Friday, December 16, 2011

It's Been A Long Time!

Wow!  I didn't realize that I hadn't posted to my blog since June!  My life got a little busy during the summer and hasn't slowed down since...

In the early summer, we learned that we would be grandparents again -- and SHE's due to be born in January.  After three sons and one grandson, it was a surprise to find out that we're finally getting a little girl.  Needless to say, I've been buying pink ever since!!

Then, unexpectedly, I went back to work part-time in August -- so, obviously, my schedules and projects had to be rearranged.  In addition to that, I was trying to finish three queen-size quilts, one for each of our children, before Christmas.  There's been very little "down" time in a very long time. 

Here are my finished quilts:


This batik quilt is called Labyrinth.  I added the chain borders (top and bottom) for a little added interest. 


The purple cross in the middle was copied from the stained glass cross in the sanctuary of our church.  The blocks immediately around the cross are "Wings of Eagles" and the outer blocks are "Irish Plaid."


The last quilt is a t-shirt quilt made for our youngest son.  I used the smaller images from the shirts for the top and bottom borders. 

All three quilts were quilted by my friend, Millie, who always does a fantastic job!!

Next on tap are quilts for our two grandchildren and one for my mom.  Maybe it won't take til next Christmas before I get them done!!

Merry Christmas, one and all!!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Finally...

I have finally finished the String-X Quilt that I've been working on for quite a little spell now.  This quilt was made for our mission project and will either go to an orphanage in Cambodia or Uganda.



I decided on this design after I found  the tutorial for the String-X quilt at Quiltville Custom Quilting.  For the foundation pieces, I used old phonebook pages.  They're thinner than regular paper and tear off easily.  The pages were cut to 4-1/2" x 10-1/2". 


Then the fun began as I sorted through my scraps and began sewing them to the foundation pieces.


Fabric pieces are placed right sides together...


...and stitched onto the foundation.


Continue adding scraps until the entire piece of paper is covered.  The fun part is that you don't have to measure or cut each piece to a specific size!  Just use what you have and trim to fit.


The next step is to trim the fabric down to 4-1/2" by 10-1/2".


Then, from a piece of scrap paper, cut a 2-1/4" square.  Cut this on the diagonal from corner to corner giving you two triangles.  Tape one of these triangles to the underside of your ruler.  This is your corner trimming guide!



Carefully tear away the paper foundation from the back of your blocks.  Then following the instructions found in the tutorial, add triangles to each side of your pieced strip to form a square.  Be sure to square each of these small blocks to a uniform size.  I squared these to 7-1/4". 


Then, sew four of these units together to form a block.


 Here's the finished project -- a quilt of many colors:



I hope and pray that the child who receives this quilt will somehow know that he/she is loved!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

When Life Throws You Scraps...

Life has been a bit hectic around here lately and this is the first time I've been able to sit down to update my blog!!  "They" say that the older you get, the faster the time flies by...well, I'm living proof of that!!

Anyway, the following is from a blog by Tonya where she talks about the quilts our group at church makes.  Our mission is to make quilts to send to a pregnancy help center, an orphanage in Cambodia and now this orphanage in Uganda.  The photos are of the quilts that Tonya will take to Uganda in June of this year. 

It's so humbling to realize that the bits and pieces of scraps can make an impact on people on the other side of the world.   Just as we have lovingly pieced together bits of fabric and fashioned useful and beautiful quilts for these children, our Father is lovingly piecing our lives together using the scraps and tangled threads of our own lives and making a unique tapestry of His handiwork for His glory and purpose.  I love that God is the Master Craftsman!!

Now, from Tonya's blog:

When life throws you scraps, make a quilt.

