Doggy Stitches is Complete!

Well, hello there!

I've been gone for a while, but have very busy!

I finished the Doggy Quilt for my niece Jael. I used the Birdie Stitches design from Little Miss Shabby but substituted a cute little hot dog, since my sister has two of them and my niece loves them.

So here it is completed. Keep in mind, the quilting looks MUCH better in person than it does in this picture. I did straight line stitch in the ditch. I need to get better at it, but really, it does look better in person.


This is a close up of the last few blocks.


The back is cozy flannel.


I think my sis will love it and I know my niece will. It was fun to make this throughout the year and then see it come all together in the end.

I also finished my birdie stitch quilt for my other niece and will be taking pictures tomorrow when the sun is out.

Hope you are getting everything finished up for Christmas! I believe I may start a few dish towels for my mother-in-law's stocking stuffer. Man, I'm cutting it close!

New Christmas Craft

Things are going great on the sign up over on Flickr for the new Quilting for Kids quilt that we will be making.

We still need 11 black and white blocks and 9 grey and white blocks. They're super easy, you can follow this tutorial here, and have them done in under 20 minutes.

Thank you to those who have signed up and please feel free to spread the word.

On another note, I've made a new Christmas decoration this year. My inspiration came from this post at Every Creative Endeavor, and she got her inspiration from Pottery Barn! So...here's my rendition.



I painted the sides red, then on the red O, I painted the sides white.




What do you think?

It was super easy. Paint, then hot glue, then staple gun and you're done!

New Quilting for Kids Project

It's time to start a new project.

This time, we are making a quilt for a young man who is in the foster care system (he is the brother of the two sisters we made the pink and purple quilt for.)

This young man lives with a lot of stress, mostly situational.  But he also is working on acquiring coping skills that will help him handle things better when they don't go his way.

I've been at breakfast with my mom when she's received numerous frantic calls from him.  She has to help talk him down and help him relax and see the bigger picture.

That's the problem, the bigger picture sometimes looks so bleak, it's like you're looking out a very dirty window and if you could just wipe it all clean, things would look so much better.

This is where he is in life.  So we will make a quilt for him to comfort him and remember to keep looking, and things will clear up.



So here's the plan.  When I saw this quilt by Toni (who helped us on the last Quilting for Kids quilts), I knew that this would be a great design for a boy.  It's a great, easy pattern that will be very striking in his favorite color combination, which is red, black, grey and white.

We are going to use solids only.  Because he is a teenage boy, I think it will be difficult to find many fabrics in these colors that are "boyish," I would hate to receive blocks that I don't feel would match the rest of the quilt and not be able to use them.

Also, I will be making the red blocks, so that the red will all match.  So what I need from you is a white/black or white/any shade of grey block. I know this seems like a much more boring quilt than the last, but I promise there will be another one shortly that will be for another girl and will allow us to be more creative with our fabric.

Each block will be 10.5" unfinished.
You will only need two 8.5" squares to get started.  One white and one either black or grey.  **Please use Kona white or something equivalent so that the blocks will look good next to each other.**  Any shade of grey is fine.

A full tutorial is available with pictures here, but basically you cut a 8.5" square from both fabrics and sew them right sides together all the way around the outside then cut into quarters along the diagonal.  Press then trim to 5.5" then sew back together in order.  It's super easy and fast.  I finished mine in 10 minutes.

I need 25 black and 25 grey blocks to make a twin size quilt.  If you would like to participate, go on over to the flickr group and sign up.    I would like to receive these blocks by mid January, so if you could mail them out by the 12th, that would be awesome. 

Thank you all so much for your help! And if you'd like to share on your blog or other media site and recruit people, by all means do!  You can also use the Quilting for Kids button for your blog.  It's available on the side bar...over there.----->

Linked up to

Tutorial for next project

I first made this block when I joined in on the Summer Sampler Series. 

This time, we're going to use it for the next Quilting for Kids quilt.

Start with a 8.5" square of Kona white (or other high quality white) and either black or grey - whichever you signed up for.

Pin them together, right sides together, if they have a right side. 

Next, sew all around the outside of the square.  When you get to the corner, just lift up your presser foot and turn.

Then, cut them in quarters, from corner to corner.  Voila, 4 HST's.

Press the HST open with the seam toward the color, away from the white.  Trim to 5.5".

