Doing Good – Page 30 – Artquiltmaker Blog

Cutting Corners Donation Quilt Progress

I got a glimpse of my Cutting Corners donation quilt again. Pam is working on finishing it. She quilted it and is now binding it. I know I have said this a thousand times. I love it that I can make something and someone else in the guild will also work on it. It feels like my efforts are not completely mine and somehow more worthy.

I made this top and back in March. I knew then it wasn’t the most beautiful top, so I am not surprised it took so long for someone to pick it up and finish it. I think I need to try the technique again with more cohesive fabrics.

Various & Sundry 2016 #12

Doing Good

Valerie makes blocks every month for charity via Kat’s blog, Kat & Cat Quilts. If you are looking for an organized way to contribute to something good this might be an opportunity for you.

I found another update on the Pulse quilts in Orlando. This one has a slide show of a variety of the quilts.

Creativity

Need some easy color work? Need to relax? Nerdy Mama has 20 free coloring pages for you.

My pal, Jill (Quilt Rat) has found another IoS creativity tool. I am so sad it doesn’t work on Android devices! It is called Amaziograph. With this app, you can create amazing kaleidoscopic designs a la color pages and La Passacaglia (without the color). Jill has written a blog post and created a basic video tutorial.

Projects, Patterns & Tutorials

Wanda, over at Exhuberent Color posted these sunflower blocks. I didn’t know these were in the Farm Girl Vintage book. I have that book and have looked at it, but must have missed this block.

Aren’t these monsters great? I love them and want to make one.

As per usual, Bonnie Hunter has released the first clue to her 2016 mystery quilt, En Provence. Download it now (she has a printer friendly version I save to my computer) as the clues go away in about 6 months. She has some excellent cutting tips in the first clue. It is always good to check in on our sewing technique.

Media

Sara, over at Sew Sweetness, has posted a list of Cool Tools. Which do you use?

Definitely check out the sincere and lovely thank you from EQ.

Other Artists

My sister shared Christine Peloquin’s website with me. She commented that the art looked like ours would look if we were one person. I think it is true. I am not much of a face-in-quilt-form person (to each his own), but I do like the face painted over the quilt top. The imagery I saw on the day I looked (11/11/2016) was dominated by images of women. I thought the images were profound given the current discussions on the status of women. Christine is located in Florida.

This subsection will be called the Judy Martin section. I know many modern quiltmakers have never heard of Judy Martin, but I love her work and especially her block designs. She also has a very friendly newsletter. They are not high tech, but cheerful, upbeat and entertaining. They are archived on her website. Judy, seriously, makes me want to visit Iowa again. It sounds much more interesting that I found it to be when I visited my great grandparents for summers as a kid.

In the November issue of her newsletter, she mentions that the Electric Quilt Company has a new download product that originated as her book, Knockout Blocks & Sampler Quilts (now out of print).

She also has a quilt at the Iowa Quilt Museum, which I mentioned previously. Judy writes “Nestled in an old J.C. Penney storefront on the picturesque courthouse square of historic Winterset, Iowa is the new Iowa Quilt Museum. It’s not a huge space with a large permanent collection. Rather it’s a small, nimble space given over to interesting exhibits curated especially for the museum. Through January 24, 2017 the exhibit of star quilts features “State Fair Star,” a Feathered Star variation I made for Patchwork Among Friends. The quilt shares the airy, well-lit space with 29 other star quilts. If you’re traveling to Des Moines or simply passing through on I-80 or I-35, the Iowa Quilt Museum is worth stopping for.”

Judy also mentions “a web site for a socially minded company that is making fabric from empty plastic bottles! They are trying to create opportunities for people in Haiti and Honduras while reducing the ecological impact of littered plastic bottles.” She says that she hasn’t “sampled any of their products, but” that she is “intrigued by the whole thing and certainly support[s] their goals. Take a look and see what you think.”

[end of Judy Martin subsection]

Quilt World News

Christen Daniels has resigned from the MQG board due to time constraints. The Nominating Committee put out a call to assist with the task of filling the volunteer board elected seat. They sought candidates with strong strategic planning skills and knowledge for nomination by November 12.