Every day packages arrive at my door, it’s reminiscent of the feeling that Christmas is coming. We know we are on the cusp of a great event, one that will change lives, bring people close to the heart of God and change directions in life paths. The gifts arriving are from the sponsors for the children at the orphanage. We also have several classrooms at church collecting vitamins and art supplies for the children. The pile in my garage is growing into quite a mound. It’s a good thing we have eighteen tickets to transport all of this stuff as baggage on the plane.
It fills me with great joy to see the response from so many people who love these children and want to encourage them to become everything they can be. Knowing so many are praying for the children and extending help gives me hope and assures me that with God leading the way nothing is impossible.
life is like a quilt...bits and pieces...joys and sorrows...stitched with love.
Six years ago when our family took its first mission trip to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic we experienced a similar phenomenon. We decided we needed to spend spring break serving others so we signed up to go to the Dominican Republic and live at an orphanage for a week playing with the kids. We were new in our adult bible study class at Scottsdale Bible Church and didn’t really know anyone but we shared that we needed prayer because we were going to an orphanage for the break. They asked if the orphans needed anything, and I said, “well I’m sure they do! Anything you would like to bring, drop it by my door.” The week before we left on our trip every morning our front door was piled with new toys, dental care supplies, clothes, blankets and food. It was unbelievable. When we packed everything up it totaled exactly the amount of weight we were able to bring with us. Only God can make those sorts of arrangements. Experiencing that caused me to float knowing how great our God is, and how much he loves the children everywhere on this earth.
Yesterday I got a note from our mission’s office at church that there were some beautiful quilts waiting for me to pick up. A group of quilters meets one Monday a month and makes quilts for the crisis pregnancy center and for other groups such as our kids at the orphanage! Whitney brought home a dozen handmade quilts and when I saw them I couldn’t get over the beauty. A part of me deflated knowing how dirty it is at the children’s home in Uganda. I couldn’t bear for these things of beauty to become so filthy and ragged. So I had an idea, we can cover the walls of their dark ugly room with these blankets so they can feel like it is home. Someday when we build the new orphanage they can hang on the walls there and remind every child who passes through there that they are loved from far and wide.
A quilt is a great symbol of our family of children at the orphanage. Little bits and pieces can combine to make a stunning masterpiece. Yes, these quilts are the first artwork donated to the children in Uganda! I hope when they touch the colorful fabrics and observe the small stitches they will think of how many people all over this world love them, care about them, and pray for their future to become all they dream it can be.
Families are like quilts stitched together one piece at a time.May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today.it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today. May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.Families are like quilts stitched together one piece at a time.



May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.

it's a good thing I'm so packed tight with things to do or I would probably go shopping for fabric and start a quilt today.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday Giveaway Alert!

Leona is having an awesome giveaway at Leona's Quilting Adventure!  One lucky winner will win one adorable and portable, Go! Baby Fabric Cutter, with a choice of three dies!! How much more fun can it get?!!  This giveaway will end on Saturday, May 21, 2011, at midnight Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced Sunday, May 22, 2011!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

More Quilted Cards

I finished the quilted cards for Kathleen today and rushed them to the post office!  Kathleen developed the log cabin stamp that I used for the pattern.  The pattern is stamped onto used fabric sheets and then hand stitched using scraps of fabric.  I used my square Nestabilies die and my Cuttlebug to cut the windows in the cardstock and then backed each with a coordinating piece of cardstock to cover the back of the block.  The sentiments are stamps from PaperTrey Ink.







Monday, May 2, 2011

Accuquilt GO! Baby Giveaway!!

Accuquilt is giving one of the Sew Dang Cute readers a GO! Baby Fabric Cutter as well as 3 dies of your choice!!!!  Giveaway will close Saturday, May 7th @ 8 pm MST.

Look What Came In the Mail!

Look what came in the mail today from Intrepid Threads' giveaway!!


Thanks so much!!!  I can't wait to turn this into something spectacular!!!

Monday Giveaway Alert!!

Hop on over to Kool Beenz and see what Cotton Blossom is giving away!  Cotton Blossom Farm is giving away a 10 pc Half Yd bundle set of Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms!  Beautiful fabric!!!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Sunday Giveaway Alert!

Jeannette at Inchworm Fabrics is having a super May giveaway that will start with a book:   A Fine Line : Techniques and Inspirations for Creating the Quilting Design [Paperback] by Melody Crust, Heather Waldron Tewell.   In celebration of Mothers Day she is going to add more items to the pot so stay tuned for the best is yet to come.

Friday, April 29, 2011

A Spot of Tea...

