Breast Cancer Rag Quilt

I have told you in an earlier post about making a rag quilt for my daughter to raffle off for Making Strides for cancer. I have now finished it all but the clipping and washing it. I want to share with you some pictures of the progress. Below you will see four pictures. I cut all my squares six inches by six inches. You can see some of the beautiful pinks I used. This is not all of them. I then cut my batting into 4.5 x 4.5" squares and placed them between the backing square and the top square. Some of my backing is white flannel, but I ran out of that and used various pink squares. I was blessed by donations from Leslie Lackey, Gene Black, and Nancy Asplund. Gene donated pink fabric, but also, donated my new favorite batting Warm and Natural 100% cotton. Also, I won the pink ribbons that are appliqued onto light pink squares on each corner from Bonni Feltz. Thanks to each of you who contributed to this quilt.

After cutting all the squares and layering them with batting in the center, I sewed an "X" on each square. That is all the quilting this type of quilt gets. If you look closely at the lower pictures, you will see the "X" in some of the squares. Once I did that, I laid the squares on my bed and decided on the arrangement that I wanted to use. Now, I can tell you this, that is the hardest part for me. My DH designed it and helped me figure out how to put the breast cancer ribbon (or something that was similar) in the center of the quilt using the darker pink squares. Once I decided on the arrangement, I started sewing. I did my best to put lighter to darker from inside to out of the squares except for the ribbon. When I got to the last couple of rows, I did it differently. I have pictures below that show the finished product, at least as much as I could get into the picture, except for the clipping and washing. I will post another picture when that is finished.

I pray that someone will either want to purchase this for a good price and then the money will be donated to my daughter's Ocala Moms group who is walking in the Making Strides walk in Ocala, Florida. Let me know what you think!

Blessings to you,

Teresa

Can you see the ribbon?

Five More Days!

It is almost time for the Leafs me happy blog hop! Make sure you get in on all the fun!

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Blessings to you!
Teresa

Happy Saturday!

Good morning! I pray you all had a restful night. I know I did, except when I turned over I would wake up because my back twinged. Oh well. Not going to stop the sewing at this house today.

DH and I went to one of my brother's home last night for a surprise get together for our oldest brother. He turned seventy on the 12th of this month, but had just had surgery on his throat. His wife wanted to surprise him with all of us getting together. We decided it was best to do a potluck instead of going out to eat. We sang happy birthday to him as we sat down to feast. We had so much fun! Usually we aren't able to get together but at Christmas for dinner, but we have begun to try and get together more often. None of us are getting younger, and we have already lost our parents. None of us are in the best of health either, so we are trying to do what we can to enjoy spending time together. The food was delicious! I made my brother's second favorite cake: pineapple upside down. It was so good. All of them are diabetic, and this definitely was not diabetic friendly, but was so good. They all liked it, and my stewed squash I make from my MIL's recipe. I am so happy they all like it. Now I have another dish to carry to eat.

Also, on the family front, we lost one of our two baby goats this week. She was looking not just right for several days, but she didn't come up for the afternoon feeding time, so DH went to search and found her under the barn. He couldn't get to her, but she called out to him very weak sounding. The next morning, she was in the hall of the barn and had passed away. We were so sad. After losing our favorite dog two months ago, then losing Flo, it has been hard on us both. 

On the sewing front, I am in the process of making a rag quilt out of different shades and patterns of pink. Some has the breast cancer ribbon on it, some does not. My daughter is moderator for a mom site and they are walking in the Making Strides against Cancer walk. I am making this for her to raise money to donate. I hope it will help her get some money. I have had fabric and batting donated for this quilt. I hope it turns out pretty. 

I also made my first ten minute table runner yesterday. Let me just say this; I will definitely be making more of these! What do you think? You can go to YouTube and type in Ten Minute table runner and see several videos on how to make these. Also, I saved a link at http://www.rgadesignquilts.com/store/images/Twelve%20Minute%20Gift%20Bag.pdf

Go to the above site for instructions for the one below.

Well, I am getting off here for now. I need to get busy sewing!

Sew, have a blessed day!!
Teresa

Happy Dance!

Good morning!  I pray you all are having a blessed day in the beautiful world we live in. Trials and war, rumors of war, meanness, everything going on all over the world is happening around us, but in Christ we can have peace. I still have my headache, but going to the doctor this morning, so pray I get some answers. Nine days is way to long especially when I have so much to do!


