Make-A-List Monday - Gearing Up For Summer!

Hi, all!

I hope you've had a wonderful holiday weekend!  Around here, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer - and it certainly seems to be that way at our house!  We're moving into a period of travel and vacations which means that sewing time will be reduced to some extent.  Bummer!  But it's always exciting to see new places and things - and you never know when you'll find a great new quilt shop!  

But there are still things that need to be done - and last week's list is no exception.  Let's see how it went!

1.  Write up the estimate for the t-shirt quilt.

Done - and I've also started deconstructing the t-shirts!

2.  Finish another quilt-y alphabet for a friend.

Done - I actually made two of these!

3.  Stay on top of the Hands2Help linky week (posting quilt pics, answering emails, general administrative stuff!)

Done!  I stayed on top of all that last week, but have more to do this week in wrapping it all up.

4.  Work on another scrappy quilt top.

Started!  I really love the way this one is coming together - I just wish I had more time to work on it!

5.  Prepare for another giveaway this coming Friday! 

(You won't want to miss this one!!)

Done!  If you haven't already entered, you should check it out by clicking here.  You could win a great product from the Classic Metal Company!  Entries are open until Wednesday 6/1/16

 at noon CST.

6.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

Fortunately, it was a slow week last week - only one quilt was requested, for a gentleman recently diagnosed with lymphoma...

So, all in all, I managed to keep on track last week.  Whew!  This week will be a very short week, because we are traveling to Virginia for my father-in-law's 85th birthday.  There's a whole lot of Hands2Help to wrap up, so there won't be much time for sewing.  Let's see what's on the list...

1.  Mail off all the Hands2Help prizes that I have to mail.

2.  Email all the donors and recipients of the other prizes.

3.  Clean my house so my dog sitter doesn't run away screaming!

4.  Lots and lots of Nana time with the kiddos so my daughter can meet some work deadlines before we go out of town.

5.  Spend any available sewing time working on the commission

 t-shirt quilt.

6.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

A very short list, but it will definitely keep me hopping until we leave!

And by the way, if you haven't already checked out the fabulous quilts made by the participants in Hands2Help this year, you can do so by clicking here.  We ended up with 104 participants, who made 194 quilts to go to three great charities.  Amazing work!!!

And now the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Hands2Help - The Big Finale!!

Hi, all!

Well, it's finally here - the end of the Hands2Help 2016 Charity Quilt Challenge!!!  This year has been amazing from start to finish - over 134 people began the Challenge, with 104 reaching the finish line.  Those 104 made 194 quilts for our three charities - Happy Chemo, Covered In Love, and the Yukon Women's Transition Home!  

You are all AMAZING!!!!!

I hope you realize how many lives you have impacted with your grace and generosity in making and donating these quilts.  People will be touched by them for years to come.  And you've made me speechless, and that's saying something!!!  So for lack of a better way to say it, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

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And now it's time for the fun part - the prizes!!!  Once again, thanks to so many wonderful people and companies, we have prizes for everyone who made a quilt for the Challenge....  So let's get started, shall we?

This year, InspiredLED donated TEN of their awesome sewing machine lighting kits!!  The winners are:  Julie Lambert, Sue Daurio, Kathleen Rountree, Kathy Decker, Sharon Tucker, Carolyn Bledsoe, Sue Brown, Staci Payne, Sheila Nichols, and Vicki Steffe.

Our friend Judi from Green Fairy Quilts has donating a $30 gift certificate for one lucky participant!  The winner is:  Veronika Burgess.

Craftsy is back again this year, donating five free classes!  The winners are:  Mary Schuberg, Liane Koehl, Julianne Keeler, Cindy Pieters, and Ursula Yeo.

Amy Smart, who blogs at Diary of a Quilter, has sent a great bundle of giveaway items.  Here are the items and winners:

The Fiona Quilt Block book - Kathy Parsons

Notions bundle - Sherry Vlcek

Fabric and thread bundle - Becky McNeely

3-pattern bundles - Jeanna Gorsuch, Sara Meidinger, Kristi Brockschmidt, Karen Green, and Joanna Perry

Jennifer Sampou pattern bundle - Jean Swenson

The folks over at Fat Quarter Shop are back again this year, offering three $25 gift certificates!  The winners are:  Eileen McLain, @quiltkisses, and Carol Egan.

Christina Cameli, from A Few Scraps, is donating a Craftsy class - her own Free Motion Quilting Essentials.  The winner is:  Liz Horgan

Kate Conklin is donating five sets of two of her wonderful quilt patterns, winner's choice!  The winners are:  Kathy Snider, Jan Ochterbeck, Joanne Harris, Denise Finucane, and Jannette Binder.

Fabricworm has come through with some of their beautiful Birch organic fabrics - four fat quarter bundles!  The winners are:  Cynthia Brunz, Joanne Hubbard, Cindy Burke, and Lara Buccella

Classic Metal Company has donated one of their amazing metal barn quilts!  The winner is:  Terri Johnson.

