Productivity Level at an All-time High

After a week away with our friends my productivity level upon my return was astonishing!  And I didn't even work hard at it.  I had planned on doing a Friday Finish post, but I was on such a roll I didn't want to stop.

✔Hanna's name bunting is adorable, if I must say so myself... and will be a perfect addition to the shower decorations and the nursery.

✔The labels for the two commissioned t-shirt quilts were added to the quilts and shipped off.  This is the message I received from my customer...

"They are beautiful!!!      I could never have gotten even close to that!     I know I am going to reach out to you again.   You are so talented.   We hid them and need to get an occasion to give them!

The recipients of the quilts have not received them yet so I have removed their names from the top of the labels...  But it is so nice to hear back from a happy customer. 💗

✔I have finalized the wrap-up for the Pieces From the Past sew along and sent it off to C&T Publishing for them to post as well.  It will be released on Thursday.  Instructions to finish the quilt are included and will go quickly.  

✔The first three blocks for the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along are pieced!  So far, they are all easy blocks, as I imagine that they may have been blocks that were simple enough to be among some of the first blocks a child just learning to sew would piece.

And as bonuses for the week... 

✔I have ALL of the paper doll blocks (both quilts) with underwear and hair.  They ready to outline stitch and give details to the bodies.  

On top of all that...  I sandwiched a vintage Grandmother's Flower Garden  quilt that followed me home from Texas.  I have auditioned several quilting options and am waiting for feedback from my customer of her preference.  You can see the options below...

Now I know what I will be doing for the week...  But first I MUST clean my machines before I do any more sewing.

Which quilting design is your favorite?  

I know for certain I will be doing vines and leaves in the green sections.  Leave a comment... I will find interesting to see which designs are the most popular.  However, in the end, my customer will have the final say.  But I would like to hear from you too!

Quilt Happy!

Melva

Linking with:

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Chris Knits & Sews

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Why I Quilt

March is National Quilting Month and Amy from Amy's Creative Side is hosting the Instagram Quiltfest.  Each day she has the "word of the day".

Today, March 11th, she wants to know "Why do you quilt?"  

As I ponder the question, I find that I have so many reasons.  My love language is quilting! I love being able to pour love and prayers (and sometimes blood, sweat and tears) into a quilt.  {{don't bleed on the quilt, don't bleed on the quilt}}  It matters not whether it is a gift or a commissioned quilt for a customer... the same amount of effort and love is given to each quilt.

It doesn't matter the size.  It could be a 3" block featuring vintage flour sack fabrics from Grandma's collection turned into a pin cushion...

or a hand-sewn hello card or mug rug >> that measures as small as 5"x7" featuring local prominent landmarks, as shown below; 

 

A baby quilt or a king-sized quilt.  Size does not matter!

Scrappy quilts are my jam.  Scrappy Log Cabin blocks are among my most favorite with little to no attention paid to the width of the strips or seam allowances. 

"Art" projects that stretch my creativity and my mind are rewarding and satisfying... being able to capture the feeling or emotion of a moment, like the soundwave of laughter with friends, feeds my soul.  

Preserving a piece of a family's or individual's memories in special "memory" quilts, such as a quilt from a loved one's clothing; 

a pillow made from a shirt; 

or a quilt for a child to grow up with something of the Mom that didn't survive childbirth; 

Or a quilt that features a table cloth and ties of Grandma and Grandpa and seems to almost transcend time. 

So.... why do I quilt?  It is a creative outlet.  It allows me to connect on a very personal level with others.  It preserves memories of special times and people.

Because it is a gift I can share with others.  I stitch in love and prayers that another can then wrap themselves in to feel loved... not just by me, but by God.

Quilting is my love language and a gift from above!

Why do YOU quilt?

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

Blessings,
Melva

Linking with:

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Monday's Musings

Last week's activities at the farm were entertaining, awe inspiring and exhausting.  After witnessing the miracle of 40+ baby goats be delivered and the rapid changes from newborn wet to nursing and hopping and playing, including head butts and chasing, it was time to return home on Friday.  If you want to see an assortment of cuteness, click on the link on "farm" above.

