To Brighten Up

Kayla rugs up

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to face a disease like Leukemia and then all the painful side effects from radiation and chemotherapy designed to treat it. So when I heard that young single mother of two, Kayla, was having to spend weeks away from her family, my heart went out to her.

Kayla and best friend Dani

My online Quilting Bee and I had made a bright scrappy log cabin quilt in February and I offered it, to a local auction, to raise funds for Kayla. However, her best friend Dani, thought that keeping it for Kayla might be a better idea. It is certainly bright enough to brighten up anyone's day.

The latest news is that Kayla is doing so much better that her kids have been able to visit her in hospital. Kayla comes from a small town that raised nearly $10 000 to pay for her respite accommodation while she is in treatment. The community have been so supportive. 

Live, Love, Laugh

up-cycled pillowcase carry bag

We all pray for her recovery.

Quilt Club Australia Bee


QCA was born out of a group that made simple lap quilts for the children and elderly of the Lockyer Valley in Queensland. This, mostly farming, community was devastated by an 'inland tsunami' during the Great Queensland Floods of January 2011.

This year we began our first Bee groups. I chose February and a scrappy log cabin design. The 11 other ladies sent me their blocks and I sewed them together in March.  Considering the different machines and quilters, I only had to adjust 6 seams to make them all line up correctly. I machine quilted the diagonals and shadowed the ditch where the blocks joined.  

Through this group I have learned that quilting can make a cheerful difference to someone going through a difficult time. Our Bee has further quilts to make for causes and that makes my heart glad.

I am linking up with...

March Finishes

Setting a goal on the first of each month has definitely helped me to achieve a lot more in March than any other  month.

March Finishes

1. 'Gelato' scrappy log cabin QCA bee - finished 29/3
2. 'Gelato' scrappy log cabin QCA bee (back)
3.  'Gelato' scrappy log cabin QCA bee (binding)
4. Quilted book covers - 
5. Duck notebook - finished 4/3
6. Happiness notebook - finished 7/3
7. Dolly Quilt 2 - finished 10/3
8. Dolly Quilt 3 - finished 10/3
9. Little Dolly Quilt A & B - finished 14/3 & 15/3

Block Finishes

 Craftsy March 'String' block - finished 4/3

 Craftsy March "Broken Spider web' - finished 3/3

March QCA bee blocks in grey/black and gold - finished 2/3

Unfinished Projects

The only project I didn't finish was the basting and quilting of this gorgeous 'Fussy Fairytales' quilt in Heather Ross 'Far Far Away 2 & 3' fabrics.

That will go into the project list that I will create for April. That starts tomorrow - Yikes!

What about you? How did your March list of projects go?

I am linking up with...

February Finishes

Thanks to Kristy from Quiet Play, and Mosiac Maker, I was able to come up with a mosiac of the finishes I had this month. It's nice to look at these and feel a sense of accomplishment for a month of long lasting work - unlike housework and cooking.

So here they are L to R, Top to Bottom

1. Scrap Bag log cabin bedside table mat - for him

2. Scrap Bag log cabin bedside table mat - for her

3. Scrap Bag stacked coin dresser runner - for the master bedroom

4. Sweetwater Designs notebook cover - for my 'To Do' book

5. Notebook cover - for my Finances/Budget book

6. Craftsy Feb. BoM 'Balkan Puzzle'

7. Craftsy Feb. BoM 'Chunky Chevron' 

8. 30 mini activity bags - for the Pre-Kindy

9. 6 QCA Bee Feb. scrappy log cabin blocks

10. 'Little Girls' Pre-Kindy seista quilt - for my daughter

11. 'Little Girls' Pre-Kindy seista quilt (back) 

12. 5 extra QCA Bee Feb. scrappy log cabin blocks

After making many things for others in 2011, there's been some nice projects that will benefit my family and I for a change.

I am linking up with Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts

and 'TGIFF - Thank God It's Finished Friday' at Quokka Quilts.

To Do First in March

1. Quilt Club Australia QCA Bee March 'Garden Gate' blocks
2. Crafsy BoM for March - I hear rumour that there might be a string block
3. QCA Bee Feb. Scrappy Log Cabin - sew blocks together, baste, quilt and bind
4. Quilt dolly quilts #2 and #3
5. Baste and quilt dolly quilt #1
6. Baste and quilt Far Far Away #2/3 'Fussy Fairytales' quilt top
7. Finish notebook cover #3 for my friend's birthday - due Fri March 9th
8. Sew a cover for my Janome sewing machine
9. Sew a cover for my overlocker.

That should be enough I think. I don't my commissioned quilt customer from Feb. is going to follow up so I will have more time.

I am linking up with To Do First at Lawson and Lotti. It sounds like she is moving to Australia from England - better warn her to bring her wellies and mac - we call them gumboots and raincoats here. 

