Tulips for Rainbow Hospice!

I completed 30 Tulip Blocks at Quilts by Barb's Quilt Retreat.  I have more to make, as you can see. The retreat project this year, was Log Cabin Quilts, but you can select a project of your own.  I chose to work on this year's donation quilt for the Fireside's fundraiser for Rainbow Hospice.

Every year, my Mom buys the fabric and we make the quilt, usually together. This year, I started the quilt blocks at Barb's Quilt Retreat. I have attended the retreat every year for the past 12 years.  I signed up for next year, too!

We originally selected a blue background and only dark solids, but I changed my mind and went with a black background and added light solids.

It looks like a rainbow!

So pleased with the fabrics we selected for our Tulip Quilt.  The quilt pattern is in the book - Jelly Roll Quilts.  I did not use jelly rolls. I cut strips from my fabric 2 1/2 inches wide for the pieces.

At a quilt retreat, you need to take a break and eat a few snacks to energize yourself, so you can sew and sew and sew and then eat again!

I love all the colors with the black background.  Really makes them pop!

One of my friends said she had never taken a "Selfie" so we tried to take an "Us - sie" together! 

If you don't know what I look like .... I am the one on the left and up front holding the camera with the funny smile!

Another wonderful quilt retreat hosted by Quilts by Barb. 

I was inspired by one of my customer's quilts and that is why I selected this pattern.  Click here to see her Tulip Quilt.

Enjoy your day!

Marcia

Take a Look Back --- A Signature Quilt for Kathy

This is another post in a series of posts titled: "Take a Look Back".  

I am sharing photos of quilted projects from over the past 10 years that I have not shared before, as a part of the celebration of 10 years in the long arm quilting business. I plan to quilt another 10 more years at least!

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Several years ago, I made a Signature Quilt for Kathy. Kathy was battling cancer for the second time.

Joanne and Kathy and Marcia

I sent the individual blocks to Kathy's daughter and husband. They gathered signatures and messages. 

They returned them and I assembled the quilt, quilted it, and did the binding on the quilt. 

We surprised Kathy with her Signature "COMFORT" Quilt!

Here are several photos of Kathy's Signature Comfort Quilt.

This was the email Kathy sent to friends and family...

This gorgeous quilt was given to me this evening by Marcia and Joanne. I will treasure each and every one of the comforting messages on each square of the quilt!! When I need some warmth or just a comforting word or two, I will crawl under my "comfort quilt" signed by my wonderful family and friends and I will feel safe and loved.

I love you all,

Kathy

I also made a Quilted Tote Bag for Kathy. 

She carries her Signature Comfort Quilt in the bag, when she goes to her Chemo Treatments. She can also pack it with magazines and stuff to keep her busy while she has her Chemo Treatments. 

I free style quilted it with the Humanity Words as part of the quilting. Some of the words: Hope, Joy, Honesty, Loyalty, and including the words Best Friends! Names could be quilted on the bag too! That would make it more personal.

This post really makes me smile, when I think of the joy that the Signature quilt brought Kathy.  It gave her strength and comfort from all her loved ones. She is still battling cancer.

Taking a look back!

Marcia

Getting Up Close with My Quilting - Hearts From All Over the World to Create One Donation Quilt!

 Tonya from Hillbilly Handiworks organized a "Learn-A-Long" on paper piecing.  She shared a wonderful photo tutorial using my paper pieced Crazee Patch Heart. And a link to the Heart Pattern. 

These were the hearts that I sent to Tonya for the Heart Quilt.

 Several of you made Hearts and sent them to Tonya from all over the world.

She then assembled all the Hearts into a quilt and I volunteered to quilt and bind it.

 I decided to quilt it with a simple large meandering with hearts.

 I could have quilted around each heart and added wavy or wiggle lines in the borders, but it didn't need all that.

Sometimes that is all a quilt needs - just a basic large meandering with a few hearts.

I stitched the binding on with an all machine embroidery binding.  I think it gives the quilt a really nice finish!

I carefully trimmed all the loose threads, folded it up and got it ready to mail to the recipient.

I thought about rolling it up to put it in the box.  Either way will be just fine!

Tonya will share some pictures of the recipient and the quilt sometime soon. Thanks to all you who made a Crazee Patch Heart Block for the donation quilt.
We are talking about doing more donation quilts as a group from bloggers again... I'll volunteer to quilt them ... we will need volunteers to suggest a block and do a tutorial. Then we need to make the blocks and then send them to a volunteer to put the top together and mail it to me to quilt it. Then we would have to decide how to choose a recipient. Still thinking about how to organize it... any ideas?  I think we could at least make 4 group quilts a year!  What do you think?  Would you volunteer?  Any ideas? Still thinking?...


Enjoy your day!
Marcia

"Quilts for a Cause" are quilts that you create from your heart...

My Mom and I made this quilt and donated it to The Fireside for one of their fundraisers for Rainbow Hospice. The Fireside raffled this quilt to raise money for the Family Room at Rainbow Hospice in Johnsons Creek, Wisconsin.  It has been on display at the Fireside in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.  The drawing was yesterday and the winner is Susan Kramer of Helenville, Wisconsin.  

Through the quilt raffle sales, they raised $2,904. The Fireside will donate the money to Rainbow Hospice for the kitchen and snack bar within the family rest and relaxation area. 

Every year, since 1997, Mom and I together create a donation quilt in memory of my Dad, Dan Nordeen.  We have since added in memory of Blanche Anderson, my sister-in-law's Mother.

The pattern we used is a courthouse round block.  Mom and I chose blues and greens for the colors.  Of course we both love blues. Last fall, Mom pressed and starched all the fabrics and I rotary cut all the strips.  Then Mom picked out each color for each round of the block.  She put them on a paper towel and placed them in a pizza box.  I sewed only 3 blocks at a time, so I didn't get any of the strips mixed up!

 We chose a stripped fabric for the lattice.

I quilted with free style Overall Swirls.  It softens the sharp straight lines of the blocks.  I finished the quilt with an all machine embroidery stitched binding.

We have already chose our colors for the next quilt and we will start pressing and cutting the fabric later this fall. Mom will plan out the blocks.  I will do the sewing this winter, so I can quilt it by March or April.


Some day soon, (maybe next week), I will post about all the quilts my Mom and I have made together over the years for "Quilts for a Cause".  I am still searching some old albums for old photos to scan into the computer.  I am adding them to the photo gallery as I find them.


There are a couple of the "Quilts for a Cause" currently on my blog and website:
Relay for Life Quilt 2009
Passage Quilt for Rainbow Hospice
Comfort Pillows for Rainbow Hospice
A Signature Quilt for Kathy
Hearts from all over the World Quilt


"Quilts for a Cause" are quilts that you create from your heart...

I entered photos of this quilt in a Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side Oct. 28, 2011

Enjoy your day!

Marcia

Linked with:
Favourite Things Friday-Oct. 28, 2011