Tag: Doing Good

More Black & Grey

Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt
Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt

I am slowly working on this piece. I have had a lot of other things to do so, in this case, slow means snail’s pace.

I have been pulling suitable reds out of the fabric closet, cutting and putting them in place. At the moment I have 3 different fabrics, but two of them are batiks and are very similar. I was trying to alternate the first two, but when I added the third (the one that looked similar), it became a little challenging. The next step is to find another red that is the same color,b ut has a slightly different pattern and add that into the mix.

I realized, as I added the third red, is that I was only putting fabrics on the vertical, so I started to move some of the three fabrics around so some of them were in horizontal positions as well. I, of course, will move them around some more when I add in the last (with any luck) fabric, but I’ll have to see.

Yes, the Field Day Zipper piece is still there. I haven’t made any progress on it, nor have I finished with the pieces from this quilt, so the FDZ piece is still in place. I did find a few more pieces, which is why it looks longer.

Black & Grey Gets Time in the Sun

Black & Grey Donation Blocks
Black & Grey Donation Blocks

Like the Field Day Zipper, the Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt had to wait its turn for the design wall. There is just not enough design wall space in this workroom.

The space where Field Day Zipper is sitting is awaiting some blocks I am using for a tutorial on the other design wall.

This will be a big quilt and there are a few more blocks I am not using (aside from the tutorial blocks). Teenaged Boys are big, though.

I pulled out the big stack of blocks and slapped them up on the wall. I have done a bit, a tiny bit, of rearranging of the blocks, but not much. I’ll do more and test the extra blocks to see if I want to replace any. As I mentioned previously, Jackie and Cheryl sent me some blocks and those are interspersed with mine. I am glad they were willing to contribute as their fabrics add some interest to mine.

I am going to use red for sashing and grey, like the PIQF Crosses grey, for the cornerstones. Stay tuned for more on that.

I haven’t made a ton of progress on this, but I am determined to make some progress soon.

Opportunity Blocks

Opportunity Blocks
Opportunity Blocks

I forgot to take these quilt blocks to the meeting on Saturday, but that gives me the opportunity to show them to you.

They are the regular postage stamp block pattern the guild does. Even though I am working on the Teenage Boy Black & Grey Donation Quilt, I took the kits for these two blocks at the November meeting and just sewed them up as leaders and enders.

Peggy the Awesome puts them together and I just love these. I know a couple of the fabrics came from my scraps, but it is fun to see them again. I really like the scrappiness of the blocks.

Cheryl's Donation Quilt
Cheryl’s Donation Quilt

Similar blocks were turned into a quilt by Cheryl. I really like her border treatment. Isn’t it a cheerful quilt? These blocks are great.

Finished: Green T Quilt

Green T Donation Quilt
Green T Donation Quilt

I don’t really know if I should count this as a finished project as:

  1. It is a ‘doing good’ quilt
  2. I pieced some and bound it. Gerre did the quilting and Peggy did the choosing of fabrics and the cutting

I suppose that #2 is kind of irrelevant since I don’t quilt my own quilts anyway.

I don’t know. Somehow I just don’t feel like I did much on this quilt.

I really want to work with Gerre again. I think we made a good team. I am tempted to cut up some fabrics to make another T quilt, but I need to finish the Teenaged Boy Black & Grey Donation Quilt. I do think I would like this quilt better if the greens weren’t so dull. Still someone will love it.

Still, it is done and someone will enjoy it. I hope.

Pam, over at Hip to be a Square, was saying on a recent podcast, that we aren’t supposed to call donation quilts or charity programs ‘charity’ anymore. It is too offensive to those who are financially challenged. I suppose I can understand that, but I hope the quilts the guild makes are still appreciated.

Doing Good Green T Quilt

Green T Quilt
Green T Quilt

I have the Green T quilt in my possession and I am applying the binding. This is the quilt that Gerre and I worked on together at the last Charity Day. Gerre quilted it and did a fantastic job!!

She quilted in a big circle and it really looks fantastic. I used the Reflections fabric (RJR, I think, from the Dark Ages) in a kind of olive green color. It is a little mottled, but I think it fits well with the variety of greens in the quilt.

Gerre and I make a good team and I told her so. I told her I want to work with her again. She is working on quilting the postage stamp/16 patch, which I will bind as well.

I really liked working with Gerre. I am thrilled that we have made this quilt together and I am proud of how it has come out. Yes, I know it is not finished, but I am thrilled with the way it has come together.

Another Cafe Apron

I can probably classify this as a hack. Really, I don’t know about the hack thing, because I made the apron without the Amanda 7 Pocket Cafe Apron pattern.

ARHS Grooming Apron
ARHS Grooming Apron

I couldn’t find the pattern and, after cleaning my workroom, I called my mom and had her measure the apron I made for her. I looked at the previous blog posts and went for it. I had to kind of make up the pockets, but I think it will work well.

