Hands2Help - The Big Reveal!!!

"What does love look like?

It has the hands to help others.

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.

It has eyes to see misery and want.

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.

That is what love looks like."

St. Augustine             .

Hi, all!

The time has finally arrived for the final linky party for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2015!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for each one of you, who have become the hands, feet, eyes and ears of love once again through the quilts you have made for others!  Your quilts will bless many, and hopefully you have found blessing in the making of them.  Many of you have told me that this is your first experience making charity quilts - I hope it won't be your last!  Thanks to each and every one of you for joining in the Challenge this year!

So let's get down to business.  Between now and next Saturday, June 6th at about noon, please link up your quilts below, either to a new blog post or an old one that shows your quilt.  If you don't have a blog, you can link up a picture you have posted in the Flickr group.  (If you post your pic in the Flickr group, be sure to put your name and which charity you made the quilt for in the description!)  If you are technologically challenged, feel free to email your picture to me at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com and I will post it in the Flickr group and link it up for you!

The best reason to link up your quilt is so that we can all see, admire, and be inspired by each one. But there's another reason, too - thanks to a lot of wonderful donors, we have great giveaway items!!  To participate in the giveaway, just link up your quilt or quilts.  Everything will be given away by random drawing from those who link up a finished quilt!

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Now, this is the spot where I would normally show you, once again, all the great giveaway items we have this year.  BUT - - - I just got back into town from being in NYC for a week, and there are some that I haven't taken pictures of yet!  So, I will refer you back to this post and this post for right now.  I'll write a new post later this week showing a full list of all the prizes that we'll have for all you wonderful H2H participants!

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So now - it's time to link up your finished (or very nearly so) quilts!  The link will remain open until Saturday, June 6th at noon CST. You can link up from your old or new blogpost, from a picture of your quilt posted in the Flickr group, or for the technologically challenged, you can email me a picture of your quilt at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com and I will post it in the Flickr group and link it up for you.  You can email me at that same address with any questions you might have, or if you still need the addresses for mailing your quilts.  (And if life has happened to you and you're having trouble finishing your quilt, please email me before next Saturday!)

Winners should be announced next Sunday, June 7th. But please bear with me, it may be late in the day - it's a big undertaking!

I'm so excited to see the wonderful quilts you have made - and I hope you're all just as excited to see the quilts the other participants have made! Please take the time to visit all the link-ups and give each other a big high-five - you've done amazing work!!!  

Ready - - - set - - - GO!!!

Hugs!

Sarah

PS - the pictures above are some of H2H 2014's quilts - aren't they wonderful?

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? A Little Shopping in NYC...

Hi, all!

It's Friday again, and time to get our whoop whoop on!!  This week, I haven't been home much to do any sewing, but I did find a fabulous new quilt shop that I want to introduce you to!!

Now, I don't think Manhattan is a hotbed of quilters - there are a lot of fabric stores, but most of them specialize in glitz, spandex and glitter.  On my first foray out into the Garment District, I came up dry, except for some new threads to try...

I got two spools of invisible thread and a spool of 20 weight white - I've been dying to try the larger thread on a quilt, and this looks like a good way to do it.  The invisible threads were $8 a spool, and the 20 weight was $5!  

But today I went in search of the only true quilt fabric shop I could find listed in Manhattan - The City Quilter!

Tucked away under one of the ever-present sidewalk protectors (there's always repair, restoration, or building going on in NYC) was this fun little shop!

Lots of gorgeous fabrics....

...awesome notions...

...gorgeous sample quilts....

...and NYC-oriented quilts!!

 But this quilt was definitely my favorite...

The focus fabric is scenes from all around NYC.

Lots of places I've been!

It was really hard to pass up the kit they sold for this quilt - and it may come home with me yet!  I think I'll check to see if my husband likes the quilt as much as I do...

But I didn't leave everything at the store...

I picked up a yard of NYC fabric, designed by The City Quilter exclusively for their shop.  Also a FQ bundle of the Kona Sunset collection (ooh, I love those colors!) and a sashiko sampler and threads. I've been seeing some sashiko pop up on my Instagram feed, and it looks like fun!

So that's my whoop whoop for the week - a fun new shop to explore and enjoy!  

If you're ever in Manhattan, you should check it out!

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And now it's your turn!

What are you whooping about this week?

What's got you dancing the happy dance?

Share - we want to dance right along with you!

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight -

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

Hands2Help - A Little Helpful Info!

Hi, all!

I have a little light "housekeeping" for the Hands2Help Challenge - info that might come in handy in the next week or two!  

First of all, if you are ready to mail your quilts off, please email me at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com and I will email the addresses to you.  I don't post them on the blog for privacy reasons, but will get back to you within 24 hours with the addresses!

Also, if you are planning to mail quilts to the Canadian charity, Because You Matter, Jean Kester of Layers of Hope, Quilting 911 (one of our other charities!) wrote a great post about her experience mailing to Canada and some words of advice.  You can see her post here.  I highly recommend checking it out before you go to the post office!

