Hands to help final check in

Hello, hello. A few of you might have wondered why I haven't posted. It was May 10th the last time I shared anything, I'll explain why at the end. Thankfully I remembered to check Sarah's blog and find she posted on May 28th to begin the linkup so she can get the final count.

I got brave and used a panto on this one, I am still pretty rusty using pantos, but this is a great way to practice. My frame quilting experience is almost 20 years and in all this time I have not enjoyed doing panto's. 

This wiggle time quilt was finished up last month and I neglected to get it posted. The pattern is from Cynthia, it's a fun and fast quilt that I love making!

I want to say thank you to Sarah for hosting this event for so many years. You can check out all the quilts that so many generous quilters will be donating to the H2H cause HERE.  I'll be linking up!

This tumbler quilt was pieced in January, using the 6.5" Accuquilt tumbler die and quilted in April.  Such fun bright colors for a child. Simple stipple quilting made for a quick finish.

If you are a regular visitor here the rest of these quilts you will have seen in various other posts.  I thought I would make it handy for Sarah if I listed all of my donation quilts in one post. 

The original Hunter Star post is HERE

Tumbler original post is HERE

A string thing can be found HERE.

Whirly gig can be found HERE.

Scrappy heart is HERE

And hexagon is HERE.  

That brings my total of quilts to donate this year for Hands2Help to eight.  Such a good feeling to have accomplished and give eight people a warm quilty hug. These quilts will be given to my daughter-in-law to hand out when she goes to help serve the less fortunate in the Minneapolis area. They go to a few different shelters and a reservation there. 

So a quick note to explain why I have been absent for several weeks.  It all started with my hip hurting like the dickens, making it hard to walk, especially up stairs. Finally went to the Dr. after x-rays she put me on an anti inflammatory, rest and PT.  A week after the med and PT my stomach started giving me pains, fever, no energy, no appetite, I just stayed in bed feeling so crappy. And then I had the worse headache ever.  Back to the Dr. and blood work, that was all just fine, so she figures it is the anti inflammatory med. So I am off that and onto something else.  I went to the chiro yesterday. So hopefully I am on the 'mend' track. More than anyone wanted to hear, but I thought I would let you know I didn't just fall off the edge.  Also my apologies for not visiting blogs and commenting. 

I am pretty sure there are some great deals going on at Accuquilt but I am too tired to go look. If you care to check their site and want to use my affiliate link you can find it at the top of my left sidebar;)

Another quilt story

Continuing with UFO finishes is this hexie quilt. After winning these Tula fabrics several years ago I started this Opposites Attract pattern from Anka's Treasure's Sizzling Sixties book.  It didn't work opposites didn't attract, I really do not like this quilt and I have no idea what I was thinking!! 

While I like some of the fabrics in it, there are some I really don't like!  That made it hard to finish it. I don't have a record of when I started it, maybe 7 years ago, but it grew in stages and then got stuck back in timeout shifting from spot to spot around the room. This year I got tired of it and in a couple of different spurts over the last 3 months I finished it.  

Perhaps I should have studied it a little better before I set out to sew it into columns, because where I left off last is not how it ended up!!  I hope the recipient doesn't care and just enjoys a warm quilty hug. I know I am glad to be done with it.  The pattern actually doesn't have the blue 'border', it wanted you to bind around the pointy hexies, no way was I doing that! 

I finally found my laser light for my longarm, it had fallen down on the floor with a bunch of batting scraps.  Hubby got it attached for me and I quilted this with a panto called Sprung(I think).  While I really enjoy free hand quilting, I really wanted to use some panto's once in a while just to be different;)

This quilt will be used for a donation quilt for the H2H 2023 quilt challenge going on now. That pile is growing and it feels wonderful!

Linking with H2H check in today at Sarah's. 

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Good on May 8-9, 2023

STUDIO FLASH SALE! -- 51% off Studio Dies and Die Bundles (use code: STUDIOFLASH) Good on May 9-10, 2023  These are Affiliate links.

Every Quilt has a Story

It's true, don't you think, every quilt has a story!  This one sure does...It all started around 10 years ago. I am not positive as I can't find a record for this particular quilt. However, I found a similar quilt made from the same template in 2013.  At the time I was testing a template for a gal in Wisconsin. I don't think she ever went through with its development as we discovered it was to close to someone else's.  All that to say it is out of my 'to be quilted' closet now!!!

Why, you might ask, did it take so long for me to finish it?  I had my reasons, LOL.  I don't remember when I finished piecing it, but I do know it has sat in my 'to be quilted' closet for several years. Up on the top shelf layered with it's backing, batting and the quilting had been started. I remember why I didn't finish the quilting...it was on the longarm and I did half of the first row of colorful swirly deals and quit because the darn thread kept breaking, it was an aurifil pink. I tried and tried to get it to stop breaking. No luck with that so I got frustrated and took it off the longarm and threw it in the closet. 

