Charming

I volunteered to make 12 quilt blocks for Nancy's Quilts of Valor challenge.

I am not a quilter.  Putting different fabrics together really stresses me.

So what do I do?  Rather than using just a few red, white and blue fabrics?

I make charm blocks using 36 different fabrics.

Some of them don't belong - but I think they look okay.

11 of the blocks have a white rectangle that is 3 blocks long.

I will embroider a word on that white block to represent thanks to the wounded soldier.

What would you say with one word?

Erin's First Bear

The owner of my local yarn store is very involved with the local hospice. Each year the hospice works in connection with the Moyer Foundation to provide bears for the kids at the local Camp Erin. the bears are donated by various radio stations and local business and then Fontelle asks her customers to dress them. This year I decided to do a bedtime bear. She's wearing a nightgown that I sewed (broke the rules, I know). She also has bunny slippers and a bunny woobie. I'm sure some child will love her - dontcha think?

Quilting for Camilla

Let me just start by saying - I am not a quilter. Camilla asked for help making quilts to warm and comfort a family who lost those father last Monday. Because I believe what goes around comes around, I like to help where I can. Therefore, I agreed to make 6 quilt blocks for this effort.

The one pictured on the left is one of my favorites and I may try to recreate it once or twice more. As well as these two black and orange blocks, I made three random pink blocks. I really admire the random blocks made by Beki and Erin, I just can't do it.

Next I pulled out three coordinating prints from Denyse Schmidt's Katie Jump Rope and cut 2.5" strips. Then I sewed them together and cut them apart. I know - if I'm going to take perfectly good fabric and cut it up - I'd rather have something to wear at the end of it. Anyway, I then sewed them back together into what I believe is a rail fence quilt pattern. I had enough strips cut to sew up 16 blocks. I am also sending the remaining fabric - just in case either Cami or the quilter want to use it to finish up.

Finally, I grabbed this red and white snails trail quilt top that I made in my piecing days. I love 2 color quilts - but I know that I will never finish this and it's just taking up space in my house. I picked up my phone and called Cami asking her if she would like to have it. She agreed, so once it arrives she will have one top done -- 5 more to go. If you are interested in making a square, please see the link to Cami's post above, or contact her directly at camillaknitsATgmailDOTcom for details and mailing information.

So Crafty Together

Once the turkey was in the oven, I headed down into the studio. You see, I kinda committed to making some blocks for Cami - go read the story. I bet even if you don't quilt, you'll make a block or two if you sew. I plugged a movie in and got busy. I was soon joined by The Musical One who has finally learned to purl. She sat down and worked on the scarf she's gifting. It's a basketweave pattern and she's making good progress. TMO also got called into action for her nice handwriting. Next up - I had to share half of my craft table with The Princess - she was busy handcrafting cards for her Coffee Swap Partner. Some body's getting a lovely set of note cards - do people still write letters and send notes? Finally - check out this mess I was making. This is why I don' t quilt. I am very matchy-matchy. This drives me crazy, I can't mix the pinks, oranges, blues and greens. Plus I try so hard to make my blocks random that they look planned. So far, I have finished 4 of 6 blocks. Hoping to get the last 2 done today and get them into the mail by Monday. After dinner - we started our annual Santa puzzle. Hope your holiday was equally relaxing and enjoyable.

No Sew Dog Cushions

When you purchase your fleece - 2/3 yard is 24" and that will give you a cushion that has a finished size of between 18" - 20" wide.

First, even up the selvage edges. These are the edges that aren't cut. Then cut along the fold.

Fold in half so you have a piece that measures about 15" x 24". Most fleece is somewhere in the neighborhood of 45-60" wide. After cutting, you will have pieces of fleece. (If you want a bigger bed, skip this step and you will just get one bed out of 2/3 yard of fleece.)

I cut 'fringe' 2" deep, and it really wasn't deep enough to tie well. So cut, 3-4" deep fringe on all 4 sides. The corners will end up being extra.

All 4 corners gone and fringe cut all around.

Cut 2 layers of batting the size of the cushion, less the amount of fringe. So if you have a piece that measures 15" x 24" and cut 3" deep fringe all the way around, you would cut your batting 9" (15" - 6") x 18" (24" - 6").

Layer the pieces as follows: Fleece wrong side up, batting, Fleece wrong side down.

Take each piece of fringe, matching them up from the corner and tie them into knots.

One finished, no sew dog cushion - perfect for a small dog.

Old Dog Haven

I recently made some doggy cushions to be donated to Old Dog Haven. I personally believe that especially in a tough economy we should all do what we can to support whatever charity is near and dear to our hearts. My dogs are very fortunate - they will never be thrown away. They will never be left behind because we are moving an can't afford to take them. They will never know hunger. Unfortunately - not all dogs are as lucky as most of the Dogs on Thursday bunch. I would ask my bloggy friends to step out of their comfort zone and do something kind for an unknown dog. Donate something from Old Dog Haven's Wish List; make washable fleece dog cushions - you can either send these to me or donate them to your local rescue. Donate to the ASPCA - a link can be found on Nicole's blog. In the past I have made squares for the comfort quilts for several different blogs, two don't exist anymore. I knit for Virgina Tech after their horrible tragedy. I knit for Luke. I have knit chemo caps for complete strangers. Now, I'm asking you to do the same - to donate to dogs by making a washable fleece cushion to help make the lives of the dogs in final refuge a little bit better. I promise it will make you feel better.