3/40 Days of Blogging, Lent 2009

I sew with a wonderful online group called The Heartstrings Quilt Project. For January and February, we were to sew fun Happy Blocks to be sent in and transformed into colorful quilts for kids. I sent about 205 block... I kinda got carried away. I made the mistake of leaving the trimming of all 205 blocks until the end. YUCKKY! Well the blocks have been received and I love knowing they will be put to good use.

Pictures: Happy Blocks

Please enjoy theses images of my under construction Happy Blocks for the Heartsrtings January/February project.

They are fun, simple, and super addictive!

A finish... well 59 finishes :-)

When I first read about the call for Christmas Stockings for our Troops in a post to the Heartstrings group, I was really excited. What an amazing project, making stockings that will be sent to our Troops in action as a small thank you for all that they have sacrificed for our freedom.

I was on vacation and bought then fabric at our local quilt shop, run by a wonderful woman named Pam who has a son in the service.

This is one of the first projects I have done where it turned out EXACTLY as I wanted! The stockings were string pieced on a foundation. You can see the directions on a free download from Quilt in a Day which makes it totally clear and easy. I had a few yards of each fabric and still have enough string left over to get some smaller holiday projects out of the way.

The "cuff" was fussy cut from a larger piece that was kinda striped. I was it and knew it was what I wanted for a simple yet festive embellishment. I am not sure you can see, but I rolled the cuff edge less then 1/4 inch and zig-zag stitched it down with a gold top thread. I wish I had not run out of time as I would have loved to add a note of thanks to the recipient, but there was just not enough time.

God Bless our Troops this Holiday Season!

WAY behind....

Hello fellow bloggers....

I am so sorry it has take me so very long to post. I spend what seems like hours on this crazy laptop and never get around to posting. My plan is to get better and spend some real time over the next few weeks getting in the habit of updating at least 2x's a week.

So here goes...

1) I have joined a block-swap at our local quilt shop. The "rules" are flowers or tight pattern and tone-on-tone cream 9 patch blocks. Make 12 and each month get 12 back. At the end, you will have 72 total. I have decided to theme my blocks and make 4 extra for me. At the end, I will have a 24 blocks of my own. Check the photo of my first blocks.

2) The group Heartstrings that I am a part of held a Block Party to get back stock of red and blue centered string blocks. I was able to make 9 red and 6 blue plus I found one blue that got lost in a box of Christmas strings.



3) I am working on 50 string Christmas stocking to be donated to soldiers via a Heartstrings member. This is a fun and easy project. Over the summer I got a bunch of yards of quilt shop holiday fabric on sale. I am hoping I have enough for backing as I saved yardage with candy canes.


4) I am goign to try and join a fabric swap called Spare Change via the blog Chickpea Sewing Studio. Look for more information as I get more involved.

Ok, that is my update for tonight. Please remember to VOTE next month!

1 + 1 = 2 then.... 2 + 2 = 4!

Welcome to the first post of my crafting blog! I wanted to keep my personal blog when I address the real craziness separate from the crafting. In the future, I want to have a fun productive crafting biz and this is the first step.

On this first post I want to share my first quilting blocks made for the Heartstrings Quilt Project. This is a prolific group of quilters who make string quilts for different charity groups. Right we are working on Quilts of Valor for member Alycia who has a goal of collecting 400 finished quilts to donate in 2009. I was a part of one quilt by donaitng a section, but now I want to try and make my own full top.

In September and October we are sewing green centered blocks. I had yet to sew a real string block, so last night I got down to business. I made 4 blocks then sewed them together... a start! Only 44 more to go!