Final Sew Day for Hands to Help and Care Givers (Helping Hands) 2019

Wow!!!  This, my friends is love. These people spent many weekends making not 20 but 21 quilts! We have 10 for hands 2 help, 10 for caregivers/helping hands (I’ll be sharing their stories over the next two weeks) and one was made for a friend to give to her friend who has cancer. My heart is full. Here are 13 quilts -from top to bottom- Jodi, Liane, Laurie, Veronika, Suzan,Dorothy, Robert, Abby and me. Kim has one out for binding,Kathleen has two being quilted, one for binding and one she made, Greg N Annette donated 2, and Cari has one for binding, Tom for keeping us nourished. AND.....we finished Abby’s improv string quilt today! Simply amazing. Thank you all for the time, the effort, the laughs and the greatest quilt drive yet! We’ll have the full quilt show in two weeks!

It  was wet and rainy out, had to get a group shot in side, I think we did fairly well

The final week of sewing and the machines were humming.  I just expected to finish the two tops that needed to be complete.  Our wild blue, green, orange and yellow strings 

This one is targeted for a care giver

Betty's Majestic Mountains are together

For Betty's friend, - I love how this one came out

And there was a surprise top!  We had the two above completed before lunch.  We still have piles of strings all over.  Abbey had one block completed from last week.  We (well me)  really wanted the blocks on point.  She had an example of one that looked great and before you know it, they had all the blocks ready to go!!!  No pattern, just pure creativity being let loose, love how this one turned out.  And a few more strings were used in the process!

Abby's Improv

Another two quilts quilted since last time

Baptist Fan on Flannel, so cuddly

Hobbs Poly Down, light and fluffy

Issac really likes this one! 

Curly Feathers by Jessica Schick

Hobbs 80/20 Batting

I love this color pink with this color green!

You can see the other quilts in this post  and I'll post pictures of all completed quilts in two weeks when we have our quilt show.  If you're in the Crystal Lake, IL area on June 9 stop by!! We'll have 21 quilts hanging in the backyard and all the team members there.  I'll also have the Rapsody in Blue Raffle quilt there is f you want to see it in person and purchase a ticket or two, we have a few left! Stop by and let these folks know what a great job they did, you can see their work up close and in person!!

Final Tally
Quilts waiting to be quilted -3 
Quilt Completed - 18

Quilts for Quilty Hugs 5
Quilts for Carolina Hurrican Project - 5
Quilts for Helping Hands - 10
Quilts for a team members friend who has cancer - 1

GRAND TOTAL - 21!!!!!! 

A record breaking year!!

Dance of the Dragonflies and Snowman A to ZZZ

Will you look at Ann's beautiful quilt????  This just glows from the center out.  The fabrics are incredible and so vibrant. The last border is dragonfly wings that are laced with gold, ya just gotta see it in person!!

Dance of the Butterflies

I had a lot of fun with this one, lots and lots of free motion quilting.  I wanted to push the background back so there is some really dense quilting, some fluffy leafy feathers and lots of pebbles.  Note to self - next time use a slightly different color thread.  I used 60 wt Bottom Line thread for the back ground and it matched pretty well. There were a couple of time I had to get some side lighting so I could see what was quilted and what wasn't!  Some gold metallic thread would have looked incredible right?  I'm just not that brave. The dragonflies were just outlined so they look a bit trapunto-ish, like they are hovering over the quilt. Two layers of batting helped with that look, 80/20 on the bottom and wool on top

60 wt bottom line thread in the background

two layers of batting to give extra fluff in the wings - Hobbs 80/20 and Hobbs Wool

The last border I wanted something dragonfly wing-ish to match the fabric and I think I got it!! I used the Circle 2 rulers (seriously love these rulers) for the orange peel and then filled with a braid like pattern trying to get the feel of  the wings, add the echo on the outside and the fans and looks like those wings are fluttering.  That was the only ruler work on this one.  What a fun quilt!

Little bit of ruler wok on the last border - what fun!!

Then I went from summer fun to winter wonderland with Sandra's snowman quilt.  Oh my, will you look at that embroidery???  wow!!  I used an 80 wt thread, wonderfil deco bob, on this, I didn't want anything to compete with her beautiful handwork.  She likes a little less quilting so I just outlined the embroidery like applique and did some over all snowflakes.  Added a computerized edge to edge on the snow flake border and called it done!   Sandra always amazes me with her embroidery! Batting is hobbs 80/20, just enough snowman puff.

Snowman A to ZZZ by Crabapple Hill Studio 

Hobbs 80/20 Batting

80 wt Wonderfil Deco Bob thread top and bottom

Hope you have a great quilty week, don't forget to stop by the linky parties for some wonderful inspiration!!