Not Quilt Related

From the Doing Good-NQR Department comes an article about the Native Sons and their donation to the Craniofacial Center at UCSF. Much of this money comes from $1 raffle tickets, $5 chances on gift baskets and $10 dinner tickets rather than $10,000 donations from rich people. You can make a difference by making a donation.

Blue and White Donation Blocks

I have been really churning out the donation blocks in the last week or so. I guess I feel I need to spread some kindness into the world.

I received more of the Northcott Colorworks 5×5 squares so I was back in business making donation blocks. I had almost started sewing 1.5 in x 1.5 inch squares together for the Thirty Something quilt.

Simultaneously, I washed several yards of white fabric so I could cut 2.5 inch squares for the donation blocks using the Accuquilt. The charm packs came first. I also have some ideas for the white and use it for linings to dresses, so I’d like to keep the yardage intact, if possible.

I have a whole group of red and white donation squares that I am putting together into a top, so these blue and white ones are just stacking up.

I am trying to make them cheerful, though I do have a container full of squares earmarked for donation quilts. I cut one 2.5 inch square, at least, from each fabric I buy or wash or use when I do my normal cutting.

For the moment, these are blocks, however, I am testing out a new quilting method and so they may turn into quilts without sending me into paroxysms of pain. Stay tuned.

New Donation Blocks

As I mentioned yesterday, I needed a lot of leaders and enders to help me keep the layout of The Peacock in order. In addition to other projects, I made a number of donation blocks.

I picked up a few blue kits at the guild meeting Saturday. My intention was to sew them “sometime” during the next month. Quickly, I realized that I would need leaders and enders while I pieced The Peacock. Very quickly I had the kits out and blocks partially made.

Donation blocks - October 2016 — Donation blocks – October 2016

Soon after that, I had 4 blocks made from a combination of my own fabric and the kits. These join the two I made before my trip.

I made several blue blocks with the intention of putting them together into a quilt. I don’t have enough yet, but will will soon. I think I mentioned that the Peacock requires a leader/ender between each seam. One half of the block is in one row and the other half is in the row above. It requires another piece between each Peacock seam so I can keep the different blocks in order. It is a quilt where I will get two quilts out of the piecing.

Red and turquoise donation blocks - October 2016 — Red and turquoise donation blocks – October 2016

Previously, I made red and white blocks for a different charity quilt. I like having color themes even if the reds (or whatever colors) aren’t exactly matchy-matchy. I have enough red blocks to make a charity quilt, however, I want to try something new and am waiting to figure out some match and layout before I piece the blocks together. I am still making red blocks as I can pair them with black for boys.

More Pulse Quilts

I have been collecting a random assortment of photos of Pulse quilts as I see them posted on Instagram. You can see many, many more by searching the hashtag #quiltsforpulse regularly.

Kathy Matthews posted hers. Kathy did a really nice design branching off from the original heart pattern. Kathy’s layout would be a great baby quilt or off-to-college design as well. I can imagine it in blacks and reds. My mind is spinning with the possibilities.

The Orlando Modern Quilt Guild updated their meeting minutes and included a detailed description of their Pulse Project progress. The scale of this project boggles my mind. I am amazed at what they have accomplished. It is especially moving when the numbers of quilts and what they did to blocks and pieces they received is taken into consideration. The outpouring of love is amazing.

The guild is on schedule and has begun to give out some of the quilts. Click on the hashtag above to see some photos of one of the ceremonies.

BAM sent off two quilts recently and Cheryl posted photos of them.

Good job, everyone!

BAM Retreat: Charity Projects

As I have mentioned many times, BAM does a lot of charity work. Peggy and Michelle work hard to make it fun. Right before the retreat, the guild was the fortunate recipient of a bonanza of fabric. It wasn’t ugly, crappy fabric that people often try to offload. It was relatively new yardage as well as pre-cuts. There were charm packs, large and small jelly rolls and layer cakes.

As a result a lot of new charity quilts were put together at the retreat. The above is a small sampling. They are generally smaller, but so bright and cheerful! Peggy was pushing the Disappearing 9 Patch pattern, so a few of those showed up using the charm squares.

