IF so, what are you going to do with that project?
Do you have a quilt just laying around?
Have you made something that may not fit your home decor anymore?
Well of course Pat has an answer for that also. She has teamed up with Victoria Findley Wolfe of Bumblebeans to collect 400 finished quilts for the Basics Shelter that Victoria supports in NYC.
Read about Victoria’s efforts from this past year and the generous people that contributed 300 quilts.
She has also created a flickr page so you can see all the quilts donated.
It continues to amaze me
with the
hearts and generosity
of quilters everywhere.
Thanks to Pat and Victoria for making this happen.
The following is an excerpt from a June 13th article in the Daily Mail Reporter from the UK.
But quilters, it seems, have every right to celebrate their craft after researchers found that it is ‘uniquely’ good for you. A study found quilting improved well-being in ways that physical and outdoor activities could not, and offered a creativity that had been ‘stifled’ in the modern world.
They interviewed quilters and found the activity helped their cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people.
The use of bright colours was ‘uplifting’, the activity distracted from the stress of work, and quilting offered challenges such as maths and geometry. It also increased confidence and had an important social side. Professor Jacqueline Atkinson, co-author of the study and a quilter herself for five decades, said: ‘Doing something that engages you and that you enjoy is key. As adults, we don’t often do enough that includes fun and play. Graduate student Emily Burt interviewed 29 members of the group and the transcripts were analysed for the study, published in the Journal of Public Health. Beneficial: The researchers said more consideration needed to be given to hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing well being. It concluded that: ‘Whether it is growing vegetables, knitting a jumper or discovering a new scientific formula creativity may be fundamental for well being and has received little attention so far within public health. ‘Exploring creativity and what people do in their everyday lives, which they deem creative, may be an important avenue for well being promoters. ‘Additionally, more consideration needs to be given to all hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing well being.’
Craft Scotland said interest in quilting amongst younger Scots was increasing but there was no measure for how many people take up the hobby individually or in clubs. She said: ‘We’ve definitely seen an increase in groups doing quilting socially but also individuals.
‘Historically older groups of women did quilting but women in their early 20s are getting together and children’s groups are also taking it up. ‘People are investing in quality pieces of quilting, but also looking to make items themselves and re-use materials they have in their homes. ‘I can only see the popularity increasing.’
The craft industry contributes around £3 billion a year to the UK economy.
Now we didn’t need a study to prove that to us, did we?
Several years ago there was a therapist in our area. She was also a quilter. She would hold monthly “Therapy” sessions where everyone would gather around a quilt frame, hand quilt and talk. Maybe this is why our grandmothers didn’t need a therapist. I have another word for a therapist, A LIFE COACH and we could all use one. Or maybe we should just pull out our grandmothers quilting frame
and invite a few friends over!
One more funny story – I hope my husband doesnt read this. When the kids were younger I told my husband I needed therapy. Now of course he assumed this meant a therapist and I didn’t tell him any different. So I took some $$ and went to lunch with a friend, spent time at the boookstore, or any other theraputic thing I wanted 1 day a week. It really did help! and I think my husband probably helped a little more around the house because he thought I was loosing it!!
In our area it is back to school time. Setting the alarm, packing lunches, signing forms, carpool, speed zones are just a few of the things that many people are busy with this week.
I saw this old sign for a school zone and thought it was quite a symbol for us all. Not only for school zones but also just a good symbol for life.
SLOW
A few more weeks and it will be Labor day, the official end to summer.
2011 is almost over.
I know that is so depressing.
Where does the time go? What happened to SLOW
So I thought I would throw out a challenge for Labor Day to the end of 2011.
I have listed several 25 things.
Feel free to leave a comment and add some things we should all do in this 30 week challenge.
I challenge you to choose one thing each week to slow down and enjoy for yourself!
Walk barefoot in the grass
Spend a day doing nothing except relaxing
Pack your lunch and eat at a park
Get a massage
Go technology free for one day
Get a makeover at a makeup counter
Have Champagne for no reason at all except to celebrate life
Call a friend for lunch
Compliment a stranger
Buy fresh flowers for your home
Ask more questions and talk less
Light Candles
Brag on yourself at least 5 times
Say hello to a stranger
Pretend for one day that you don’t know your age
Smile a lot. Best beauty tip on the market
Random Act of Kindness- possibly to a teacher
Write a note to someone that impresses you. don’t sign it
Donate to a charity
Eat your favorite chocolate
Bubble bath and a good book
Doodle and fill the whole page
Look through old photos
Leave compliments on your bathroom mirror with dry erase pens- for yourself
Don’t really know where to begin. My BFF has packed up 30 years of memories
and headed to Florida. I guess she has retired.