And finally, if anyone out there is interested in being a sponsor for the Challenge (yes, we would love to have more sponsors, even at this late date!) please email me at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com.  There are many ways to sponsor - tools, products, gift certificates, books. fabric, services, pretty hand-made things - and everything is appreciated!  Our wonderful quilters work so hard to provide quilts for those in need, and I love being able to give them a little something back for themselves as a thank you.  

Keep plugging away on those quilts - we're in the home stretch!!!

Hugs!

Sarah

Make-A-List Monday - The Lovely Blog Edition!

Hi, all!

It's Monday again, and the beginning of a different kind of week for me - I'm going to New York City!!  I'm really excited about wandering around the city, and exploring all the fabric shops in the Garment District!  

But before we move on to other things, let's see how last week's list went...

1.  Take pictures of and mail the baby quilt.

Done!  This turned out really cute, and it's on its way to my niece for her baby shower!

2.  Quilt the H2H quilt top.

Also done!  I love the look of this quilt...

3.  Work on the second gift quilt.

Done!  The blocks are finished and the sashings are cut.

4.  Work on the pattern for that quilt.

5.  Work on the pennant quilt tutorial.

6.  Continue the repair of the antique crazy-patch quilt.

7.  Cut more scraps!

And here's where my week fell apart - I ended up working on some other things!  I'll share them below...

8.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that arise.

Done!  We had a really busy week at the quilt ministry - and a lot of them for the very best reason - new babies!!!  But first let's check out the illness quilts...

This quilt went to a 15-year old boy who had a serious 4-wheeler accident...

This beautiful quilt went to a woman going through treatment for leukemia.  This whole top was donated to us, ready for quilting, and it is a beauty!

And this great little boy's quilt went to a 5-year old who had surgery for appendicitis and is having some complications.

And now for the babies!!

This one is for a new baby boy...

This one for a new baby girl...

These are for a set of twins, one girl, one boy...

And last but not least, another new baby girl!

It's been prolific week at our church!!  Lots of new faces!

And here's the other things I did last week that took my extra time...

A weighted blanket for Nathanael...

A child's quilt top for Hands2Help...

A lap quilt for Hands2Help...

And a business card holder!

So all in all, a productive week, if not exactly what I was originally planning to work on.  I'm happy!

And since I won't be in town this week to do much sewing, I'm going to use the rest of today's post for something special!  

Last week I received an email from Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon (don't you just love that name?) saying that she had nominated me for A Lovely Blog Award!  Needless to say, I was really touched that she would think of me and can't think of any better way to respond than by fulfilling the requirements and nominating some lovely blogs of my own!

The rules are simple - first, thank the person who nominated you. That's easy!  Sandra, thank you so much for thinking of my blog and nominating me.  I am honored and pleased to be in such good company!

Second is to tell you seven things about myself.  Not so easy, but here goes!

1.  I was born in a very southern state, North Carolina, but raised in Miami, Florida, probably the most northern place south of the Mason Dixon line!    Every summer when I'd go stay at my grandparents' home in NC, it would take a week before anyone there could understand what I was saying - they'd always tell me to "slow down and talk right"!

2.  When I was a kid, my dad taught me to fly small planes.  We always had a plane, sometimes the same one over and over - we owned the same Piper Cub three different times.  My dad always loved to repair them and get them back in the air.

3.  My grandmother taught me to sew when I was eight, and every summer I would make my school clothes for the next year.  But I didn't start quilting until about five years ago.

4.  Up until five years ago, I was a great starter, but a terrible finisher.  I would start projects that would then languish, unfinished, usually until I gave them away.  Needless to say, that has changed!

5.  Also up until five years ago, I didn't really like spending lots of time with women.  Then the quilt ministry got its "accidental start" (you can read more about that here) and it suddenly wasn't a problem any more!

6.  My husband and I were high school sweethearts.  This coming September we will have been together for 41 years!

7.  I love going to the movies!  About the only ones I don't enjoy are horror movies, but I'll take almost anything else!

And now I am supposed to nominate some more folks for A Lovely Blog award!  So many to choose from and truthfully, there's way more that I could choose!  But here are the ones for today...

Kate's Arty Bits Blog - I've been following her forever, and she's so sweet to send our quilt ministry donations occasionally, when her mom is visiting her in the UK!

Vrooman's Quilts - I've also been following Sharon's blog forever!  Or at least since I started blogging.  Sharon is a prolific scrap quilter, and sends us the most beautiful blocks!

I Dew Quilting - Diane is a local girl, so I've had the pleasure of meeting her and seeing her work in person.  She's also an amazing quilter and you must see her gorgeous quilts!!

