Hands to Help and a shopping spree!

Welcome Hands2Help quilters! It indeed has been an odd year for all of us. My quilt sewjo was a bit strained for a while and sewing masks seemed to be all I could do.  I was rejuvenated watching the HOPE Quarantine Sew Along with Gudrun of GE Designs. I made a quilt for Little Lambs Foundation which I shared a couple of weeks ago.

And then I went on a little shopping spree :-)  Quilt in A Day sends emails out each day with special prices on certain items.  They posted a foot pedal pad by Martelli that caught my interest.  Hmmm, Martelli usually knows what they are doing....maybe I'll try that.  (Spoiler alert: it's awesome! My sewing machine foot pedal now stays right where I need it and this thing is easy to keep clean!) 
Then of course I started looking for other items to add...you know, to take advantage of shipping ;-)  Some little needle threaders went into the cart, a strip stick for pressing seams, and oh my an Oliso mini iron!

and then...a Stripology Squared ruler! This all was quite a treat to get in the mail and I needed to start playing with the fun items.  So yesterday I cut and sewed another HOPE quilt using more of leftover Robin Pandolph fabrics.  I can't believe how many quilts I have made from these and there is just a bit left.
It is not sewn together yet but I will get this put together and quilted and in the mail with the other one this week.  It was such a fast, fun pattern to sew.

Thank you, Sarah for hosting yet another year of inspiration, tutorials and goodness! I'm linking this post to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for the Hands2Help 2020 Link Up. Go enjoy all the beautiful quilts!

Straits and Emerald City Outside

I do not have quilt holders at present and it occurred to me that the only real large area I have for showing these HUGE quilts was my driveway.  Not an interesting backdrop but with the foggy skies we have this morning, I decided to give it a try. Marianne came out to help but was not really interested in posing. So for a finish in less than a year...I present my 2 Bonnie Hunter quilts that I started in the guild classes last June.

First class and first finished last September was my version of her Emerald City, Sage and Seaglass (named after the Kim Diehl fabric that I used for most of my fabric choices).

 

It was my second choice of the classes but became my favorite.

Next up is my Straits of Mackinac where I used mostly fabrics from Janet Clare's 'More Hearty Good Wishes' with a piece from 'Weather Permitting' on the back. With the whales and ships, a Storm At Sea pattern seemed fitting.  I purchased a fat quarter bundle of the fabric and then when the option to take Bonnie's Straits class came up, it seemed like the perfect fit. 
Though the pressing and finishing of this quilt about did in my desire to quilt (!), I'm happy to say I completed it and enjoyed some new choices for white neutrals that include the cute crabby fabric as well as some anchors and other choices. I have certainly learned a lot from making Bonnie's quilts that will hopefully inspire me in the future.

So we wish you a Happy almost end of May and pray you are all safe and healthy! I've been sewing up Robin Picken's Painted Meadow fabrics this week with all its beautiful cone flowers and fat bumble bees. Pictures coming after I've quilted it.
Linking to Confessions of Fabric Addict  'Whoop, Whoop Fridays'.

Hope and Hands2Help

With a little help from 'friends'...I think I got my quilt mojo back a bit. I have completed my Straits of Mackinac quilt and will have pictures soon, but in the meantime, Gudrun from GE Designs inspired me to quilt again.  May 3rd, she hosted her second Quarantine Quilt Along. The pattern was available for a small donation to a fund she was raising to gift to some charities local to her.  $35,000 was raised for her efforts! It was an all around 'feel good' event. She titled her quilt, Hope and it has indeed brought some!
I used florals from my stash that were Robyn Pandolph fabrics from years ago. It measures about 38" square and will go to the Little Lambs Foundation in Utah for the Hands2Help effort inspired by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
From her page...
  For those of you who aren't familiar with Little Lambs Foundation, it is a non profit 501(c)3 organization operating out of Utah which provides comfort kits to children ages newborn to 17 years old who are transitioning into foster care, emergency shelters or who have been hospitalized, by providing them with a little comfort in a bag.

This made me happy to sew :-) and inspired by Nancy at Peace and Grace Quilting, I tried to take some more interesting pictures of it :-)

From around my front yard...HOPE

I have continued to sew masks for neighbors and have been rewarded! I cracked up when I saw these...and they were very tasty too!

So thank you, Gudrun for a lovely and fun quilt along and pattern.
And thank you, Sarah for yet another year of inspiring quilts to comfort!
Linking here to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for quilt progress.