Little Bits of Progress

I actually have some quilting progress sitings to share!!

With gardening season in full gear, my sewing machine pretty much stays under cover.  I turned it on today to make an overdue block for the quilt ministry, but otherwise everything is hand stitching done on the go. 

I finished the binding on the quilt that's heading to Ethiopia with Quilts Beyond Borders.  Attaching label.  Will wash and ship this week. 

I love how scrap quilts absorb all sorts of wild, weird, funky, and downright ugly fabrics!  The fabrics don't even have to be the right color to work.  It's quite fascinating how the uglies fade in and make the pretties shine.  After a while, you forget who is ugly and who is pretty!! 

Poor Sarah has been waiting forever for my hand block.  It's finally done and the colors coordinate nicely with the above quilt!  I found a big chunk of "made" fabric where I had pieced a bunch of oddball scraps together.  Seemed like a good answer for the "hand" fabric.

Here is a peak at my Handwork for Summer Sanity Project!  Some odd, funky color / fabric combos which make me smile.  I don't know what these blocks will be when they grow up....I'm just having fun creating them (mindlessly, for the most part.)

Here is a look at the back of the one I'm currently stitching.  These blocks have larger fabric pieces than most of my hand work projects.  The longer stitching lines go together fast.  Very fun and relaxing.

These pieces are marked using a stamp set from Cindy Blackberg.  The stamps take the work out of the prep stage and increase accuracy in a major way!  Love that!  (no affiliation with Cindy, just a fan.)

many blessings,
pam



Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
                      Psalm 37:3


Linking to:  Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday

Twins!!

A dear friend of mine had twin boys last week!!  They are both strong and healthy, each weighing in at over 6 pounds!!  This sweet family is adjusting from having 2 children to having 4!  They don't really need another person hanging around while they go through this transitional time, so I'm going to busy myself making quilts for them instead.

Times like this make me glad for one of my odd habits. 
I like to piece blocks without a quilt in mind.  I just sew the blocks to play with the fabric and the block design, knowing that I will pull them out at a later time and grow them into a quilt.  I tend to get bored working straight through on one quilt from start to finish, so I work in this piecemeal method instead.

Here is my collection of solids with some scrappy blocks that I pieced in 2010.  I don't typically remember when I piece blocks, but I clearly remember sewing these blocks while living with my mother-in-law after our house flooded.  Making these blocks was one of my methods for stress relief.

Playing with the blocks.  Auditioning some different fabrics.  This is one of my favorite parts of quilt making.  I love playing with blocks and assorted layouts. 

Switching gears to grey.  This has potential I think.  Normally I prefer brighter solids to bring blocks together, but I think this grey makes the scrappy blocks sparkle.

And here it is with smaller blocks in the corners.

Now onto my  next dilemma....what to do for the second quilt.  I  don't have a lot of these blocks left.  I could do a simple design like this.

OR....Here is another quilt start in my bag of tricks!  Very different from the other.  It's a lot larger.  I could cut it down though.

Here's another view that shows the coin strips better.  It's all scrappy without much rhyme or reason other than having green as the primary coin color.

Any suggestions??

blessings,
pam

When Passion Meets Purpose

Last evening I received an email from Sarah requesting guy quilts for the Quilt Ministry.  I had been making some scrappy "guy" blocks (that's code for dull colors) for the ministry and realized I had enough to put a top together.

Sarah included a couple Bible verses that she had been thinking of.  This one really hit home for me:

Luke 12:48:  Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

I have been given so much.  This was a chance for me to give back.

I threw the blocks on my design floor and started treadling my heart out.  I only mention the treadle, because I was so into sewing this up that I forgot to switch to electric (and have some hip pain to prove it!)

I wasn't able to sew all the blocks into rows before bed....It was hard to leave because I knew the layout was in great peril due to its location amidst the traffic flow.  Thankfully, it survived the kids (even when they started a game of jumping over it).

Our sewing group met tonight and I was able to finish sewing the rows together just before Sarah left.  She's going to quilt it on her longarm.  Phew!  It feels good to finish a top faster than my usual turtle pace.

God is good.  This ministry gives my passion a purpose!

May the work of my hands and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord.

blessings,
pam