A few months ago, I volunteered at the Young Man’s Band Review. I was assigned to the grooming team, which means that I followed the head of the grooming team around and carried stuff she needed to fix buttons, cut hair, adjust hems and jackets. At that time I thought it would be really useful to have an apron.

I finally had a chance to make one and it took me about three to four hours. The hardest part was pressing the seams. I really dislike that part, because I can never get the seams as flat as I want them.

I have to say that I enjoyed making this apron a lot more without the pattern than I did before. I think the problem with the pattern’s printing/font size was too small.

Regardless, I think the apron came out really well and I hope it will be useful.

ARHS Apron Flat
ARHS Apron Flat

Jackie in Black & Grey

Jackie's Donation Blocks
Jackie’s Donation Blocks

I haven’t been able to make it to my PO Box recently and when my mom went for me, what a bonanza! Lots of fun goodies, including some blocks for the Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt from Jackie! WOW! What a great surprise and these blocks will really look great with the others I have.

I know I keep saying this, but I really, really need to put all the blocks out and take another picture. I need to see where I am.

This makes me think that I am continuing to make blocks for some reason that I don’t know or I haven’t decided to reveal? Perhaps these blocks are some kind of therapy?

I’ll think about it later.

Doing Good in Black & Grey

Doing Good Blocks
Doing Good Blocks

I managed to finish the four blocks I was working on most recently, but couldn’t put together any new ones yet. I really need to lay the whole piece out and see what I have.

I had a few more choices in this group since cutting some additional patches. I like the way these look. they are as cheerful and happy as grey and black blocks can be.

I wasn’t ready for color when I started this quilt, but I am glad I am ready now. I started this quilt a long time ago and I can see the evolution of the blocks as time passes.

Green T Quilt

Worktable
Worktable

As I mentioned yesterday, Gerre and I teamed up for the Charity Race Sew Day. we were 4th in line to pick fabric and ended up with a variety of green colors. Gerre and I looked at each other in disappointment, but knew that the recipient would like it and got to work.

We pushed two tables together and used that as our workspace. We laid out most (the table wasn’t THAT big) of the pieces, cut the background and Gerre started sewing.

Gerre & Jaye Blocks
Gerre & Jaye Blocks

After cutting the background, I paired up pieces and parts and handed them to Gerre. She put them through the machine. I cut them off, pressed them, then paired them off again with other pieces and handed them back to Gerre to sew.

I thought we did very well and sewed pretty quickly. Still, we weren’t first with a finished top. I don’t sew very quickly in general, and, though I wasn’t sewing, I was pleased that we were able to finish as quickly as we did with little or no drama. I was organized and got Gerre the pieces she needed efficiently. She was a sewing rock star. Our system worked.

After we finished the piecing, we found a vintage sheet that was large enough for the back and layered and basted the top. I thought we were being nice for some other guild member, but Gerre said that she will quilt it. I offered to bind it so the piece will be done when we hand it in.

Gerre & Jaye Blocks: Chunking in Process
Gerre & Jaye Blocks: Chunking in Process

I showed Gerre how to “chunk a top.” It is harder if you don’t have a design wall and lots of leaders and enders. That plug lump in the middle of the table didn’t help, though it was useful for making the machine work. We started making postage stamp blocks in between to try and keep the T blocks in order.

I really think this is a great pattern for charity quilts. It is interesting. There are lots of ways to put it together and it comes out well. I want to work with Gerre again.

Finished T Quilt
Finished T Quilt

BAMQG Charity Sew Day

Worker Bees
Worker Bees

We finished 10 quilts and almost  11.

Worker Bees
Worker Bees

Peggy and Michelle did a great job organizing the Charity Day Race Game and 8 of the quilts we made were from the kits Michelle and Peggy put together before the event. They are awesome, dedicated and well organized.

Worker Bees
Worker Bees

We all got kits and set to work. Peggy had done a lot of the cutting already, so we all only had to cut backgrounds and sew.

Michelle and Jennifer worked on a red version of the T quilt with a lot of Joel Dewberry Notting Hill fabric.

I was on a team with Gerre and she took the first sewing shift. I wasn’t really paying attention to how other teams organized their sewing and cutting and pressing and pinning, but our organization worked very well.

Rhonda and Ruth worked on a turquoise version with some Pearl Bracelets and a lot of fish fabric.

Diana worked on a pastel version with some Aneela Hoey fabrics and Jennifer finished a second green top that really looked like light in a forest.

Karen and Joelle finished another red top with a lot of card game fabric that they joked they would give to Kenny Rogers. Peggy made a brown version that looked like candy and Michelle finished a second top with a blue solid background. Gerre and I finished a top with green Ts and a light background. the quilts all used the same pattern, but were so different and fun.