 I am doing the happy dance even at 4:30 AM. LOL My friend Gene Black, a fellow blogger, and I met in town yesterday to do some trading of items on our way to our respective doctor's appointments. It has been several years since I've seen Gene. We went to high school together, church together and were great friends. I am thankful we still are after thirty plus years. He and I talked on the phone Sunday about the breast cancer rag quilt I am making for my daughter to raffle to raise money for the Making Strides walk she is participating in. We talked about batting versus flannel on the inside, and that I didn't have either one. He said he has some batting he would gladly give me for the quilt. It wound up being Warm and Natural batting! I am so excited! I've never worked with this type batting, but I've heard it is wonderful, so I am looking forward to using it. He included a few other items in the box that I found when I got back home from the doctor. He had include four or five different pink fabrics for me to use, an awesomely cute mug rug he made with an embroidered bird and music notes on it. I LOVE IT!!! He also included an item that we had previously discussed he was going to give me. Thangles! Yep, those wonderful papers that you can make half square triangles just by sewing on the lines beside the diagonal line and cut them, remove the paper and tada! half square triangles- two for the sewing of one. These things come in strips and you place your fabric cut a designated width and length pin it onto the paper, and sew, cut, press, and take off the paper. So, now you see one reason why I am doing the happy dance!

The second reason I am doing the happy dance is I am meeting so many awesome friends on some Facebook groups I a member of. I only scan through my news feed any more because I focus on the groups I have been blessed to become a part of. We are people, women and men, who love to be creative whether it is quilting, crocheting, knitting, sewing garments, curtains, etc. I LOVE being a part of a community of fellow lovers of crafting from all over the world. I have told you about a few of the groups I am a member of. I have been added to two more, and have felt so welcome in them all. I have made new FB "Friends" from these groups. We are learning about each other and many of us have a lot in common which I love. One thing I have found out about quilters is that we love to help in anyway we can. We don't have any problems with donating items to help one another accomplish a goal. We don't mind making donation quilts for people in need whether babies, young children, teenagers or adults. Quilters, I've found, are some of the more generous people one can ever encounter. Let's give applause for all the quilters in the world. Quilting has long been a way for people to keep cover on the beds throughout time. I remember sleeping under many quilts at my grandparents house especially in the winter time due to not having heat except the fireplace in the main room. I couldn't even turn over because they were so heavy, but come morning time I would be so toasty, I wouldn't want to get up and out in the cold. I have such fond memories of quilts, but I was never taught how to make one. That is until I determined myself in 2010 that it was time I learned to make quilts. I fell in love! To get on to my point, (sorry about getting sidetracked) at least two of the new friends I've made since Sunday have read my blog and found out that Gene Black is searching for Angels to help send donation quilts for the Ogden House here in Guntersville, AL for Christmas and want to help!  Last year, still being green on quilting, I did not participate. I told Gene that I would do my best to help out this year. So, one way I am helping is getting quilts donated for his cause, and I will do my best to make some kind of quilt for a teenager for Christmas. Pray that I will find the time. LOL

When I told Gene, yesterday, that these ladies had offered to get him a quilt, he was very excited. I sure hope they keep their word to me. One of these blessings lives in California, so she will ship it to me. The other blessing lives close to Guntersville, and told me that her quilt group loves to do donation quilts. So, she may be able to get me more than one. If you would like to be a blessing to a teenager, then by all means contact me and I will either give you Gene's information or I can get it to him. He needs them to be no smaller than 45" x 60", but would like for them to be a little larger since these are teens. My quilting group members also make donation quilts for Wrap Them in Love, but ours are usually 40 x 60. So, I can see where a teen would like to have one a little larger. Gene shared pictures on his blog of the donations last year when he delivered them. He said it was such a blessing to him to be able to do this for the home. So, if you would like to help, by either donating fabric to me to make a quilt, or making one to send to the home, please let me know. You will receive an awesome blessing for participating if you do. Thank you from my heart and from Gene's heart in advance.

Other news:
1. I delivered the cape to my niece that I finished for her yesterday and she loved it! She has already posted pictures on facebook of it. I hope it does the job for her. I've never made a cape before, much less a lined one, but it wasn't too bad. Who knows, I might make myself one some day.
2. I have been researching patterns for mug rugs for Christmas presents. I am getting excited to think that I can use a lot of my scraps to make these cute little bigger than coasters and give them as gifts. I am going to explore making a crazy quilt one to see how it turns out. I found an awesome tutorial on one of  sewing emails I get of a half dresden plate appliqued onto a piece of fabric. I so want to try making one of those, too. Maybe a log cabin pattern for one, etc. I will definitely try my hand at making them really soon. I also want to make some ten-minute table runners that I was introduced to recently. No quilting required! I will find these links and post them on here for you.

Samelia's Mum: Semi Dresden - Mug Rug {Quick Tutorial}
PLEASANT HOME: Scrappy Tree Mug Rugs!
Wonderfully awkward: Guest blogger! Hexie Mug Rug Tutorial
PLEASANT HOME: Scrappy Tree Mug Rugs!
Stitching by Starlight: Tutorial - Offset Log Cabin Mug Rug

Ten Minute Table Runner Links
www.sewwequilt.com/.../comfort-and-joy-with-deonn-and-he
www.rgadesignquilts.com/.../Twelve%20Minute%20Gift%20B..
www.youtube.com/watch?v

I pray these links work for you. If not, just go to google and type in free mug rug patterns, and ten minute table runner and see all the links you can find!

Let me know what you think! Have a blessed day and will talk to you tomorrow or Thursday.

Blessings,
Teresa

Happy Sunday!

