Oklahoma bombing, the 9/11 attacks), training patches and a few from other countries such as Germany and Australia.  When completed it will be for a full-sized bed with plenty of drop on three sides.

The biggest challenge with this project is actually sewing the patches on... It involves lots of pins.  Which means that with every movement or shift of the quilt while stitching on it there is an opportunity to poked or scratched.  On a finger, on the arm, on the waist or the lap...

A few things you will hear coming from my sewing room... "Ouch",  "Dang it", "Well"... and "Don't bleed on the quilt, Melva!"  I mean some of those sticks are bad!  Nothing that will leave scars but they still hurt.  And so far, I haven't bled on the quilt.  Though I did need to walk away for awhile as one of the sticks slowed down and eventually stopped.

What a wonderful way to display the patches.  I am so glad that the customer came up with the idea!  It would be a fascinating time to sit with him and hear the stories attached to each patch.  I am told this will be a gift to one of their children.  I hope that they have had or will have the opportunity to hear the legacy of this quilt/collection.

Happy quilting!

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Can You Ever Have Enough?

The other day I was reading Amy Ellis' blog that had been "taken over" by her daughter, Ella... amyscreativeside.com

In it she stated...

I guess the quilts are pretty, but I’m starting to wonder how many quilts we really need around here. All stacked up they are taller than I am!

It brought to mind my Grandma... 

and all of her china painting... Just how many _____ (plates, cups, bowls, dolls - insert any of these {actually, ALL of them})?

Some of our friends have seen or received some of her hand painted pieces and they greatly appreciate them.  I (and my children) probably do not have the proper sense of appreciation for the china since we have so much of it. I mean, seriously, when we packed up her house in Tucson we were marking the majority of the boxes "Fragile".  

So... do my children (will my grandchildren) feel the same as Ella?  Just how many quilts do we really need?!? I hope so!  'Cause I'm just gonna keep making them! And I hope that they USE them!  Just like I use my Grandma's china... don't save it for a special occasion... Enjoy them and show your appreciation by using the heart-felt, hand-made items.

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Finally!

Finally... Have you ever felt this way?  You've waited for so long for a situation to change... Or you have been counting down for a special day to arrive...

Or you FINALLY finish a quilt that you seem to have been working on for a long time...

This is what happened yesterday!  I finally finished the quilting on the queen-sized quilt that I have been working on for what seems like forever...

When in reality it has really only been since March.

Once it was done I tossed it on our couch with the intention of working on taking care the "tails" on the back of the quilt.  

I hadn't been feeling well in the morning.  I did a visit with the Dr., peed in a cup and picked up a Rx to remedy the problem... 

It was a rainy, wet afternoon and the couch just seemed to call to me.  All I have to say is that Shelby and I discovered that the quilt sleeps quite well. No, Shelby wasn't ON the couch.  Since the quilt is 108" square there was ample extra to hang over onto the floor.  But yes, she agreed... it slept well.

And now that I have had several doses of antibiotics I feel much better!  So, I am off to my sewing room.

Happy Sewing!

BTW... I can't reveal the whole quilt yet. Watch for it, though!

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