Then sew them back together again.  Please press all other seams open.  This will help when I'm piecing.

And there you have it.  It's that easy!

Grab a Button

There's finally a button for the Quilting for Kids group.

If you're in it, if you've contributed, if you want to contribute, if you just want the button, grab it! :)



Copy and paste this:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/quiltingforkids/" target="_self"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayZ8hGkcZ59rLFN22FF2KEvBW4Z8Q28lfUrooXUdhTL4GgUwh-m9RNt-mAd9li0y8hA_qip6j5zOOfodz7nxzgJ1uw5GrH5hyaBzZ0wi1pCkWpKtvjmCiRKWfhJLMPh022l0tl96lXaqb/h120/Quilting+for+Kids.jpg" alt="QuiltingforKids" width="125" height="125" /></a>

You can also grab it from the side bar.

New project coming your way soon!

Quilting for Kids Garden Fence Complete!

Here she is in all her beauty.

 This quilt was a cooperative effort.  Many people from flickr land joined the group Quilting for Kids and signed up to make a block or two (or 3 or 4).  They mailed them in to me and I made this quilt for one of the girls my mother works with in the foster care system.  (You can read the whole story here.)

We used the tutorial at Hyacinth Quilt Designs to make the blocks.  I then edited out the white sashing because I just loved the different shades of pink and purple mixing together.

The back was pieced using a few extra squares I had and a star that I used from her sister's quilt.


I wanted to have a little piece of each others' quilts on both of them.  So there are stars and squares on both.

Here is the roundup of those who contributed to this quilt (in no particular order).  Would you stop by their blog and tell them they are awesome?

Jennifer - http://knotted-thread.blogspot.com/
Debbe  – http://piecestolove.blogspot.com/
Annaliese - Flickr  pewteracorn

Patricia - http://www.ziamariadesigns.net/

Toni - http://hoosiertoni.blogspot.com/  

Christine - http://punkinhandmades.blogspot.com/  

Toni  – Flickr  Smalltown97038  

Wendy  – Flickr wendydi1 

Karen  – FLickr capitolaquilter  

Lyanna - http://www.purplepandaquilts.blogspot.com/    

Jennifer  – Flickr jenjohnston    

Dawn  – Flickr quiltyquilter   

Rachael  – http://cutsewandrepeat.blogspot.com/  

Shanna - http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.com/ 

Erin - www.missymaccreations.blogspot.com 

Melissa -  http://www.achildofthewildblueyonder.blogspot.com/ 

Allegory - http://www.sewallegorical.com/ 

Keera -  http://www.Live-love-sew.blogspot.com 

Annabella - http://kechquilts.blogspot.com 

Amy -  http://www.craftydame.blogspot.com/ 

Katrina - http://kcalgary.blogspot.com 

Lu -  http://www.forthelovequilts.blogspot.com/ 

Laurie - Flickr  L Hellewell  

Jodi - Flickr JKAE1989   

Jenna - http://sewhappygeek.co.uk/   

Liz - http://lizmakesstuff.blogspot.com/    

(If I did not add your blog, it's because I didn't know it.  And some of you I couldn't find to link to.)   These quilts have been a wonderful experience.  It's been fun to watch the blocks come in and my mom and I have totally enjoyed the process. I will be posting later this week about our next Quilting for Kids project. It's for the brother of these two girls. It might be more a challenge, because I always think things for boys are harder, but the colors will be black, white, red and grey. So get your "teenager-ish" fabrics ready and I'll start the sign up soon. Thank you all sooooo much, from the bottom of my heart! And one final note: The tag that will be placed on the back will say the girl's name, and then: "God has a plan for you and loves you more than you can imagine, and so do I. Love, Miss Beverly December 2011 Jeremiah 29:11"

New Wall Decor

I'm home! We had a great Thanksgiving with our family, and I hope you did, too!

It started with a nice long trip from Miami to Atlanta.  Then a trip to the Minute Clinic for some antibiotics for my strep throat.  My youngest got two nasty scratches on his face from a swing. (Same swing, two separate times.)  Cousins had stomach bug, but I think we might have lucked out on that.

All in all, it was awesome! No trips to the ER for wheezing babies = success in my book! Been there, done that.

Seriously, how can we be so close to family that we only see once a year?  It is SUCH a blessing from God!