Gerre & Jaye's Bonus Quilt
Gerre & Jaye’s Bonus Quilt

After the T quilts were done many people worked on making postage stamp blocks, including Gerre and I. We made as many pink and white postage stamp blocks as we could, then we added in some yellow and white blocks in to bring the quilt up to size. We didn’t finish it. Gerre put me in the sewing driver’s seat and I kept screwing up when sewing the blocks together, so we pinned the blocks together and Gerre will finish the top at home.

Expanding the Postage Stamp Donation Design

You have seen a number of donation blocks and quilts I have made for BAMQG using the postage stamp pattern. I wouldn’t have called it a postage stamp pattern; I would have called it a 16 patch, but postage stamp was what the Charity Girls called it, so we’ll move on and fight about names later.

The most recent quilt (still in process!) is the Black and Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt. You know it; you have seen it 100 times. I make those blocks as meditation and to do something good for others. There is something about making those blocks that feels infinite. Infinite possibilities. I think simple blocks have that quality.

Cheryl's Postage Stamp Quilt
Cheryl’s Postage Stamp Quilt

Cheryl’s quilt is a perfect example. She took a number of different blocks, put them together and added an awesome border to make this donation quilt.

One thing is that I could use a lot of different scraps. I could use a similar border idea to finish the Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt. Perhaps I will use this idea when I make the next donation quilt.

There is another photo on Flickr.

Blue and White for Daisy

Daisy's Comfort Quilt
Daisy’s Comfort Quilt

Recently, our Twilter friend Daisy started going through a rough patch. She is so good about making up quilts for people in need, such as the Scrapitude quilt she made for Frances, that we all heeded the call from Weezy (have you listened to her podcast?) for blocks and fabric. It took me a few days to get to making the blocks, but I did and I am glad.

You can see my Harry Potter trying to find the Snitch block in the top row along the center. One of my blocks is on the back as well.

Weezy did the heavy lifting on this quilt and she did a great job.

Daisy quilt back
Daisy quilt back

Daisy received the quilt on Saturday and was thrilled. I was very glad it was well received.

 

Disappearing Four Patch

Pre-DP4P Blocks
Pre-DP4P Blocks

I made some blocks for a Disappearing Four Patch quilt that Daisy made for Terje. Terje’s family is going through a really tough time and then Terje injured her foot. So unfair, but a very good opportunity for a quilt.

It is fun to make a few blocks, especially easy ones that I can use to play with color and fabric, then send them off to see what they become. I used the Flower Sugar fabric from Lecien. I still have a lot of it, not all, but enough, left and it is cheerful. I made three blocks. In the photo below, I can see one of them in the 2d row, 1st position on the left and another one in the bottom row in the second position on the left.

Terje's Disappearing Four Patch
Terje’s Disappearing Four Patch

I think there might also be one in the 4th row, last position, but it is hard to tell. Perhaps you can see them.

Regardless of where my blocks ended up, it is a cheerful quilt. I am always amazed at the choices people make when given a specific request. I don’t remember the request particularly, but it was definitely for cheerful fabric. It is fun to see the interpretations and wonder about their influences.

Donation Quilt Progress

Donation blocks 1 & 2
Donation blocks 1 & 2

Another thing I did during the Labor Day Sew-in, using leaders and enders, was to make donation blocks. As I said, I had to put a leader or ender between each piece of the FOTY 2013 pieces. That meant that a lot of other projects progressed, including the donation blocks.

I only made three blocks, which doesn’t buy me anything in terms of another row on the quilt, but I am three blocks closer to another row, which is closer to an entire quilt and that is nothing to be sneezed at.

Donation blocks 3
Donation blocks 3

Black/Grey Donation Top – Serious Progress

Black/Grey Donation top
Black/Grey Donation top

I made serious progress on the blocks for this quilt last weekend. As I mentioned, I took photos Friday (a week ago). That really prepared me for knowing what I needed to do to make some progress.

Finding the blocks, which had gotten stuff under a pile of fabric, was a really good start.

I laid out all of the blocks and realized that though it is getting there, I still need more blocks. The layout is 6×5 right now, but I might need to make it skinner and longer. Mrs. K’s quilt is on my mind, though, and putting the blocks on point is skittering around on the edges of my brain.

6 more Black/Grey Donation blocks
6 more Black/Grey Donation blocks

As soon as I had an idea of where I was, I gathered up all the parts of blocks that were on my sewing table and sewed them together. That added another 6 blocks to the group of blocks above.

My blocks have a lot of fabric repeats, but I think when all the blocks are put together (like above), the duplicates don’t matter so much.

I also think that Jackie and Cheryl’s blocks blend in nicely.

I didn’t sew any new blocks as I tried to work on the Russian Rubix using parts for a new journal cover as the leaders and enders.

This project is fun again!