Hands 2 Help 2019 May 5 sync up - you're gonna be amazed!

One of my favorites - this is going to one of our care givers.

Is it May already?  Oh my where does time go?  I'm happy to say that we have a number of new members.  Bob, Liane, Laurie, Dorothy, and Veronika - all have been hanging around for years and I love them all so much.  We have some new helpers in the sweatshop this year, Abby, Sue, Jodi, and Kim have been with us and it's been amazing.   Kathleen is helping with quilting and binding and Cari has helped to bind a quilt as well.  Annette also donated 2 quilts to the cause. That is what love is, giving of your time to share good will, compassion and love to those who needed it.  So.....here we are syncing up - are you ready to be amazed, cuz I sure am!!  Here's a look at the finished quilts.  Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, you might need a snack, we've got stuff to share.....so let's get started

fabrics that have been used from many quilts for Hands2 Help over the last 7 years

Simple quilt with graphic edge to edge quilting gives it a bit of a different looks - modern moon

Big Block Quilts were my thing this year

graphic edge to edge can really makes a difference-mesmerize

Bonnie Hunters Good Fortune - this will go to a care giver

edge to edge quilting, flower fans seemed appropriate

One of my favorites, front and back this is one of the brightest quilts ever! Jodi has her mark all over this quilt

simple edge to edge capri feathers 

Leftover blocks from H2H 5 or 6 years ago, Jodi knew just what to do with them!!  She definitely taught me a thing or two about using prints, love it!

edge to edge - tried to find a pattern that complimented the large print - far east leaf I was pleased!

Beau Jangles edge to edge  

Isaac approved!

Abby quilted this, her first time at a long arm, amazing free motion, she's a natural!

Annette donated two quilts .  She had a queen size quilt that she really didn't like so she split it in two and practiced some custom quilting on these!

 Wow!!! that's a lot of finishes and we're not done yet! 10 tick marks in the finish column!

We also have a pile of quilts that are waiting to be quilted

Using up some of those left over strings, Sue mad this I love the colors together. She had some blocks that didn't work the way she wanted in her quilt so decided to use them with the strings, fabulous!!

Bright and cheery!

Kim put the Spools big block quilt together, Love it!!

This may be my favorite big block quilt, wait have I said that already?

A little more calming with blues greens and reduced color range

Kim made this soft flannel quilt, we just need to flip that top row and it's ready to quilt

Butterscotch - this was pieced many many years ago, it's finally going to be finished

I really want to custom quilt this one, but we'll see if time allows

phew - that's 8 quilts waiting to be quilted.  I've used up all my batting scraps on these as well.  I love the king rolls as I can use two scrap pieces for one quilt.  For just about every 4 quilts I make, I get a scrap batting for a comfort quilt, love it!!!  That gives us 8 tick marks in the waiting to be quilted column.

Here's the quilts that are in progress.

still debating the layout of these strings - there's so many more, they just won't stop

Betty's blocks - still working on getting those together.

Kathleen has one that she is making that puts 3 tic marks in the in progress row.   There's still one more session before the big party / quilt show on June 9, I wouldn't be surprised if these crazy people came up with a couple more!!

Summary - are you ready for this? did you make it this far? If you did please hold on as I have a request after the summary

• Finished -                   10
• Waiting to be quilted - 8
• in progress -                 3

• Grand total            21!!!!   

A record breaking year - congrats to all the team members who  gave time and creative energy to the process!  My heart is so completely full. 

I do have a request.  I need more caregivers.  With this record breaking year of quilts we have many more quilts to give to than we originally thought.  I will ship quilts I don't have a problem with that.   I'm looking for those that go the extra mile and honestly can't help but care for others. These people are special they are all around us, nurses, doctors, teachers, neighbors, volunteers, psychologist, managers, house wives, house husbands, brothers, sisters, they are everywhere.  These people feel, they have high levels of empathy and they are concerned about the well being of others, whether they know you or  not.  When they see someone who needs something, they feel as well and do everythng they can to comfort and care for those who have a need.  Because they feel so much and they give so much for others, they need a little self care. That's what these quilts are for.  If you know of anyone that fits the bill and goes the extra mile to make sure that someone is cared for, send me note.  Do you have a neighbor watching out for a loved one?  A Dr or nurse that goes the extra mile?   A Day care provider, one of our submissions was for a woman who but her retirement on hold for three years to care for two precious brothers of a child she watched for years.  Please, let's recognize those people just this time.  Have you ever been given a quilt?  I was given one for the first time fairly recently and I have to say it is the best feeling ever.  So lets give that feeling to someone who really cares. Thanks!!

Now that was a posted wasn't it!  My goodness. I'll be sharing this at all the linky parties on the sidebar so please stop by all the parties and go get inspired!!