My pathetic effort to the charity endeavor was one block. the Charity Girls had the regular postage stamp kits available, so I took one when I needed some leaders and enders for my City Sampler blocks and made the block.

July 2016 Cat Beds

Cat Beds - July 2016 — Cat Beds – July 2016

Trust me, I know it is August, but I didn’t have a chance to post these until now.

I got three kits at the July meeting and was only able to fill one cat bed 2/3s full. I hope Amanda still has some schnibbles.

Another Pulse Quilt

Yay for Bron who made this happy Orlando Pulse quilt! I love the scrappy binding.

This is another one that will be sent off to the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild for the families of victims, survivors and first responders of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

BAMQG Orlando Pulse Quilts

The BAMQG meeting was last Saturday. Mike and Jaime brought the Pulse tops we all worked, and they sewed together, on at the last meeting. I was thrilled to see them. Both Jaime and Mike are very talented quiltmakers and they did a great job, quickly, with blocks contributed by members.

Jaime created a simple setting with a bit of sashing between the blocks. The sashing sets off the colors and fabrics of the blocks, which was a great idea. It is also looks very bright. A couple of my blocks are towards the bottom. Angela is going to quilt this quilt.

Mike infused some additional meaning into his design, which made me tear up. He left some blank spaces to remind us of those killed in the shooting. Great idea, but sad he had to think of it. Mike has a longarm and will quilt his quilt and send it off. I think a couple of my blocks made it into this quilt as well.

Finally, Mike made a quilt for himself and his partner. This commemorates the losses, but also the contribution of the first responders. I really appreciate Mike remembering them. I am not sure I think beyond them just going in and doing their job, but I can’t believe they are not affected.

The Orlando Modern Quilt Guild is posting blocks and quilts they have received. There are a great variety of really interesting designs. The guild also posted a lot of information about the efforts in the minutes of their July meeting. I was pleased to hear they already have 48 finished quilts and 600 blocks. their process for distributing received blocks is genius. The information also gives readers an idea of how you can still help.

Kathy M, quilt writer for ChicagoNow, writes about and shows the process of making her Pulse Quilt. I love the design.

Food Donation Quilt

I worked on a donation food quilt over the weekend. I decided, though it wasn’t a conscious decision, that I would try and use up the rest of my food fabrics and put that chapter behind me. Three food quilts is enough.

I think I also did it because I have been longing to provide another donation top and back to BAMQG.

Thus, I worked on the donation food quilt over the weekend. By Sunday night, I had a top, a back and a Frankenbatting.

I sewed it in kind of an Improv manner, but it is structured improv. I tried to use the pieces that I had and not do too much fiddly piecing.

I may have enough pieces for another version when I get the Food Quilt #3 back. I think the back is large enough to provide at least a base for another donation quilt.

Donation Blocks

I now have 12 red blocks, which I thought was the end of what I needed to make a top. I actually need at least 16, so I still have some sewing to do before I can make a top. That means I also have to cut more red squares as I am getting bored of the ones I have.

I have a few blue blocks, which I really like. They are cheerful. I have been tossing them into my BAM bag, but I may keep them and make a top from them as well. We’ll see.

Heart Blocks

Thursday and Friday, in between everything else, I worked on Heart Blocks. They are being made en mass to help the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild make quilts for the victims and families of those massacred in Orlando last week.

Orlando Heart Blocks - first batch — Orlando Heart Blocks – first batch

I am trying to use my best fabrics and make them as cheerful as possible. I also started out with the orange and went to the purple, thinking that blocks in these colors might be in short supply. I could make the whole rainbow range, as I saw someone else do on IG, but I don’t know that I want to do that. I hope to make some more orange ones, regardless. We’ll see what happens.

I found it easier to cut a bunch of backgrounds and foregrounds and sew them all at once, though I didn’t do that every time. The four blocks above are the first 4 I made and the 3 in the second photo are the ones I made Friday and finished on Saturday morning before the meeting.

I was pretty excited about the purple soft serve fabric. I really hope that fabric will make someone smile and will bring back good memories of the Boardwalk or the Fair. It made me smile.