One reader last week asked about the triplets in the feed bin... "Do the little goats climb into that basin or were they put there to snuggle together in sleep?"

These cuties had been born the previous day and when "Farmher" went to see how everyone had done overnight she found them this way.  Snuggled up and protected from the wind since the bin was just taller than them... perhaps it also offered a feeling of security and being back in their Momma. 💓

I am grateful that I was able to be a part of kidding season and happy to offer a helping hand where ever I was needed... in the pens helping with weighing, clipping ears and care of the nannies post-birth as well as in the kitchen.  My personal favorite picture is this one... two sets of triplets.  I love the patchwork of colors!  You can't see it in this picture but the kid behind the light-colored multicolored center front, has a white heart on the side!

Saturday was filled with loads of stinky goat farm laundry, but in between loads, I was in the studio working on the name bunting for our new grand-daughter.  The baby shower is still a month away, but I was excited to get it going.

Goal #1 for the week:

Finish the bunting.  I only need to get it on the binding/string and make the bows.

Other items on my list:

Create and sew on labels for the two t-shirt quilts that I recently finished.  This is a sample of the label that my customer has requested.

Other items I will consider?  

Finish up the border instructions for the Pieces From the Past Sew Along.  Have you made the final block - Pride of Ohio?  Have you linked up?  There is still time!  In fact, if you work diligently, you could get all 20 blocks done before the final post on March 18th when you can link up a pieced top for a chance to win one of five Kansas City Star Sampler books from C&T Publishing.

Begin the blocks for the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along.  I'll be ready to announce the schedule very soon!  Watch for details. 😚  Here is the logo created for the sew along (I think).  I'm not 100% settled on it...

What do you think of this graphic?  

Leave a comment...  I'd love to have some constructive feedback.

Keep piecing to keep peace in your soul,

Melva

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Chris Knits & Sews

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

To-Do Goes On the Road

Over the weekend my attention was returned to the Paperdoll quilts.  I was able to get all of the dolls on both quilts dressed with underwear and the the smaller dolls have some wonderful and cute hair styles.  

Finally... We finally made the trip to visit our friends with the Lazy J Goat Farm!

We listened to The Hunger Games during our 7 hour drive and I sketched out quilt blocks.

This was a bargain find at a thrift shop about a year ago, for just $5. 

Here are a few sketches of blocks I plan to use in the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along...

Along with the sketches I have the cutting and assembly instructions.

One other project I sketched out was a bunting for our soon to arrive grand daughter... Both little Hanna and her name bunting will be "coming soon".

But for now... all I have to show are these adorable kids!  A total of 10 have arrived in 24 hours.  WOW!

I'm pre-occupied and in love!  It is just as well that I didn't bring any projects to work on.  

Have you listened to any good audio books lately?  Any in particular that you recommend?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear your recommendations!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Chris Knits & Sews

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Purple Charm Quilt

Am I the only one that recalls the "chain letters" that were ever so popular in the 70's?  There were many that were for recipes or hand or dish towels.  And then in the 90's, just as I had a growing interest in quilting, I had received one for purple fabric squares.

I did as the letter requested and sent off the the proper number of purple squares but got nothing back.  And that is the very reason I have passed on the "secret sister" things that were oh so popular in November and December on facebook.

Now, here I am in the "roaring 20s" and I got another request for purple squares.  This one from our friend in Nebraska.  I actually received it in November... the letter states that if I want to participate I should follow through with all the instructions within a week.  Ooops... my bad!

Perhaps the problem with these "chain letters" ("quilt tree" as the letter called it) is that the recipients of the letters are not asked if they want to participate.  So I bring this question to you...

Do YOU want to be a part of a quilt tree with the potential of receiving 72 six-inch squares?

 

I am in search of four quilting friends that are willing to participate.  You will need a total of ten 6-inch squares of purple fabric to send off, as well as five envelopes and stamps.  Here's my selection of purple squares.  They are actually 7" square (pre-cut and part of a "souvenir" that my girls brought back from their  Hawaiian Girl Scout Trip. {17 years ago??? no way!})

If one really does receive 72 squares, you can make a quilt that is 8 blocks wide by 9 blocks long and will measure 44x49-1/2 inches.  With a border added, it would be a small lap quilt or a great baby quilt.  It would be a great charity quilt...  purple is the "color" for Alzheimer's... and since my Dad spent 4-1/2 years in the nursing home because of it, that is where my quilt would go. 💜

If you were to make a charity quilt with the blocks you receive, where would your donation go to?