Followers, I am so sorry that I haven't blogged this week. Last Sunday, I woke up with a terrible headache that has not gone away as of today. One week with a headache like I've never had before. On Wednesday, I had another nerve block in my C6-7 area. Praying this works and prevents me from having surgery. So, I really have not had a lot to say this week.

Projects in Progress:

I am still working on making hexagons. Not sure, yet, what I am going to do with them, I am enjoying making them. I have some from Christmas fabric, some floral, some solids, etc. Love making these. It is so relaxing!

I started cutting out my breast cancer awareness blocks for a rag quilt I am making for my daughter. She is walking in a Making Strides for Cancer walk on November 3rd. I am making it to donate where maybe she can raise more money, or if needed/wanted, she can give it to her MIL who is a breast cancer survivor. A new facebook friend donated two aprons made from pink ribbon fabric for her to raffle off. She also sent me the rest of the fabric. I was so excited. Last night I actually felt like cutting some blocks out of one of the fabrics. I sure hope it looks good enough that someone will want it.

I am still working on the quilting of a baby quilt and a donation quilt. The baby quilt is for a friend of my son's. Hopefully I will get it done before the baby grows up. LOL I am quilting an already made donation quilt from my quilting group called Bama Belles. It won't take me too long once I get these pressing projects out of the way. I also have to decide which fabric I am going to use in the sew in we are having October 23, 2012. I need 6.5" squares, a background fabric, and a dark fabric for a shadow. I may use the black we have has a challenge fabric for the shadow part. Still mulling this over in my brain. A friend of mine, Gene Black, has a project going that he is requesting angels for. He donates quilts that are at least 45" x 60" and possibly bigger to a home in Guntersville, AL. These are teenagers that for some reason are not able to live at home. He was able to give them 16 quilts last year, and they were so appreciative. He is asking for volunteers again this year. I am going to do my best to make a gender neutral quilt to donate. If any one wants to help out and donate a quilt, please contact me or Gene Black at geneblack@gmail.com. I will post a link to his blog post about this project.

http://blog.geneblack.com/2012/09/calling-all-angels.html

Please, if you will, check this out and let one of us know if you would like to help out.

Finishes:

I finished my niece's cape she wants to wear in the upcoming convention of costume play (AWA). I sure hope it is what she wants. Thankful to have this project finished.

That is all I can think of that I have finished at the moment. I am going into my sewing room and cut out more blocks and cut out the flannel I have to see if I have enough for the backing on this quilt. Keep your fingers crossed.

Have a blessed Sunday. Be a witness for Him; be a blessing to someone that you meet today. Love you all.

God Bless,
Teresa

dots on dots blog hop

September 13th

Quilt Taffy
Pink Pincushion

Lily Patch Quilts

Freemotion by the River

Mrs. Pickles

Julie at the Crafty Quilter

Rose Creations

Feathered Nest Studio

Bee in My Bonnet

Bama Belles Day!!!

I am getting excited even though I don't feel the greatest. Today is the day my quilting group meets, and I am going! I didn't get to go last time because I was puppy sitting. I've had a bad headache for several days and really don't feel the best this morning, but I need this time. I love the fellowship we ladies have together. We pin quilts to ready them for quilting, some of us sew on the machine, some of us do hand work, some of us help pin and some of us just visit. I am going to help pin quilts, and work on getting my niece's cape lining cut out and maybe sewn. I hope I can get it sewn, then I can drop it off at her house and have that marked off my to do list. She is active in cosplay and AWA, and will be dressing up like Hermione in Harry Potter. She needed a cape and is just learning to sew. I wound up helping her cut it out and sewing it myself. I know, that is helping her, but it was just easier. I did help show her how to use her machine. I will be using my Brother to finish it up. At first, we were just putting the lining into the hood, but she decided she wanted it throughout. They is what I will be doing today. She has part of it cut out. I need to do the front and side cutting out and then I can start sewing. This will be my first time lining something, so wish me good luck and say prayers! LOL I know I can do it, it is just doing it.

I finished my first apron last night that I was making for a swap on Stitches From the Heart. I sure hope the lady likes it. It is by no way perfect. But I will be making more. :o) I also quilted the first seam down the middle of the donation quilt I brought home from BB the last time I was there. It shouldn't take too long to quilt it. It will be stitch in the ditch. The binding is ready to sew on, too. So I will get this done within the next few days. Then I need to finish the baby quilt I have started quilting. Then on to other things.

I want to make a quilt or at least a wrap for breast cancer awareness for my daughter. She has organized a group from her Ocalamom.com moms to walk in their Making Strides walk-a-thon in November. She has recruited her MIL to walk, too. Her MIL is a breast cancer survivor. A friend from FB sent me two aprons made out of pink ribbon fabric to donate for her to raise money. I want to make a quilt to help her, too. All suggestions will be appreciated it. I have a time limit, so it can't be too involved.

Well, I need to get ready to eat breakfast and get prepared for Bama Belles. It is the greatest quilting group ever!

Blessings,
Teresa