Quilting and Blessing to our Soldiers

This year I decided to teach a quilt piecing class for homeschoolers.  We meet once a month and try to sew between 2-3 blocks per time.  We are making a "Quilt of the Month," making a block that celbrates that month.  So far we have made a snowman-January, heart- February, and beach ball-June. 

I have been pre-buying and cutting all the fabric before the girls get here.  We have 6 girls and 2 moms that stay.  I am letting them use the machine and hand stitch, since I want them to learn all types of sewing.  I charge $13 a month, which basically just covers the material.  If you have any questions about starting your own quilt club, use the Contact Me button. 

This is the book I am using, it is complete with all the patterns and directions for making wall hangings and throws.  I am adapting the patterns so the girls will have a twin size pieced quilt in December.  There is a local place that will quilt, bind, back and bat, for about $45. 



Hard at work.

Our hearts

Our beach balls

But what I REALLY want to advertise is the Just One Star Project.  Click here to read about the details.  Moda is asking everyone to piece a quilt block with the star pattern on that site, so they can make quilts for the injured soldiers in Irag and Afhanistan.  This would be a great project for older homeschoolers and moms, you could even have a Girl's Night Out where everyone comes together to sew them.  You write your name and state on them and mail by May 1, 2011, to the address on the pdf file.  Our Quilt Guild has gotten involved.  This is a VERY EASY pattern and actually took me longer to cut it than sew it.  If you are a beginning piecer you can definately do this and may find time to squeeze in a few more!  It requires medium red or blue material and white material.  I used scraps I had laying around. 

Just One Block

Heather

UFO's and other January Musings

I wanted to give an update on my January UFO, from Patchwork Times, since it is the end of the month and let you know what I have been busy about around here.

The Unfinished Object was a box of unorganized pictures that had writing all over the back of them.

Here is how the UFO started, straight from the box from my Mother-in-Law.

Here is how far I got...

Photocopying all the pics, getting them in order, ordering the album and pages from my Creative Memories Consultant, Renae (and you can order from her online, too) and getting a full album layout plan!

A few other ways I spent my time:

I needed a new pincushion to match my newly organized sewing area, so here is my version.  Here is where I got the idea.  I just traced a dessert plate to get the right size.

I wanted a decorative bulletin board to go on my sewing table.  So here is where I got that idea.

I kept losing my cell phone in the bottom of my new, gigantic purse.  So, I needed a way to get to it without having to dive to China.  I made this and hook the ring on my purse handle.  Here is where I got the pattern.

I had found this wonderful bird material here in town and having been dying to make a bag since before Christmas.  Here is the pattern I used with a little extra decoration.  I plan to make a few more for groceries. 

So, since I am into birds and redecorating this year, I had decided I needed little decoration in a corner of my kitchen near the refrigerator.  I had decided on a homemade topiary, but had no ideas.   I nosed around online and found a similar idea.  Here is that link.

 Then, the girls started ballet again, so we needed a ballet bag.  I have about 4 yards of ballet material, so here is my adaptation of this pattern.

Since Kae-Kae's favorite bird is the Bluebird, I decided to make her a wreath for her bedroom door.  I had to order the bluebird off of Etsy, I could not find a "real" looking bluebird anywhere else.  I got the eggs at Joannes.  The ribbon, nest, and wreath are from Hobby Lobby.  She LOVED it!

So, this was the fabric bin.  Obviously a problem.  Who knows what options I have in there.  So...

For free, this is what I came up with.  It is amazing how seeing your fabric makes you want to use it!

I put the Valentine's stuff out on the piano, and knew I needed one more thing.  I wanted a table runner and found this one.  I was supposed to increase the print size, which I did, but it was not quite big enough.  I am still pleased. 

Now, here is the mystery material.  I have started a very industrious project for the year.  I am teaching 6 homeschool girls how to piece a quilt.  I will have pics through the year, but these are the starting materials for our first blocks.  Everyone completed 2 blocks at our first meeting.

How have you blessed others through your creative life-giving in January?

Heather