We had a great time with Grandma.  I took pics of her old quilts that her mother made, because this is the first time I've ever seen them. But at the moment I cannot find my camera.  :( But all the wash is done! :)

Okay, so today I did tons of laundry, cleaning the house, and then filled two new photo collages and changed out other pictures in old frames and then I did this.



You like?

I've seen many different versions floating around blogland, and this is my interpretation. Just an old frame, some fabric, glue, and a letter and you have a new wall decoration. Easy as that.



Okay, now off to bed I go. I got everything around the house done today so I can finish up the second Quilting for Kids quilt tomorrow (or shortly thereafter).

Pictures to come!

What's on your plate for this week? Oh, too stuffed from last week? Okay, what's on your agenda?

Quilting for Kids Charming Stars Complete!

Oh how I love this quilt!



It is beautiful!!!! Have I told you that I did not make this quilt?  Many, many women made this quilt.  Caring and sharing women made this quilt.  I love them for that!



This quilt will be given to a girl that my mother works with in the foster care system in Florida.  She has been going through a lot lately.  Hitting those uncertain years of 12-14 years old without a family that cares for you and helps you through it is really hard.  My mother is there for her, but often the girl's love looks like hate because her heart is so wounded and guarded.



If you're the praying type, please pray for her.  You can call her "U."  (I can't share her name.)  Pray for her heart to be softened and open to God's love, the only one that won't fail her.  And please pray for my mom, that God would give her wisdom and perseverance with U.



A great big hug and Thank YOU to all those helped by sending me blocks to make this possible.
Here is a list of those who helped with this quilt (in no particular order.) Won't you visit their blog or flickr? Tell them what an awesome job they did on their Charming Star block.

Debbe at flickr piecestolove
Ellla  at throwawenchintheworks.blogspot.com
Annaliese at flickr  pewteracorn 
Patricia  at  ziamariadesigns.blogspot.com/
Toni at hoosiertoni.blogspot.com/
Christine  at punkinhandmades.blogspot.com/
Jennifer  at flickr  jenjohnston
Dawn   at flickr  guiltyquilter
Michele  at  http://bacontheneggs.blogspot.com/
Erin  at  www.missymaccreations.blogspot.com
Keera  at  www.Live-love-sew.blogspot.com
Amy at http://www.craftydame.blogspot.com/  
Lu  at http://www.forthelovequilts.blogspot.com/
Selina  at flickr  SelDear
Allegory  at  http://www.sewallegorical.com/

And if you'd like to join the flickr group Quilting for Kids, please do.  I'll be asking for more blocks soon.  This time for a boy in red, black, white, and grey.  More on that later.  But go ahead and join the group so you'll be informed.

The Garden Fence Quilt is 1/3 of the way done...but my machine is being repaired. :( Very sad.  I broke a needle and couldn't find all of it.  I think it went into the machine and can't find it!  After Thanksgiving I'll get that baby out right away!

I'm also linking up to: Quiltstory,  SewHappyGeek,  SewChatty, Freshly Pieced, Esther's Blog, Made by Me @JAQS Studio,

Flickr Group

So, I have set up a flickr group, hoping that somewhere along the way someone would give one of my tutorials a spin and then display what they've made.

It was just me for a while....but now there are two of us!

And Pippa has posted her creation!



Just thought I'd share.

In other news....I have one Quilting for Kids quilt done and I have the other one basted.

Here's a picture of my two blood spots. I so hate basting.

Fresh Sewing October!

I don't have that many pictures of all I completed this month!

Here's a pic of the costumes I made for the boys.


I made my first commissioned quilt.



But since it's been so yucky and rainy here in South Florida, I don't have pretty pictures of it. Just this one. More pictures of this quilt are definitely in order, since it was a huge king sized quilt!

I also made a new Spider Web Place Mat and wrote a tutorial for paper piecing it. Maybe you'll put it on your list for next year?



Next was a tutorial for putting a picture pocket on a stocking. This stocking went to Lyanna from Purple Panda Quilts. She's collecting them for children in the foster care system where she lives.



And I have made a lot of progress on the Quilting for Kids quilts.

One of them is completely done, but like I said, I'm waiting for really nice pictures.



The other is pieced WITHOUT white sashing and waiting for basting. I can't wait to show you!



Head over to Lily's Quilts and show what you've done this month!