Sweet Log Scrappy Bits

Finishes


I've had a couple of small finishes this week and I think it has boosted my sewjo esteem. I made a notebook cover for my 'To Do' book. This one was a kit from Sweetwater Designs.

Then using the same pattern, I made another for my 'Finances' book. This time I used pre-cut squares and fabric from my own stash. Some cute Heather Ross 'Far Far Away 2 & 3' included.

I am sewing another cover for a friend's birthday.

WIP 


This is a dresser runner that I am in the middle of basting today. I am going to straight-line quilt this but I am not sure exactly how yet.

QCA Feb. Bee Blocks


I think that I have received nearly all of the blocks for this month. One of the ladies was nice enough to send me her leftover scraps and I was able to use them with my new scraps and make an extra 5 blocks! 

Here they are all laid out and I am trying to decide whether to sash it or not. Opinions from the group are leaning more towards 'no' sashing. 

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 2 notebook covers, 5 QCA Feb. Bee blocks
New projects - None

On Hold - 1 custom strip quilt - will start when I receive 50% deposit , 1 Feb  scrappy log cabin quilt - once all the blocks come in

Currently in progress - 1 notebook cover, scrappy coin table runner - basted and ready to quilt, 3 dolly quilts to back (still! Am thinking of using vintage sheet fabric for these).

How did you go this week? I am linking up.

It's in the (activity) bag!

Last Wednesday I was asked if I could sew up 30 little bags for my daughter's PreKindy class. Each afternoon they have a 'siesta' but many do not sleep, so the teacher wanted to put together some quiet activity bags to keep children 'resting' but quiet during this time. 


The teacher wanted to pay me but, after some thought, I refused. I'd rather donate my efforts and leave them more money in their budget to buy activities to put IN the bags!

So I got sewing on Saturday night when the kids were watching a movie and my husband the cricket. I had a lot of 'boys' material left over from my son's I-spy quilt last year. I also used 2 fabrics from my 'ugly stash' (you know the ones that you can't really use in a quilt, or anything really?). See if you can guess which 2 they were.

So there's my pile of 30 little bags of various sizes. I used my overlocker mostly and the fastest bags were the ones I made from quartering a pillow case.

February QCA Bee - Scrappy Log Cabin Update


It's nice to get 'Bee mail', as I have termed it. Makes heading out to the letterbox a merry affair and a welcome change from the usual bills and statements. So far I have received from 6 of the 11 other Bee participants. So that is over 50% of the quilt blocks and it is only February 8th! Aren't my fellow bees wonderful? Such hard workers!

Some of the ladies have been generous enough to sew 2 or even three blocks to donate.

Monday's 'bee mail'

Today's 'bee mail'

Here they are together

and then mixed in with 5 of my blocks

Isn't it looking delicious? Like a log cabin gelati!

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 1 (but technically 30 little activity bags)
New projects - 4 (but technically 2 blocks - by the end of Feb, 1 custom strip quilt - will start when I receive 50% deposit later this week, 1 Feb  scrappy log cabin quilt - once all the blocks come in)

Currently in progress - 3 dolly quilts to back

How has your WIP week been?

Scrappy Log Cabin

I have not followed many quilt patterns nor is my 'block' repetoire huge (something I plan to change through my 2012 - Challenge to Myself). However when I saw the gorgeous Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt made by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts, I fell in love with it. 

This year my online Quilt Club is doing a Quilting Bee and so I have chosen to try one for my block scheduled for February. And it just so happens that Rita was nice enough to write an easy tutorial for this one.

So I raided the scraps box and set to work making my first block...

So then I made a few more...they are a tad addictive!

When I trim them up they should measure 8.5 x 8.5". Some of the ladies started last week and are already done...their blocks look fab - o. Not sure if I will sash them or not because it is always trickier to match the seams up. 


Anyway, our group has expanded to 20 people (nearly enough for another 12 to swap among themselves). So that's exciting.


You can check some of them out:
Kate - http://www.kwiltsbykate.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/log-cabin-block-2.html


WIP Wednesday


Status Update


Pre-Kindy Quilt - finished last night! 

3 x 30s Dolly Quilts - still to baste
6 x Feb Bee 'Scrappy Log Cabin' blocks - finished
2 x Feb Craftsy BoM blocks - yet to start (but it is only Feb 1st hey)


Just got an order today for a lap quilt from a return customer. And the Pre-Kindy has ordered 30 small drawstring bags to use for small quiet activity bags during 'rest time'.  So that might delay the 'dolly quilts' for a time. All good though...the dollies won't mind as they have 3 pram quilts for now.

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 2
New projects - 4 (but technically 2 blocks, 1 quilt and 30 little bags)

Currently in progress - 3

Quilty Uses


My kids have made alternate use of their quilts this week. Both were made by my mum. The top is medieval single bed quilt and the bottom is a floral fan throw quilt.

the boys made a fort 

Fran had a picnic

What 'other' uses have your quilts found?