Interested in participating?  Send me an email with subject line of "Purple Quilt" and your US mailing address in the body of the message to me at MelvaLovesScraps@NolanQualityCustoms.com

One of the primary reasons I have chosen to be a part of this activity is because of who the request was from.  Our friend Susan was married to my husband's college room-mate.  Though we were never really all that close through the years, she reached out to us when her husband, also named Dave, passed away unexpectedly nearly two years ago from a heart attack.  

She doesn't do much with technology or social media, but she is a GREAT letter writer.  In fact she and her husband wrote letters to each other for months before ever meeting in person.

Last fall when I had participated in the postcard swap, I sent her one of my extra postcards.  She was excited to be the recipient of one and had stated that she had just heard of quilted postcards at one of her jobs ~ JoAnn Fabrics.  Just a few weeks ago, just prior to Valentines Day, we received one of her creations.  Isn't it great?

It is time to send her a hand-written note so that we continue to stay in touch.  In this electronic age, getting "real mail" is a treat!  You should surprise someone with a special note...

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear of the organizations other support with charity quilts.

Keep Piecing!

Melva

Pieces From The Past - The Pride of Ohio

This letter from 1949 was written 3 years after the closure of Camp Trinidad.  Three years!  It is the last of the letters that Phillip and Katie received from the men that worked in their sugar beet fields. 

Riesa, Jan 30, 1949

Very honored Mr. Schleich!

Please forgive if I allow myself to approach you with a very large request.  It is well known to you that we do not lie on a bed of roses here, and in this way to tell you how pleased we would be and how much good it would be to our bellies, if you could have sent to our address a care package with urgently needed foodstuffs, mainly cooking fat.  Our dear God blesses you richly for your good heart.

Our son-in-law Gotthart Hauswold worked for you as a POW and he always praised how well he liked working for you and how you treated him like your own son.  Unfortunately he has been very ill for a long time and urgently needs better and more food.    I most politely implore you, grant this motherly request.  God Almighty has inspired me to approach you and will richly reward you for your good work, if you have some food sent to us.

Heartfelt thanks in advance, very honored Mr. Schleich, for the good deed that you hopefully do for us in our need,  

Most sincerely yours,

Mrs. Marie Lomtscher 

One last heartbreaking letter...  Honestly, I'm not sure I could take much more heartbreak.  😭

Post Master, Mase Hauswold, wrote on his son's behalf in January, 1947 (Block #14 - The Owl Quilt).  Gotthart Hauswold, himself, wrote to Phillip and Katie later that same year, in November (Block #16 - The Corner Star Block).  And this final, desperate plea from his Mother-in law, Margarete, two years after the first request for help was made.  

Phillip and Katie had worked hard raising sugar beets for Mr. Bob O'Brian and after several years they had managed to save enough money for them to purchase a 63-acre farm of their own between Model and Trinidad.  Their mailing address was simply Route 1, Trinidad, Colorado - as noted on the envelope to the left.

Under the current postal regulations this letter to Phillip and Katie would have never arrived in their mail box since forwarding orders for mail are in place for only 6 months.  Is it possible that more letters never arrived simply because they moved?  Were there letters that were "returned to sender"?  We will never know...

How difficult it must have been for Gotthart and his loved ones to be so desperate to set aside their pride and basically beg for assistance.  Asking for help is one of the most difficult things to do.  Yet when we make the decision to do so, the reward is often two-fold, the one needing help has needs met and the one fulfilling the request is rewarded with a feeling of satisfaction and even joy.  Remember, it is in the giving that we receive.

As I read that Gotthart had told his family how much he liked working for Phillip and how he had even been treated like a son, my personal feeling of pride rose up.  Knowing that, though Phillip and Katie had, at times, barely enough to feed their own three growing sons, yet they shared what little they had generously with the men from the POW Camp.  They left a lasting impression on lives that were lived on the other side of the world and it makes me proud.