We have another new corporate sponsor this year - one I found on Instagram and just love!!  Stash Builder Box has donated one of their monthly quilting boxes full of fabric, patterns and fun.  The winner is:  Pat Evans

And thanks to Instagram, we have another first-time sponsor - 7 Acres Cleared Fabric Shop!  Jennifer donated a $25 gift certificate to her shop, and the winner is Julie Kennedy.

Missouri Star Quilt Company has donated several prizes this year!  

Missour Star goody bags - Valerie Reynolds, Danice Gentle, and Heide Dronchi

Mini Periwinkle Pattern & supplies - Ann Skelton

And our own Emily Bailey, who blogs over at Em's Scrap Bag and is the one who passes on the quilts made for Happy Chemo, has donated six sets of two of her own patterns in PDF format.  The winners are:  Irene Krall, Linda Miller, Beryl Redfield, Margaret Creek, Iris Fitzpatrick, and Sandra Walker.

And many of you not only give it forward with your quilts, but you also help encourage the people who participate in the Challenge by donating giveaway items!  (Quilters are THE BEST!!!)  So here's what your fellow participants have donated!

Sharon Vrooman, who blogs at Vroomans Quilts, donated these two beautiful jelly rolls!  The winner of the Cotton + Steel Berry jelly roll is Susan Reusser and the winner of the Dwellings Townhouse jelly roll is Sherry Wollard.

Lara Bucella, who blogs at BuzzinBumble, is donating a box of Clover WonderClips, and a copy of her upcoming book, Crafted Appliqué - New Possibilities!  The winner is Linda Swanekamp.

Terri Johnson, who blogs at QuiltNCards, donated a fat quarter bundle of beautiful fabrics!  The winner is:  Adele Dizney.

Sue Daurio, who blogs at Sue Daurio's Quilting Adventures, is donating long arm quilting services - up to a queen size edge-to-edge pattern or a custom crib size quilt.  The winner is:  Lisa England.

Maria Johnson, who blogs over at Beezus Complex, is also donating long arm quilting services - $65 worth, an all-over pattern or semi-custom free motion quilting. The winner is:  Sandi James.

Joanne Hubbard, who blogs at Everyone Deserves a Quilt, is donating something everyone needs at one time or another - a coloring book and markers!  The winner is:  Irene Vigil.

Kathleen Gansert, a/k/a KatieQ, who blogs at Katie's Salt Marsh Path, has donated an Aspen Frost layer cake by Basic Grey for Moda.  The winner is:  Paulette Horn.

Carol Steely, who blogs at Fun Threads Designs, is donating two sets of six patterns each, winner's choice, and you can choose your patterns anytime between the end of the challenge and June 2017. The winners are:  Anja Clyke and Marti Dyer-Allison.

Karen Green, who blogs over at K's Quilting Korner, is once again donating two of her wonderful "goody bags" full of fabulous quilty goodness!  The winners are:  Sue Baker and Sharon Vrooman.

Selina Kidney, who blogs at Selina Quilts, is putting some quilt-y goodness in an envelope for one lucky participant!  Look at this fabulous mini-cutting board and squaring up tools - awesome!!  The winner is:  Cathy Labath.

And thanks to the generosity of Annie Toy, well known for Annie's Ruby Slipperz, and some very careful shopping, we've got some neat items to give away...

This is a classroom clutch, or purse organizer - whichever way you choose to use it, it is very useful!  Two zippered compartments, lots of pockets, and a large central pocket, plus handles!  The winners are:  Meredith Adolf, Amanda Ranck, Bernie Kringel, Rebecca Townsend, and Mina Kennison.

And this folding LED light is great for putting light just where you need it!  Its small compact size makes it perfect for almost any task.  The winners are:  Janine Huisjen, Melissa Garcia, Maria Johnson, and Katy Sweigart.

These great books are headed to new homes!  The winners are:

Quilting for Peace - Julie Stocker and Anita Stevens

M'Liss Rae Hawley's Scrappy Quilts - Maria Slayman

Quilting Party! - Kathleen Gansert

Crossroads - Loris Mills

And fabric!  These fat quarter bundles are headed far and wide - the winners are:  Mona Roberts, Ida Fenack, Ellen Crosbie, Becki Seay, Susan Smith, Myra Barnes, Laurie Kobeszko, Louise Horner, Rhonda Lawton, Janis Altomare, Sherry Book, Robert Koehl, Jamie Elbert, and Shannon Wagstaff.

And Irene Vigil, who blogs at Hilachas, is donating two cookbooks she herself wrote - because we all need new, easy recipes that leave us more time for quilting!  The winners are:  Carla Henton and Connee Mercado.

Sheila Nichols, who blogs over at Sew Cook & Travel has donated a copy of Simply Charming Minis for one lucky person!  The winner is:  Susan McAdams.

We've also got some great fabric prizes from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.  Let's just call this person the Quilt Fairy!  Here's eight mini-bundles (1.75 yds each) of Moda Etchings by Three Sisters, and the winners are:  Pat Ferguson, Doris Miller, Charmaine Taylor, Susan Nixon, Selina Kidney, Barbara Hanaburgh, Joan DeSantis, and Susan Grancio.