To celebrate the royal nuptials today, I believe I'll use my new tea mug given to me by my friend, Janet, who happens to be British.  Janet brought me this lovely mug from the UK for my birthday last month and I've been saving it for a special day! 
 

So, here's to the happiness of William and Kate on their wedding day!!

Friday Giveaway Alert!

Fairy Face Designs is giving away 1-1/2 pounds of fabric from her own stash just to say "Thank you!"  Pop over to her blog and check it out!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Giveaway Alert!

To celebrate being accepted into a Juried show, Jackie is giving away 5 beautiful fat quarters.  Drawing will be held May 5th, 2011. 

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Stormy Weather

Today, instead of posting about various blog giveaways, I've decided to dedicate this post to those who have been and are continuing to battle the stormy weather that has broken out over the past few days.   Last night, all three of our children and their families were in the direct path of destructive storms and, indeed, tornadoes in central Arkansas.  Thankfully, God's hand of protection was over each and every one of them. 

Today, as the reality of the massive destructive force of these storms is realized, more than ever, we thank God!  Our hearts go out to those people who suffered loss of property and to the handful of people who suffered loss of life of their loved ones.  Words seem so insignificant to adequately express our heartache and sorrow.

We pray that the storms predicted for tonight will not be as severe as is feared and that there will be no more loss of life or property!  May God either calm the storms or calm His children during the storms!

Praying without ceasing today!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Good Friday!


C-hrist, God-in-flesh, gave His life (Philippians 2:8) as a

R-ansom, a payment for our sins (Matthew 20:28),

O-ffering up His life as a sinless sacrifice (Hebrews 10:14),

S-uffering unto death (Hebrews 12:2) to secure our

S-alvation from sin and death (Colossians 2:13-14).
...
 
("The Message of the Cross" by Elizabeth George)
 
 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Stitchin Stash Give-Away @ Kool Beenz!

Stitchin Stash is this week's give-away sponsor!  The owner Julie is really nice and very email friendly.  She has super fabric bundles as well as yardage fabrics in her Etsy shoppe.  Hop on over to Kool Beenz for the scoop!!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Stamping and Scrapping!

I love quilting!  And I love rubberstamping!  Imagine my excitement when I discovered a rubberstamp for quilting at the West Houston Quilter's Guild Show in Katy, TX, last week!  I was in crafter's heaven!!  Of course, one of those stamps had to come home with me -- that was a given! 



Kate Ackley of  By Kate has developed this stamp that utilizes used fabric softener sheets as the foundation for piecing miniature log cabin blocks.  How's that for going green?  As we visited, she was steadily making little blocks using small scrap fabrics and handstitching the seams.  She said that it was addictive -- and she was right!  I sat down to try my hand at one and wound up making five before I knew it!!


Well, since I'm also a cardmaker, it was a natural progression to use these squares in my cards.  After cutting out a square (using my Nestibilities dies and Cuttlebug) from the front of my prefolded cardstock, I adhered each block in the opening and backed it with a piece of cardstock cut to size to hide the backside of the block.  Here's the results of my labor:





The inside of the card reads:  "In the crazy quilts of life, I'm glad you're in my block of friends."  (Stamps from Papertrey Ink).

I can see where there will be many more of these little log cabin blocks in my future.

Thanks, Kate!!!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

New Giveaways!

Burgundy Buttons giving away patterns (http://burgundybuttons.blogspot.com/) is having a giveaway! Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew has donated 4 of her patterns to 1 lucky reader.  That winner will receive 1 of each of the following patterns:

           
      
 
 
 
Look at what Oops-Lah is giving away!     http://oops-lah.blogspot.com/
 
Hullabaloo Layer Cake by Urban Chiks for Moda SKU #32400-LC
 Hullabaloo Layer Cake by Moda


Bali Pops Strawberry Fields (shown on right)
Moda Modern Workshop 2-1/2'' Jelly Roll
 Modern Workshop Jelly Roll by Moda
The last day to enter will be the 9th of May.
 

psiquilt is having a giveaway sponsored by Green Fairy Quilts!

http://www.psiquilt.com
 
Wow! A WHOLE fat quarter bundle!!!

*winner will be drawn on friday*
 
modern workshop 1