It makes me not only proud, but it inspires me to try to be a better person and carry on such a legacy. For this reason the block named Pride of Ohio was selected as the final block of this sew along.

When your block is completed, you can assemble row #3.  You will need three 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" sashing strips to be sewn into place between the blocks.  You should have a sashing strip at the bottom of the row 2, as well as the top of row 4, so you are ready to add row 3.  In case you missed the cutting instructions for the sashing strips...

Additional cutting directions for sashing strips...

Row 1 - cut three 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips 

Row 2 - cut four 2-3/4" x 9-1/2" strips

Row 3 - cut three 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips

Row 4 - cut two 3-1/2" x 16-1/2" strips 

Row 5 - cut three 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips

Horizontal sashing - 4 strips 2-1/2" x 54" long.  Unless you are using extra wide muslin, you will need to have a seam in the sashing between rows.

Don't forget to come back and link up for the opportunity to win a free fat quarter.  Be sure to use the hashtag #PiecesFromThePastSewAlong and tag me on IG - @MelvaLovesScraps or on fb at Melva Loves Scraps.  I love seeing all of your blocks!

Be sure that you join me one last time on March 18th for the final wrap-up of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along series.  I will share some details of the dismantling of the POW Camp, a reunion that was held in 1964, and the final cutting instructions for the final borders and binding of the quilt.  At that time I will have a final link up opportunity for you to share your finished quilt tops.  Those who link up their finished tops will have a chance to win a copy of the Kansas City Star Quilt Sampler book from C&T Publishing... actually, there are FIVE copies available!  And good news!  The chance to win a pattern book will not be limited to US addresses only.  

As you go about your life, I encourage you, challenge you even, to make a difference in the world by being kind to those around you.  Your actions, your smile, and your kindness can be something that someone else may hang onto for years to come!  

Before you leave though... Leave a comment about a small way YOU make a difference to those around you.

Me?  I always return my cart to the store or a cart corral and at times I will let others check out before me... especially if there is a parent with a restless little one, I will allow them to go first.  I remember like it was yesterday how challenging it could be to take small ones shopping. :)

Keep Piecing!

Melva

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

Two To Bind

I did it!  The commissioned t-shirt quilts are ready for binding... and I thought I was going to be hand-sewing them in the car on the way to our friends in Texas...  I am giving up.  

Once again, postponed, this time because the weekend was just too much fun with the grand-daughters.

The day of sledding (well, two hours of actual time at Cuchara Mountain Park) wore the girls out!  

We were lucky enough to find snow pants and boots in the right sizes and sleds at the local thrift shop, all for $21.  They made good use of them as they played in the snow on Friday after arriving at our house and again on Saturday at the mountain park.  They even ventured out again for a short time on Sunday afternoon.  

There were giggles and squeals and a few wipe outs and then laughter again.  There was some huffing and puffing on all our parts as we we hoofed it up the hill and some whining by the littles.  We just encouraged them to stop and catch their breath and that it wasn't a race to get to the top.

They were happily reunited with their Mom last night after her 12-hour shift at work and we returned home to the quiet that was nearly deafening, yet so pleasant.  Dave and I laugh all the time about how wonderful it is to see them arrive for a visit, but also nearly as wonderful to see them leave.

As I catch up with cleaning and finding all the little hidden treasures that were left out (tiny barbie shoes and accessories) and laundry, I look forward to binge watching one of my favorite Netflix shows and some much deserved slow stitching time.

What are some of your shows to watch while stitching?

There is a significant difference in the weight of these two quilts.  The two-sided, with light-weight denim is 5-3/4 pounds!  The pink/grey "dance" quilt is only 3-1/4 pounds!  I am glad I went with the flannel sheet in the two-sided quilt.  It was still heavy, but I no issues with tension while quilting it. :)

Leave a comment... you know I love to hear from you!

Stay calm and piece out,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Final block will be released on February 24th!

Linking with:

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting

To Do Tuesday at Chris Knits & Sews

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch