Keeping a Toe in
Lately, there hasn’t been much sewing in my life. Once I finished the Swoon quilt, I had a lot of ideas to start another one or finish that duvet cover project that I started last winter, but I just haven’t been able to get in the groove. However, last year I joined a charity quilt group. Each month, everyone in the group makes a couple of blocks and sends them to a designated quilter to assemble and quilt. This has been a great way for me to keep a toe in the sewing room while I gather some mojo for my own projects. It’s also a great way to try some new skills.
Here are some of the blocks we have done.
These were my first real experience with paper piecing. It was fussy, but I have to say, a good way to get precise blocks!
This one was a huge 24 inch block.
With these blocks, I learned how to make flying geese blocks without creating any waste fabric. Love that!
These were fun improvisational blocks. No measuring, just sewing and squaring up as needed. I very rarely do this kind of thing, so it was both challenging in a good way and fun to play with it.
Whee! Windmill blocks! These 12 inch blocks were super easy. It was tempting to keep going.
These are this month’s blocks. It was fun to play with a couple of different methods of making a lot of half square triangles at once. I am not sure I love any of the methods I have tried yet because there is that trimming step that I always find annoying, but I do love how you can do all kinds of fun designs and shapes with HSTs.
I think I must have missed taking pictures of one or two months of blocks, but you get the idea. The group I am a part of is the Imagine Circle, which is a part of do. Good Stitches, a charity quilting group started by Rachel at Stitched in Color. All the quilts we make go to underprivileged kids through Threading Hope. I know it’s a small thing, making these quilt blocks, but I think it is not insignificant to give something handmade to child who has very little. We stitch our love and prayers and hopes into these quilts, and that, I think, makes these blocks very significant indeed.
Posted on February 28, 2013, in Quilting and tagged charity, do good stitches, quilt blocks. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Gorgeous! If your group ever has extras, please consider sending them to my charity (still a member, even from here!)- Central Maryland CAN TOO, see our website at centralmarylandcantoo.org. We provide only NEW items of clothing and linens to our member agencies, who then provide our donations free of charge to their clients.
Also, tried making cherry jam from dried cherries, first batch turned hard as a rock. Second batch didn’t really set up, but is delicious. The juice soaked into the scones, mmmm! I think it may also make a great topping for french toast.
I love the top blocks, the blue/grey/red ones that look like there is bunting going around. So striking! Great work!