San Marco BOM

Happy Monday Quilters!!!   If any of you know Lynn Schmitt from a different box of crayons, then you know she does the most fabulous BOMs every year.  They are saturated with color, with texture with all sorts of materials from quilting cotton, to silks to home dec fabrics.  And this is Kim Rogers version of San Marco.  If you know Kim, you know there's going to be a beachy vibe and this one did not dissappoint. She changed up the center medallion, the bird and the border and made this her own.  Wow, the silks shimmer and shine don't they?  Ok so lets see if we can talk about the quilting of this beast a little.

San Marco BOM from A Different Box of Crayons

I'm not gonna lie, it was tough!!  Usually you have a theme that you can pull through a quilt so that once you get the first block or two done, then it's a breeze and just execution.  With this quilt there were multiple areas that needed design  which was different from other areas so it felt a little like design, quilt, design, quilt, repeat.  So here's how I tackled it.

First it's a custom job so I loaded sideways.   There is is some extra stuffing in the buds (can you say puffy sleeves) and I don't float quilts that are larger than a baby quilt, so the buds and the vines went first.   The first border with the black and white sqaure in square block was easy. They are very graphic simple design but the quilting won't so up  well so just a continous curve along the outside and the middles did the trick.  Of course we need feathers, it's a bird quilt after all!  so simple feathers in the colored triangle. So far so good!

Next we move to the vine areas.  We have the paper pieced triangles which only get continous curve and straightlines in the background easy peasy yet very effective.  The background of the vines I always new was going to be a feathery, leafy swirly background fill.  The buds, well nothing needed there!  The quilting on the leaves I talked about last week.  The leaves on the vine were a unique shape, I didn't have any rulers for those curves so I just marked the vein free hand, making sure they were all similar and I think they look nice, leafy just like they should be! Then the last of the easy things...the dark blue border which I really wanted to enhance the frame and have that linear break from  free flowing vines.   Three lines 1/8 inch apart, then 1/2 space did the trick.  And then things start to get a little tougher...more design elements, more quilting designs needed. 

And then things start to get a little tougher...more design elements, more quilting designs needed.  I started with the Medallion.  I really get a 3D vibe when I see the medallion.  I wanted the quilting to bring out some of that as well.  I chose lines 1/4 in  then 1/2 in at the same angle as the seam.  The thread just sank into that wool!! I didn't want too much quilting on any of the silks so they didn't loose that shine.  

Then we go on to the blocks surrounding the medallion.   I wanted those quilted densely to help with the 3D illusion of the medallion.  I just carried through the background fill from the vines but also leaving a few of the silk triangle unquilted.  They just shimmer in the light!!  On the blue postage stamp areas (and the rust in the next set of blocks,) I filled the blocks that weren't silk with match stick quilting and left the silk unquilted.  That rust color silk, it just looks like copper on that quilt doesn't it?

Next we have the last set of colored blocks.  These I thought were a bit easier to design, it just needed the arrows and  a little fill for texture.  I kept the same arrows in both the gold and the rust color blocks.  In the setting triangles, just keeping it simple with a little crosshatch and some feathers, similar to the colored triangles on the first border.  Pulling the designs through.  

The hardest part for me to stitch was the bird!!!  This is a beautifully collaged peacock with a layer of tulle over it to keep the pieces all in place (Susan Carlson has some great tutorials and suggestions on this).  But I dunno about you, but I can't remember the last time I've done a custom quilts and not taken out stitches.  Not only that but you can't take stitches out of tulle, seam rippers and tulle are not the best of friends! You have to do that from the back and I had no idea how that would work or what would happen.  So, I just knew that whatever stitches went in were staying and there were no redos.  I wanted less quilting on the bird as he is a similar color to the border, so I wanted, puffy and cruve to differentiate between the linear and dense.  This is what we got.  It took a lot of staring before those first stitches were sewn!

I love Kim's embroidery on the Peacock

The final border was more of the same, a vine with the same leafy, feathery feel from the vines.  I do wish I would have made the fine 1/2 in thick rather than a single thread.   But by the time I go to that I just wanted to be done!!  I added a small bud in the corner, but no puffy sleeves!!  

I used mostly 60wt glide thread.  I did switch to a smoke colored invisible thread for the bird. Two layers of batting, Quilters Dream Blend with Wool on top.  It's very difficult to see the thin thread on the home dec and wool fabrics.  I think I may go with a 40 wt thread when I do mine.  Yep I have one too, mine is a little different from Kims. We both made ours our own.    I can't wait for the next one!