Whenever I had time that I could have quilted it, I just stared or maybe I glared at it would be more appropriate. As much as I wanted to finish it, I just couldn't make myself try again.  Fast forward to last month and I said enough of this. Pinned it back on the longarm, got out that same pink thread and tried again. Guess what!  Break, break, break, good grief.  Then I thought I have that same shade of pink in a cone thread of Maxi Lock, let's try it as I have nothing to loose.  Guess what!  It worked like a charm!!!!

Two days on the longarm and it is done!!!!!!!!!!!!  Can you tell I might be a tad excited about that!  And just what will I do with this quilt... its a donation for H2H, Hands 2 Help. 

Sunday is another check in for H2H at Sarah's. I'll be linking up then.  Since it is made from scraps also linking at Oh Scrap

Also on Sunday I have another quilt with a littler story to share with you. 

H2H check in

The Hands2Help or H2H is well underway for this year, this is hosted by the lovely Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Today is our first check in to see how we are doing with this years challenge. I have posted each of these quilts individually before but grouping them together for the sake of the check in. 

Hunter's Star

Tumbler

Scrappy Heart

String Thing

For a grand total of four finishes so far, I hope to do one or two more. Linking with H2H check in, and Oh Scrap!

A stringy finish

 You might remember me working on this stringy flimsy in January.  It is a flimsy no longer because I quilted and bound it! 

All made from strings and a little bit of neutral yardage for the background. 

String quilts are really fun to make and almost feel like a free quilt! My string blocks finished at 8" square and I added a 2" sashing in between so I didn't have to deal with all those string seams coming together.

This string quilt is heading to the H2H donation pile. You can find more information about that HERE.

I had so much fun working with strings again that I actually started making blocks for another one. It won't be finished anytime soon, but I'll be happy when I open this UFO box and find lots of string blocks started.  Still trying to bond with my featherweight so I brought it out, oiled it up and began to sew a few blocks up. 

Accuquilt sale from 4/6/23-4/11/23 EASTER SALE! -- Extra 23% off $100+ Orders (use code: EASTER23)

Linking with:

Whoop Whoop

Peacock Parade

Finished or Not

TGIFF

Friday Foto Fun

Oh Scrap!

Easy Charm Baby Quilt

From time to time I scour Pinterest for a new idea for an easy quilt to whip up.  One I have supplies for, the right size and fun to make.  I found this tutorial from Jessica Dayton.  I had a charm pack I wanted to use and I also had four fat quarters to throw into the mix.  My fat quarters were always in the same position in these nine patches.

Who doesn't love a good nine patch set off with sashings.  The navy polka dot and white cornerstones did the job perfectly.   

I fell so fortunate when friends give me things they no longer feel they will use.  In this case the backing is a pretty pink fleece which my friend gave me.  I assured her I would use it for a donation quilt.  Don't you just love the texture that quilting on fleece gives.  A pretty pink thread topped it all off nicely. 

This is a quilt I will donate locally in honor of Hands 2 Help hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

Linking with Oh Scrap and Sarah's progress for H2H

Sunset Ridge for H2H

I've been preparing for the H2H (Hands2Help) drive hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Sarah has been hosting for many years, I have joined in for the last four years I think.  It is very rewarding for me to make and give a quilt to someone that needs a little pick me up when they are struggling.  I call it a quilty hug.

If you are a follower you saw this one for a quick little photo in my To Do Tuesday HERE.  The quilt flimsy was actually pieced in the summer of 2019.  So another UFO out of the closet!  It really is great to make flimsies here and there and then when it is time for the H2H drive all I have to do is quilt and bind.













The pattern is called Sunset Ridge at Moda Bake Shop , I modified it for the size I wanted.  Mine is approx. 40" x 46".  A lot of scraps were used  for this and very little white for the background.  A quick and fun quilt to make.

And luckily the pink plaid flannel a friend gave me worked perfectly for the back.  I love using flannel for the back as it makes the quilt so much softer and cuddlier.    

For the next several Mondays I am going to post Monday Memories.  That is on Mondays I am going to post pic's of things I used to make many moons ago.  These are things you have never seen before and didn't even know I made.  I hope you'll come back on Monday for the first post!

Linking with Oh Scrap and UFO Busting

Hands 2 Help finish #3

Last Tuesday I showed you a finish all rolled up to prove I met that goal.  Today I will share the quilt with a better view.  It's the blue and yellow quilt I had worked on a bit here and there the last few weeks. This quilt is # 3 that I am donating for Hands 2 Help 2020.  It will go locally to the Crisis Nursery Center.