On Saturday I attended the BAM meeting. After the meeting, which was GREAT, BTW, a number of us stayed and made blocks for Hearts for Orlando quilts. We made 41 blocks, which is enough for 1 1/4 quilts. You can see that there are some differences in the blocks. There were some differences in cutting so I looked up the pattern and found that I was cutting the small background squares, used for the top, wrong. 🙁 Those small background squares are supposed to be 2″ not 2.5″. We kept all of the different types of hearts. It will add interest to the quilt. I wasn’t the only one who made a mistake and everyone was really generous.

Valerie, a Twitter pal, made enough heart blocks for a whole quilt.

Contribute and Make Your Own

All I can think about is that this could have happened to one of my family or friends or work colleagues. None of us are immune. In true quiltmaker fashion the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild has started a block and quilt drive to create quilts for the victims and families of the slain. They are collecting quilts and blocks.

Overview:
Pattern: Cluck Cluck Sew Hearts
Size: 10?x 10?
Colors: varying rainbow of prints with low volume background
Send quilt to Orlando MQG (check blog for address)
Send money, blocks and quilts to: Alissa Lapinsky c/o A List Hair Salon, 106 South Woodland Blvd, Suite B, DeLand, FL 32720
Timeframe: Quilts by August 15; blocks by July 15
Send this form with your submission.

The idea is to make heart blocks in bright, rainbow colors to represent everyone affected (including YOU), and obviously represent the love we are sending them. Use the tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew to make 10? blocks in rainbow of bright colors, with a low volume background. The quilts should be no smaller than 5 blocks wide and 6 blocks long (30 blocks). You’re more than welcome to make them larger, they’d like to keep them at the very least lap sized.

A lot of questions were brought up in the comments on the original Orlando MQG post. This is a big project and they are working through the details as those details come up. Be patient. Most of the answers have been posted a few days ago, including what you can send (quilts, blocks, batting, money, binding strips, etc). Also keep an eye on that blog for more information. I am sure your patience will be appreciated.

Contact Julie at the Intrepid Thread for more options. If you have any other questions, please email alissalapinsky [at] gmail [dot] com. She is the president of the Orlando MQG and coordinating this effort.

Do something! Help in some small way- whatever works for you. Even $1 will help buy batting and pay for postage.

Donation Block Department

Donation Blocks - May 2016 — Donation Blocks – May 2016

In between sewing the top and back of FOTY 2015 together, I made a few more donation blocks. Not a lot, but my pile of reds is growing and the other random colored blocks are going straight into the back to to take to the next BAMQG meeting.

As soon as I make enough of the red, I will make a specific top and back from those. I might use the Cutting Corners ruler again and I might now. We’ll see.

Cat Beds – Again

Cat Beds - May 2016 — Cat Beds – May 2016

I have had some cat bed fabric waiting to be sewn since the BAMQG April meeting. I finally did it over the weekend, mostly to get the fabric out of my way. My horizontal surfaces are looking kind of full right at the moment.

I didn’t really realize how cute the top fabric was until I laid them down to take a picture. Don’t those cats look happy?

I get to count these as finishes, but I don’t get credit for the fabric since Amanda gave it to me. Oh well.

NSGW Pillows

We skipped last year, but are back in the saddle this year with more pillows.

I have to admit that SIL2 did most of the work. I did a little cutting, supplied some fabric, then, was out of time. I had so much to do to get ready for Grand Parlor. I couldn’t get this done. SIL2 stepped in and did the rest. The pillow above looks REALLY elegant. The gold fabric isn’t too showy. It will go well in a really decorated living room.

NSGW 2016 Grand Parlor California Fabric Pillow

This year we decided to put years on them so they would be more special — limited editions. We used leftover fabric from the shirts we made for DH and BIL3.

NSGW Grand Parlor 2016 Pillows - backs — NSGW Grand Parlor 2016 Pillows – backs

As in previous years, these pillows will be raffled off to raise money to support kids needing surgery for craniofacial anomalies. You can make a donation to the Cleft Palate Foundation directly (tax deductible) without being at Grand Parlor. Sorry, no pillows for a straight donation.