Another Quilt

This is my latest project and it has taken weeks to get it done, but it is now ready to go to a special person I will probably never meet that lives thousands of miles away in a remote village.

This quilt was made for a blind orphan and I did my best to make sure this quilt had some tactile (relating to the sense of touch) elements in it since the person would never see it with their eyes.

The top of the quilt that is almost a cherry red is silk with embroidered flowers and was donated to me to use for these quilts. The next 4 prints are fabrics that have been in my stash for quite awhile now.

The pink and blue I received in a pink and aqua swap last year. Next is a strawberry patterned print that I have used over and over again and this stuff just seems to always be in my stash no matter how much I use it. The last fabric was a pink and gray print from a reproduction print someone gave me a long while back.

The back was a huge solid piece of another reproduction cotton beige fabric with reddish pink flowers. I was donated years ago this fabric and this was the last piece (I believe) that I had.

I put the quilt together and then double sewed around the edges prior to placing the binding on with a small zigzag stitch and cotton thread.

I used pink baby blanket satin binding because once again, I wanted the person to feel this quilt. I again used double stitching to ensure this would last as I was told these quilts will be washed over and over again.

The inner batting is Mountain Mist's polyester batting and the entire quilt was hand tied on each joining seam, along the sides and in the middles of each piece.

This goes to a large orphanage and I am happy to say, I have one done and I may get a second one completed before the pastor and school director returns to the school of which he is administrator. I would love to tell you where it is headed, but it is going to a country that is full of problems and I do not want to mention this school without prior permission of our missionaries!

Destash Report:

1. 5 fat quarters used for top


2. 2 yards backing 72" x 40"


3. 2 packages satin binding


4. 2/3 spool cotton pink thread


5. Mountain Mist Quilt Batting, 1/2 of a double bed size.

Here it is all nicely folded and ready to be delivered to the missionary today at our church.

Another project complete

I just finished the first pillow for my granddaughter and I actually weighed it on the scale to see how much fabric I used and it was a bit over a pound and a half.

I took pictures of the two empty bags of poly-fil or stuffing I had opened for other projects and used the remainder for this pillow. Not only did it empty two bags and I didn't have to buy anymore for the pillow, it got rid of these from under my feet in my sewing closet. Now, I have leg space!
I couldn't get my camera to pick up the thread details, but what I actually did was based this on a crazy quilt from Marguerita McManus and her daughter Sarah Raffuse book, Crazy Shortcut Quilts.

I didn't borrow any of their patterns from the book, but I borrowed their ideas of using batting for a stabilizer behind the fabric and then, I sewed each seam with a different stitch.


What I am so happy and excited about is that this was the first project I have ever completed that didn't pucker or bunch up somewhere.

With following the directions in the book, I ensured my fabric was ironed, my batting was ironed and I pinned the straightened and straightened and pinned until I knew it was right.

The results came out great and even hubby said he was surprised at how fast I had it quilted.

Checking In On My Resolutions....

I know you just can't wait to hear how my resolutions are going. Yeah, right! In order to stay accountable to these, I feel that I should post my progress at least once a month so you will know someone is actually trying to stick to resolutions made.

Remember, I went over board and made 10, lets see how I am doing:
1- Getting healthier (This one is simple because I am not setting hard to reach goals such as loosing 50 pounds, being able to walk 10 miles, becoming a vegetarian or anything else that might cause me to fail). I am drinking between 2 quarts and a gallon of water per day and have replaced sweets with trail mix, nuts, chex mix and lots of fresh fruit and veggies. I am looking for a reasonably prices treadmill and every other day do stretching for Arthritis!
2- Becoming a more positive person and trying to keep negative people at arms length. Hubby just told me last night since I have been off my medications, I am yelling less and seem much happier...so we know it was either one of the meds or a combination of & since I gave in last night and started back on the pain meds, only time will tell!
3- Forming a prayer/support group for others in my area that are out of work. I know I am not the only one experiencing companies that send rejection letters telling us we aren't qualified when the only qualifications are a high school diploma. With my pain issues, I have fallen down on this one, but I still have it in the works!
4-Forming a Yada Yada style of prayer group for women and I hope this becomes huge, but I would like to keep the groups small (10 people at the most) There are a few of us from my church that are having a prayer group meetings away from the church and I would love to incorporate these into neighborhood walks come spring!
5-Spending more time in Gods word! **If time is the most precious thing we have and spending time or wanting to spend time with someone is our highest complement we pay to one another is when we unselfishly spend time with each other...then I need to give God more time!** Everyday I get up, put on my tea pot and while waiting for the water to boil, I read Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer, God's Little Devotional Book for Moms, Psalms 31 daily inspiration, my Bible reading knowing I will read the bible through in a year and I remind myself of why God is good. So far, I am sticking to it!
6- Getting my financial house is order! I am working with several of the companies I owe money to and doing my best to stay away from a Debt Relief company feeling I can do better on my own. However, our only source of heat (fireplace and insert), the insert blower went out and that comes first!
7- Purchase more handmade items this year and find more artists willing to participate in giveaways to share their products with us. Right off the bat, we had 2 wonderful shops step up and donate for January's giveaway and lets remember to visit these shops and say thank you by purchasing something from them and letting them know you came via this blog. Rachelle at Christian Shirts.net and Amy over at ajewelgift at Zibbet. I will be purchasing from both of these ladies soon and when I receive my order, I will post pics!
8- To enlarge my blog followers to 100. Last I checked, I was at 87. I realize some of you only sign up to get extra points in the giveaway...but I still enjoy getting to know each and everyone of you!
9- To yell less and listen more. See #2 above!
10- To rid my house of lots of clutter! This is a work in progress! The kids rooms are all purged and so is most of the junky clutter, now I am working on upcycling/recycling what I have and, I have joined Val over at Yarni Gras and Crafting With Cat Hair on doing a destashing all year! I am starting with doing a scrappy back on a redwork quilt I worked on while I was down this summer! I am also going to be offering up some of my Christian books and fabric scraps as part of my monthly giveaways!
So, we are only into 2010 by 18 days, but I am on the right track! Hope you are too!