Crayon Box Quilt Studio - Michele has a wonderful blog, full of lovely eye candy!  She hosts Stunning Stitching Sunday, showing the beautiful quilting she has spied across the internet.  She is also the adoptive mom of two adorable little kids, and has been a source of inspiration and help for our family as my daughter went through the adoption process for Nathanael.

Em's Scrap Bag - I've been following Emily's blog forever, and her pet cause, Happy Chemo, has been one of the Hands2Help charities for the past four years.  I love seeing what wonderful new quilts she has created!!

Love Laugh Quilt - Beth makes the most amazing quilts out of scraps, bits and bobs - you should definitely keep an eye on her blog for great inspiration!

The Way I Sew It - I think that P. and I are really sisters separated at birth - we are both tall, love bright colors and wild prints, and have delightful senses of humor!  P.'s blog is always interesting, frequently funny, and she makes beautiful quilts.  Additionally, she's the reason I watch Downton Abbey!

I hope you'll go check out these blogs - they are some of my favorites but certainly not all.  My life has been so enriched by all the friends I've made blogging - people I may never meet in person, but hope to some day.  And if you're ever in my neck of the woods, I hope you'll let me know so we can get together!!

I'll be back next Monday with a report on the fabric stores in New York City - who knows what I'll come back with!  

Hugs!

Sarah

Hands2Help - Meet our "Clean-Up" Guest Blogger, Kate!!

Hi, all!

Wow! Can you believe that it's already Memorial Day weekend?  And that means that the end of the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2015 is just around the corner!  I know that lots of you have already sent your quilts to the different charities - you are amazing!  And I know that there are still many quilts out there in various stages of near completion - including mine.  So let's tune in to Kate, our guest blogger today, and get inspired to go finish those quilts!!

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Hi, I'm Kate................and I'm a College Professor...........

So I blog as 'Kate the Quilting Professor".....

Here is a photo of the TWO quilts I promised for Emily at Happy Chemo...

But when I went to pack them up - the only box I could find was a bit TOO BIG.............

so ???  I had to make TWO MORE  to fill the space in the box !! ha ha

The other guest bloggers have been great, haven't they? 

Well, I get to be last - like a "clean-up hitter" in baseball - the one that makes a big hit, so all the runners who are on base can run home to win the game for the team .....

SO -

Have you finished your H2H quilts ???  YOU HIT A HOME RUN

Are you ALMOST finished with  your H2H quilts ????  YOU'RE ON THIRD BASE

Halfway ???  YOU ARE ON SECOND BASE

Just starting?? that's ok -YOU'RE ALREADY ON FIRST BASE

So I need to hit a HOME RUN to bring you all home............... let's try a little inspiration, and get some help from some friends...

Be inspired by this fenceful of charity quilts.............made by some friends of mine, and ready to go to our favorite charity.

Be inspired by this beautiful little girl, wrapped in a charity quilt like those above.

She lives in a third-world country, and has just had facial surgery to repair a cleft palette or other facial disfigurement - the surgeons are sponsored by Rotary International.   Children wait years for a chance to have this surgery, which often means the difference between being viewed as an outcast, perhaps being a beggar............. or a chance to have a full life. When she came out of surgery, she was wrapped in this gorgeous quilt, donated by the Sunshine Online Quilt Guild, in cooperation with a great lady named Terri who runs an organization called "Wrap A Smile"  - and we do just that !    The quilt will make her feel warm, safe, and loved............. how cool that a few squares of fabric, some thread, and some batting can make such a positive difference!



That's what it's about, isn't it ?  Making a Difference. 

The world of QUILTING and QUILTERS is a many-faceted place.  Sometimes it's about competition and ribbons - sometimes it's about swaps and round robins.  Sometimes it's about fancy machines and enormous stashes of fabric.

But ..... sometimes.......... it's about Making a DIFFERENCE.   THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR HELPING US MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 

WAY TO GO, EVERYBODY.......FINISH UP THOSE QUILTS AND SEND THEM OFF TO DO THEIR WORK !! 

Kate

ps, I can't resist showing you a picture of my small quilt that just came home from the show circuit.... stop by my blog if you'd like to learn more !  quiltingprofessor.blogspot.com

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Thanks so much, Kate, for your fabulously inspiring guest post!  And thanks for sharing the picture of your small quilt - it's always been one of my favorites.

And now it's crunch time, folks!  Next week begins the final linky party for Hands2Help 2015.  Anytime between next Sunday, May 31st, and the following Saturday, June 6th at noon, you can link up pictures of your finished quilts.  I'll draw winners for all the great giveaway items from the people who link up during that time.  It's also where we'll get the final count of quilts donated this year, so please be sure to link up!!  If you don't have a blog or have a problem linking up, email me your (low resolution) pics and I will be sure they get linked up.

And if life happens, and you run into a problem getting your quilt(s) finished, please email me and we'll try to work something out. I really don't want anyone to miss out because of something unexpected!

Have a great and productive week!

Hugs!

Sarah