It just happened

Another quilt for Hope Homes International

Showing the borders

This is the first time ever that I have been surprised to finish a quilt. A while ago I found the middle blocks at an Op Shop (charity store) for $5. When I took them home to turn them into another quilt for Hope Homes International, I found that I was struggling to get material that would go with the blocks.

While on my quilting retreat, at Living Springs, Hazel passed me some leftover strips from one of her gorgeous quilts she made. As soon as I looked at the material I knew that it would go well. Thanks heaps Hazel.

So yesterday I had an hour before the kids came home from school. I pulled out the ironing board and ironed and sewed some seams. Then I rifled my stash for another material to make it bigger (the big bright outside border) - cut some 5" strips, sewed and realised that the quilt was heaps big enough. Just like that!

All I need to do now is sandwich it and quilt it (and bind it...... oh it will take a bit more time). I felt very productive.

I link to these places.

Black and White Quilt done.

Last night I worked on quilting and binding another quilt for Hope Homes International. The quilt was made from a pile of blocks given to me and other black and white material. Thanks heaps Julie.

I was a bit worried that it looked quite adult so I fished through all the donated material and found the soft cuddly flannelette. A dramatic contrast to the quilt top but it makes it a lot more child friendly.

The quilted verse

On the blue borders I quilted "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path", a favourite verse of ours.

The bright backing

I link to these places 

and finish it up friday with Amanda- Jean

Trying to challenge myself

While away on my quilting retreat last weekend at Living Springs, I had these quilt to finish off quilting and binding.

Because they are all charity quilts I do want to do them quickly, so I end up in a rut and either stitching in the ditch or resorting to my standby of stipple.

By the time I got to the third quilt I decided to try something new. A random flower that had been very well explained in a blog I follow. I have been trying to find it - I thought it was at Cluck Cluck Sew but can't locate the blog post. (if you know it please let me know so that I can link back).

Anyway I decided to do that on what was otherwise a plain strip quilt. It did not take too long for the quilt pattern to be looking consistent, so I completed some single flowers and some doubles.

Yay now that is three more quilts completely finished.

I link to these places

double flower

Single flower

A black and white quilt

Over the last week I have been working on yet another quilt for Hope Homes International. This quilt started as material and blocks donated by Julie (who comes to the quilting weekend in Living Springs each year). She donated this all in 2010 the year before the earthquakes. She had four blocks finished which I just had to sew together. I have then expanded it with all the left over material she gave.

As always I thought it would take me one night to do, but it took longer. I sewed and cut all the extra, plus I have the binding cut and made. The backing is hanging on the washing line today so I hope to sandwich it all together tonight.

Now I have four quilts to quilt and bind at my weekend away - plus 4 shirt aprons to make. A jacket to adjust, a hat to make, start a quilt for Eli etc etc etc. Hmm have I got too many expectations again??? Or maybe I just wont sleep when I am there!!

I link to these places and WIP Wednesday

Two quilt tops done

I wanted to label this blog post "Old married couple fulfilling their passions at night!!" but imagine what that would do to a search engine!!!!!!

Tonight I have been sandwiching a quilt top and Aaron has been Xbox racing. Both in the same room, not really talking to each other, but enjoying what we are doing with the fire on. Contentment.

Double Hourglass block

The quilt is made of flannelette - being my usual recycled PJ's. I started it on Saturday night when a few of us had a wee get together, then finished the piecing last night. It is made from the left over blocks of this quilt.
A few extra rows around the edge make it big enough for a child's quilt. So this is destined for the Orphanage in Kenya that I support - Hope Homes International.

The other quilt was made by a group of us who came to my house about once a month to specifically make quilts for Hope Homes. But the earthquakes have put a stop to that and with all the stuff that goes on, it has never restarted.

I have just done a count up of the quilts I have. 5 single  or slightly bigger completely finished quilts, 1 completely finished cot quilt, 2 bassinet quilts donated. I also now have these two quilt tops done and sandwiched ready for quilting (I am already stockpiling my things to do on my big quilting weekend away in July). Plus there is another quilt top that I need to sandwich ready to go. I also have one half quilted top and some other blocks donated by Shirley that I need to stitch together. Jeanette was halfway through a gorgeous purple quilt when the first earthquake hit - hopefully that one will get finished too.

I am aiming to get quilts for every child in a house. There are currently 2 houses plus some kids being raised at the Missionaries house. So all up I need 30 quilts at the moment. So if any of you have any quilts you have made that you don't like. Or 1/2 finished that you don't want to do - I am keen to take them off your hands.

I link to these places and here 

Another finished quilt

Well this quilt has been through the "I love it" then "no not me" then "it's OK" then "yep it is good". So I hope the the orphan at Hope Homes who receives this will like it.
Spencer and Eli this morning loved it. Before school they put it on the floor and lay on it to watch TV. (they normally do not get TV before school but they had done all their jobs, had a hot chocolate and were being good).
I am really pleased that some of these quilts are getting finished. We had done a few tops but not batted and quilted them.

Beginners quilt lesson - finally finished

Last year I taught a beginners patchwork class. I had made random sample blocks for each lesson. As the lessons went on we all realised that it would have been helpful to see the various patterns in the setting of a quilt. It has taken me a year to get the little cot quilt finished. All my students are now on at least their third or fourth quilts and we now have an evening a week that we get together. I have now starting looking at quilting techniques and patterns with them. You will see that later.

So the colours and highly patterned material are not what I would have put together if I had intended to make a quilt from scratch but this quilt will end up being given to an orphan at Hope Homes. 

www.hopehomesinternational.com/

Hope Homes International - Children's home in Eldoret, Kenya.