I'd love to hear about your quilting adventures how you decide to do certain things.  Leave  your name and a link to your post and I'll be sure to check it out.

Take a look at  linky parties on the side bar, so much inspiration out there. 

Grand Finale - 2019 Hands to Help

The quilting Gods were with us on Sunday. We were able to hang all 22 quilts in the backyard.  What a sight!  I love seeing them all hanging. My heart is so full. The love the care that went into making these quilts is amazing. I've seen two caregiver quilts delivered and the reaction from the caregivers touched my heart and will be an experience I will never forget. Such deserving souls need a little bit of self care. We have 10 caregiver quilts, 5 quilts for Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo, 5 quilts for Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project, 2 for project linus. Thank you all so very much for participating, thanks for fun days sewing like crazy, and spreading some quilty love throughout the world. The world is always a better place when you wrap up in a quilt! 

Half of the quilts

Quilts one and four are for caregivers

the first and fourth are caregiver quilts

the first and fourth are caregiver quilts (I swear it wasn't planned that way)

The second and fourth are caregiver quilts.  Just switching it up a little!

The middle quilt was made by a caregiver

There are 2 more caregiver quilts to be chosen and then I'll split the remaining quilts between Quilty Hugs - Happy Chemo and Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project.  I'll be posting the stories of the caregivers over the next few week.  One of our new members had a great experience with Project Linus so the two baby quilts will be donated to the local Project Linus chapter

That was a record breaking year, 22 quilts for 4 different causes. LOL and you still can see a dent in my stash and I still have a huge bag of strings!!

Don't for get to check out all the linky parties on the side bar, so much inspiration out there!

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!!

Rhapsody in Blue - Reveal

Oh boy will you look at this?   Country Quilters of McHenry Quilt guild have been working on this quilt for some time.   Fabrics selected and cut, little block kits made, and came back then trimming, rows and finally a flimsy.  Then guess what happened, that's right I got to quilt this sweet thing!  And quilt I did.  They let me do what I wanted, the only restriction was not too modern.  Ok, but when you leave me unsupervised with a quilt, this is what's gonna happen, some thread is going down!  I had  a lot of fun with this.   There's two layers of batting, Hobbs 80/20 and Hobbs wool, glide thread on top, Ivory and two different shades of blue.  The back is a scrumptious cotton Sateen.  Lots of ruler work, lots of free motion feathers and even a little computerized quilting.  The center of all the stars has computerized motif.  It's the same motif on the center medallion star, just a bit bigger.  I gotta say I was  a bit nervous doing the quilting for the raffle quilt. The guild didn't have a quilt show and this is the main income source for the year.  But I think it turned out great.  

Now this beauty can be yours raffle tickets will be available very soon, they're getting printed now.  We'll have a few ways to purchase the tickets.  If you're going to the Chicago Quilt Festival in Mar, we will be selling tickets on  Mar 28 and Mar 30.  I'll be there on Mar 28 the morning selling tickets and the afternoon white gloving. I'd love to meet you, stop by and say hi!  They will also be available on Facebook for sale soon.  And of course you contact me directly.  I'll have all the details on the cost of the tickets and the date of the drawing very soon.   You can bet I'll be buying a few, I would love to have this hanging in my entry way!!  

Oh almost forgot the pattern is called Monterrey Medallion.

One other thing I want to share. It's that time of year again, Sarah has the Hand 2 Help Comfort Quilt challenge ready to go for 2019  Stop by and take a peak, I'm sure you're going to want to join in the fun.  See the link in the sidebar

I have a group of us who have been getting together for this for years now, we all look forward to this time of year.  We make quilts for H2H and for local needs. This year we're going to do it a little differently. We're going to make quilts for H2H and for the care givers this year.   

It must be difficult at times to be a caregiver for people who are the sickest, families are distraught and they must keep their chin up and be the bright light that these families may not have otherwise. So I'd like to give them a quilty hug as they need to self care and the job can be hard and emotionally taxing. If you know of an excellent care giver that could use a quilt to wrap in and let the world slip away for just a few minutes so they can care for our loved ones, send me a private message. The group of us will collect them all and determine at the end of the session. So come on and join us! Let me know if your in. We'll have our first get together in Mar, dates to come shortly, need to pick patterns and fabric and get some quilt kits cut and ready to go!