Hugs for Rebecca {Group Quilt}

A dear quilting friend of mine lost her husband this Spring.  She is young.  She has three small children.  It seems unthinkable.

So a plan was hatched.  A secret one. 
You see, we all met online.  It seems what quilters do nowadays because there isn't a whole ton of quilters living on our own blocks.   We met in a crafty/sewing group and basically started bonding over quilts.  It led to a small Facebook group.  It is wonderful.  We bounce ideas, we help each other when we reach difficult parts of our projects. We post those silly e-cards with jokes about stashes and our poor family and friends who have to deal with our obsession.

When we found out about Rebecca's loss?
  We, of course, did what only quilters would do. 
We planned a quilt!

The block was chosen.  Color Pallettes "oohh and ahhhh"-ed over. 
Volunteers spoke up for parts.  Binding. Piecing.  Quilting.

The Friendship Hexagon Block by Don't Call Me Betsy was chosen.   Not too complicated for the beginners, not too boring for the veterans.

Blocks were sent to  Lindsey at Happier than a Bird to be pieced.

I adored how I saw different fabrics I recognized from my fellow quilters' stashes!

Binding was chosen and prepped by Sandra.

I love how it just blended at the edge of the quilt.  All focus on the blocks!!!!

The pieced top was sent to me for quilting.

 Pantograph before washing. Quirky is the pattern!

Backing was also chosen and pieced by Lindsey at Happier than a Bird

Secret Garden by Micheal Miller

Signature Blocks were sent in and I love how the two extra blocks were placed!

One of the quilters linked me to Amy at Badskirt's card for her group quilt.

I just tweaked it to fit our group and wanted the double hearts as if they were hugging!

24 Quilters!!  Amazing group of ladies!!!!

Quilt Stats:
Dimensions: 72" x 84"
Fabrics:  Scraps and stash from the BBC quilting ladies
Pieced by: Lindsey at Happier than a Bird
Quilted by: Me on a longarm with Quirky Pantograph

I truly hope this quilt brings her comfort.  We are all aware that quilts can't fix the hurt, but maybe they can bring a little warmth to her when she is feeling blue.

  Because it is ONE GIANT hug from us all!

WIP: Oy Vey

I was about to post that I didn't do much since last week's WIP post, until I did a rundown on Instagram. Oy vey...I've been busy.

Pattern Testing

I finished my quilt top for Bree at Distant Pickles.  I started it just a little over a week ago.

I seriously can't wait for her to release this pattern so I can share this quilt!
  Off to buy backing material this week!

Stars and Stripes

I pulled out my hexagons on Memorial Day.

I have machine appliqued the hexagon rows to the stripes and pieced the stripes for the upper portion of the flag.  Still have to do the much longer rows next!

Group Quilt Block

A special top secret group block.  The kind of quilt that will be awesome.  

Don't worry, you will see more of it because I get to quilt it!

Friendship Hexagon block tutorial by Don't Call Me Betsy!

End of the Year Teacher Gifts.

I started these last year, but I finally finished three for the preschool teachers by last Thursday! 

Not a finish though...still have eight or so to go for the middle schoolers.  And I can't take credit for the little Mug Rug saying. A Facebook friend designed them and was sweet enough to share them!

Hex on the Beach

I ran out of hexagon templates.

  I am at 357/1008 hexagons!

This was taken at 196 this week.

 Loooong way to go.  And it's definitely official.  I hate glue.

Mini Vac Attachment Bag

I love my mini vac attachments to clean my sewing machines so much, that I had to make a drawstring bag for them!

My First Pattern??

In January, I designed a quilt for Button.  I have finally decided to get working on the quilt and the pattern this month.

I have crib, lap, twin and queen sizes worked out.
The king is alluding me a bit because I didn't realize they were wider than they are longer?

Second Client Quilt

I was waiting on my latest pantograph order!

Can't wait to use the larger scale Maple Syrup.
 The one I did awhile back was too small for the quilt I'm about to do!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

The voting has begun.

 I have two quilts over there.  Tumbleweed in Home Machine quilting at #2.  and Imagination for Group Quilt at #1.  If your bored and want to vote for someone, I won't stop you!  My secret confession? I didn't vote for any of mine!  Shhhhh....


Now I just need to figure out how to catch up on all the sweet comments and also my blog reading. Something always has to give, doesn't it?