Kay and her 3 kids, Katie, Jason and Bubba
As we packed up her treasures, we came across many pictures of the past 30 years.
Believe me she has many more pictures but here are just a few of the ones that
are a small part of the mayor /alexander history.
Doesn’t take much to make these kids happy.
Jillian is tempting the boys with the box of vanilla wafers.
Kay loves the water and the outdoors so Florida will be a perfect home for her.
We drug the kids to many fishing adventures.
kay would bait the hook and I would feed the kids.
How did the two girls put up with these boys? I will never know. Since then I added two more boys for jillian and katie to tolerate.
Watermelon at the park! Great times!
Running around the park!
Picnics!
Potty breaks- didn’t matter whose kid it was. We all know the look.
Grant and Katie together at a football halftime.
She was grossed out and I don’t think he would get too close.
Travis believed he was a real elf because the other kids convinced him he had pointed ears.
We made all their costumes for one of many Christmas parades.
Bubba, Katie and Jason
Kay and my baby , Bo.
Bubba and Jillian in a fashion show. Thanks Bubba for being such a good sport. I doubt any of your Air Forces buddies read my blog.
Travis’ 1st birthday!
Travis’ second mother, Katie. Katie is grown, married and expecting her first child in April. She will be a wonderful mother.
Happy New Year 2000.
Jarrod
Many summer these hunks took over South Padre Island!- scary!We would let them take the jeep out to cruise the strip. Then we would follow them and laugh at how cool they thought they were.
Lots of high school graduations together.
Jason and Jarrod
Jason headed off to the Air Force Academy. When we were packing Kay’s stuff to move, we actually found all of the hair that is on Jason’s head in this picture. He had shaved his head before leaving. We thought we had found a dead animal.
Jason and Grant share the same birthday so many celebrations happened on September 1st.
Snuffers birthday party
We marked time, events, birthdays and graduations at our favorite restaurant, Snuffers. We tried to line everyone up for each photo op. Sometimes it was successful, sometimes not!
I decided to leave this picture upside down, because I thought when Kay moved my life would be turned upside down. I am so proud of her and I have adjusted with little or no medication.
I started this post on New Years eve 2011as therapy. Kay pulled out of her driveway on Christmas day on a new adventure.
I am actually posting this now because I am headed to Florida to see………………..
This line has yummy linen/cotton solids in it. I wish blogs would let you touch the fabric but until then you will just have to believe me.So I set forth to use the denim linen as my background. I love how it turned out!
Did I tell you that I don’t do the “A” word? Applique.
Then I had to start mixing it up, right? Are you supposed to use your scraps. No time to get off the farm and go into town to get new fabric. So I added some bunny hill greys, barbara brackman red and deep dark purples. Then I was ready to start week 2 of the FWQAL class.
This week we talked about Marti Michell templates and showed how you combined different templates to get additional shapes. I MUST ADMIT I am a strip piece kind of girl. I don’t use many templates. BUT, I am a convert. I will show you the entire process after Week 3 of classes. Just wait until you see what Marti has done for us all to make this so easy!
These gals in class are such troopers by letting me take their pictures and post them on the www.
I may have spoken to soon. Can you say paparazzi?
Yes she is a real farmers wife of United Notions
The funnest part of the class is the show n tell.
Sometimes it is the excuses why they didn’t get all 2 of their blocks done in a week. But that is okay. These are busy farmers wives with cows to mill and chicks to feed.
Kelli is using batiks and prints
Eladia- Shabby Chic
Outlaw- red white and blue
Mariza-earth colors
Holly- Aqua, orange and green, grey
Jamie- Bright modern
Michelle- civil war
Sarah- vintage modern
Nancy- classic blues and aquas
Ducky- Blackbird
This is just a few of the people. It is so interesting to see all the different looks all in one place.
DISCLAIMER: This is quite a competitve group of gals. They are already trying to one up each other. Anything from making more blocks than assigned, bringing their fabric in the latest and greatest storage systems to branding their notebook like chelair pictured below.
Of course the inside of the notebook is even more impressive than the outside full of
marti michell templates and who know what all else.
no class is complete without a sonic cup in the background
eladia and mariza
And look what someone did for me!!
Took my book and had it wire bound. Ask at staples, office maxx, office depot
or kinko’s. The price varies but well worth the $5.00 to $7.00. Thank you Outlaw and Stiff!
Tune in weekly for our progress. We have a few surprises in store for you.
A layer cake of Summer House byLily Ashbury was distracting me. I wanted to make something but did not know quite what. This color palette is not my normal look but I just had to make something, anything!
Then I remembered Cynthia Lammon’s project on the moda bake shop shown above. I was immediately inspired. When I have this ” quilt fever” sometimes I am not good at reading the directions, I just jump right on in. Somewhere I missed that Cynthia did this project with a charm pack instead of a layer cake. By then it was too late, I had already matched up my fabrics in sets of two and was pretty determined to cut and sew on Summer House immediately! And I did!