The piecing of this top was complete on April 14th and then it waited to be quilted until I was ready.  After completing the yellow and gray quilt last week with the three hook swirl I decided to go ahead and use it again for this one.  It is an easy, quick all over design that still keeps the quilt soft and cuddly.

For the back I had a piece of lightweight denim chambray that was the perfect color to go with this top.  And it was just the right size, no cutting, or adding to it. Love when that happens!

I think it would be fun to remake this one and for the prints use scraps and be consistent with one color of solid throughout. No time to try that right now, but maybe for next year.  The strips are all cut at 2.5". 

Linking with Oh Scrap, Design Wall Monday, and Monday Making.

To Do Tuesday #15

Here we are with another week gone flying past.  Let's see how my To Do Tuesday goals for the week went.

1. Make another Hunter star table runner in Patriotic fabrics.  I didn't even show you the first one yet and it          sold yesterday.  I'll show them both at the same time.  EDIT:  LOL I must not have had enough coffee this

    morning when I posted as I did show you the first hunter star!!!  HERE  ya go.   DONE

    It is very similar to the first one, but the border fabric is different.

2. Finish a southwest table runner I am currently working on. DONE x 2

    This is my second Kokopelli table runner, which is my original design.  It is available in my Etsy shop. 

Instead of working on goal #4,  I decided to make another southwest table runner with these three Island Batik orange fabrics.  This is my version of a Navajo block. 

3. Quilt two more H2H quilts. DONE

    These will each get their own post so they are ready for the H2H link up party later in May. 

4. Quilt a leaf table runner. NOT DONE

5. Maybe start piecing another donation quilt. NOT DONE

I don't feel bad in the least that I didn't get all five of my goals met.  Because I did a few more things that I needed to do at that time. I'll share those later on.  Sometimes I meet the goals and sometimes I need to replenish items in my shop. 

For the week of April 28th-May 5th, my goal is going to be really loose:)

Goals 1 thru 5 are to make 5 table runners-which ones you ask.  Whatever I want to when I wake up that day!!

Goal 6 is to quilt an H2H donation quilt. 

And if I go off the rails and do something else it's okay with me.  How about you are you a stick to your goals kinda gal or are you okay with going off the rails?  

If you want to link up your goals for the week you can do so at HomeSewnByUs for To Do Tuesday. 

Also linking with Clever Chameleon

A pineapple H2H finish

If you are one of my followers you might have seen this quilt make a brief appearance in my To-Do Tuesday post this week.  I thought it would like a post of it's own as a Friday finish.

I believe I started this quilt in the spring last year as a way to use some 30's type fabric.  It was also fun to use the large pineapple ruler from Creative Grids. Nine blocks were all pieced and then left all by themselves to sit and stew as to when I would either add more to the pile or use them in a small quilt.  Fast forward to this year and the small quilt won out;)  Adding some sashing and a border brought this quilt up to about 40" square.  This quilt is my second finish for H2H this year. 

As I went to quilt it I found the perfect size of a poly batting that was given to me last year by a friend that was cleaning out her closet.  She realized she had purchased way to much batting and knew that I did several donation quilts each year.  I assured her it would be put to good use.

I am a lucky girl as another friend gave me yards of fleece and flannel last year too!  There was the perfect blue flannel for the back of this one.  Thank you my friends!  As you can see I kept the quilting simple with a dog bone meander, freehand of course.   

As I mentioned this quilt is for H2H and I believe Sarah is having a check in this weekend to see how we are doing with our donation quilts so far this year.  I still have a few more to quilt up this weekend.  How are all of you doing on your H2H donations.  Isn't it just the greatest feeling to be able to make a quilt and give someone a quilty hug!

Linking with Friday Finished or Not,  Can I Get a Whoop Whoop, TGIFF and H2H check in. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Charming Friday Finish

For this quilt I used charm squares I won from our local guild quilt show from a few years ago.  There were four identical charm packs, this is the second one I have used.  I had pinned a quilt that Cynthia had made, that came from Cheryl's tutorial for Moda.  I thought it was a great idea to use up some of the charms I won and do my version.

This quilt will be one of my finishes for H2H that will get donated locally to the Crisis Nursery Center.  The backing is an adorable flannel that I picked up on closeout at Walmart a couple years ago. I think it was only $1 a yard.  

Did you notice the striped binding, gotta love stripes!  I used a poly batting that was given to me. The quilting is a loose stipple to keep this little quilt soft and cuddly to wrap a child in a quilty hug.

This is a UFO from January-time to clean up the closet a bit and finish a few UFO's.

I'll be linking with:

Sarah, Sherry, and Alycia on Friday
Michelle on Saturday
Cynthia on Sunday