SUPPLY LIST:
1 layer cake of your choice.
3/4 yard sashing and inner border
outer border 1 1/4 yds.
5 blocks across by 5 blocks down
(I used 25 of the layer cakes)
62″ square
Step 1: Pair 2 prints, right side up.
Cut a 2 3/4 strip and a 5 1/2 strip. This will also leave you a 2″ strip which will have used
all 10″ of the layer cake. Set aside the outer strips so you can make additional cut on the center section.
This is where the martenelli rotary mat comes in so handy. Just turn the mat to make your next cuts.
*The diagrams above are just an example of the sizes you can cut the layer cakes. Any measurements will work and create a more free form look. All the blocks will eventually be trimmed to 9″ squares. have fun and create your own varieties.I would love to see your projects.
Move the center square to the back of the set of 2 fabrics as shown below. Sew together.
The layer cake is 10″ so you will have a bit extra once you put the blocks together. Trim to 9″ squares.
Block finishes at 8 1/2″
Each set with make 2 blocks- positive and negative.
A moda layer cake has 42 squares so this method will yield 42 blocks. I only used 25.
SASHING
Cut 20 sashing strips, 9″ x 1 3/4″ and join the blocks together. Measure the length of the row and cut strips 1 3/4″ x length. Repeat until all 5 rows are sewn together.
Measure the height of the quilt and cut 2 side strips length x 1 3/4″. Add to the sides creating
a small outer border.
Cut border 6 1/2″ wide.
This collection has wonderful large scale prints so a larger border could be added. This quilt could be made quite a bit larger using the remaining layer cakes. This one is a perfect size for a picnic.
thank you Cynthia for your inspiration.
Check out the Lily Ashbury blog for these adorable printables that match her fabric!
On Friday, I started a campaign on my Facebook Page
to save energy.
No Laundry
No Cooking
over the weekend.
Well I tried, but I did get into the kitchen and decided to cook up something.
Fabric
I have a super top secret project I am working on.
I want the fabrics to be just as individual and unique as the project itself. I am trying to achieve a “worn” “loved” look including the look similar to vintage sheets.
I need a range of scale and prints.
So…..
I got out a big pot of water, a jug of bleach and started to play.
hello betty
I know bleaching fabric is probably not the best thing to do for textiles. It will probably rot away in 50 years or less. This project is not a museum piece but will have a special place in my heart.There will not be anything like it anywhere else in the world. In fact if it does last for 50 years and some tries to date it, they won’t be able to. Many one of a kind pieces will be used. I will let Barbara Brackman know what
I am doing so she will be able to document it for a museum someday.
Name this group. An oldie but a goodie.
I dug out pieces from past collections and threw them in the pot. My family knows that from time to time I am “Cooking” fabric and not to dip a spoon in the “stitcher’s cauldron.”
Rooftop Garden just came in and it is an rich bright jewel tone group,
BUT I had toDUNK it just to see
There is no exact science for this experiment so be sure and play with items
you don’t mind “messing up”.
Some of these colors are really “weird” No store owner would buy an entire bolt of
some of the shades. But there is something so unique about the pieces that you can’t
help but fall in love with their “special aged characteristics.” Bleaching fabric or Rit color remover
works just like baking cookies. Once you take the cookies out of the oven they continue
to cook. The fabric continues to fade so remove in time to let it keep cooking.
Also anything wet such as the fabric appears darker. It will be lighter when dried.
You can always bleach it more.
You can NEVER add the color back.
These pictures are some of the dots. (Did you know I love dots?) They are lined up next to the fabric that was bleached. It created a wonderful range of colors. (Picture above-Love the 2nd from the bottom-
grey with cheddar dots- just in case you love it to- Rooftop Garden stock # 32432 32, also comes as a small dot, 4th one up, stock #32434 32) So vintage and yet so modern!
Heaven- Dk.Grey, Cheddar, Dots- I need a moment.
Always keep a piece of the original before dying so you can see the change. I cut layer
cakes and charm squares in half.
Now look how quirky these colors are. I love them and I am happy to have a piece that is 5″ x 10″ just in case I need a clash factor piece that looks as if it had been on the prairie for 50 years.
NOTE: If you ever get a chance to take a class from Barb and Alma of Blackbird Designson fabric dying, do it! They remove color and overdye and have a great time.
Some fabrics changed so much that I couldn’t match it up to the original without matching the
actual pattern shapes to each other.
I bleached a bunch of fabrics but I left them in the dryer.
I guess the only energy I was interested in conserving was my own.
I sure hope some one in my family is doing laundry……