Congratulations to you all!!!

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Such a great array of prizes from so many generous folks!  Be sure to show all our sponsors some love - they really come through when I contact them about the Hands2Help Challenge every year!!  

I'll be contacting you each by email in the coming week about your prize - watch for it!  But be patient - there's a lot of you, and I have a bunch of nana duties this week and a trip to Virginia for my father-in-law's 85th birthday next weekend.  I hope to have everything done and maybe even in the mail before I leave, but only time will tell!

Thank you once again for coming through in such a huge way this year - my heart is overflowing with gratitude for this quilting community I'm proud to say I'm part of!!

Time to get back to quilting!!  See you next year!!

Hugs!

Sarah

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? Barn Quilts Rock - and a GIVEAWAY!!

Hi, all!

Friday!  Don't you just love the sound of that?  The beginning of a long holiday weekend for many of us, the start of summer activities - so much to whoop about!  Are you ready to get your whoop whoop on?  Let's start!!

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Because of dealing with all the Hands2Help administrative work (FYI, this is the week when everyone links up the quilts they made for the Challenge - if you haven't already checked them out, click here to see all the gorgeous eye candy!) I don't have any personal finishes to share, but that's ok...because....

I'm going to add one more fun thing to your weekend - 

a giveaway!!! 

You may remember that when I was in Paducah, I met the gentleman who owns Classic Metal Company, which produces really cool metal barn quilts and a whole host of other products specifically designed for those of us of the quilt-y persuasion.  He donated a beautiful barn quilt for the Hands2Help Challenge then, and contacted me shortly after to ask if I'd like to do a giveaway of a new product on the blog.  

Hmmm... let's see..... great quilt-y product and a giveaway?  

Heck, yeah!!

First of all, let me tell you a little bit about Mark's company.  He and his wife Danira run this small family business, with the help of their border collie, Jack.  Apparently Jack is the motivational coach and cheerleader!  

Their barn quilts are cut out of 14 gauge steel, then "painted" with a powder coat process that gives them a hard, durable, long-lasting finish good for any climate.  Almost all of their products are made in the USA, too!  

I seriously love their barn quilts and related metal products.  I have a barn quilt hanging next to my front door, and one of the ruler holders on my worktable holding rulers and clipboards, and I just purchased one of the "A Quilter Lives Here" signs.  

But today I want to share a new product that Mark has come up - you're going to love it!  Take a few minutes to watch this video and you'll see what I mean.....

This is perfect for a nightlight or for a pretty decorative accent in your home - and what a great gift for a quilt-y friend!  Keep in mind Christmas parties, too - this would make a fun swap gift (note to self: order one!) You could wrap up your gift shopping right here!  

There's a great variety of different light panels for your LED base, too - Americana Star, Carpenter's Wheel, Feathered Star, Hunter's Star, Mariner's Compass, and Ohio Star blocks, and inspirational sayings too - "Home is Where The Quilt Is" and "Stitch Together Friendships".  And of course, "A Quilter Lives Here"!

And here's a reason to whoop it up today - 

I have one of these LED light bases and three light panels 

to give to one lucky reader!!

Here's how to enter - choose one way, or more for multiple entries!

1.  Hop over to Classic Metal Company's site, then come back here and comment about something you like! Be sure to leave your email address in your comment, also, so I can reach you if you win!

2.  Visit their Facebook page!  "Like" them if you want to stay up to date on all the new and cool items they have.  (Leave a comment here saying you visited the page for this to count.)

3. Be a follower of this blog!  New followers are always welcome! (Leave a comment letting me know you follow.)

4.  Link up for Whoop Whoop Friday below!  You don't have to have a finish, just something you're doing a happy dance about this week.  No comment necessary, I'll grab your entry from your link!

 Easy peasy, right?  The giveaway will remain open for entries until Wednesday, June 1st at noon.  I'll announce the winner next Friday, June 3rd in the Whoop Whoop Friday post - giving one person a great reason to whoop it up!

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And now it's time to share - 

What are you whooping it up about today?

What's got you dancing a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you!

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

This party will stay open until Wednesday, June 1st

at 11:59 am.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

I May Have a Scrap Problem... How I Spent My May!

Hi, all!

Hard to believe that May is drawing to a close - but it is!  Schools are letting out all over the country and kids are trying on summer for size.  But the end of May means a little bit more here - it's time to recap what happened with my scraps for the month.  

My goal for the month was to keep working on this tub of scraps - my blues.  Well, I'm telling you, this tub has got me singing the blues - because after this month, it still looks like this!

Not much difference - I think those scraps are doing something at night while I'm not looking, because there always seems to be more of them....

But I did make this pretty scrappy quilt this month, which used up a lot of 1.5" x 2.5" and 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, and some scrappy binding.  Everything in this quilt came from stash, so it's another finish for Sew My Stash 2016!

And I turned the remnants of a charm pack into a quilt-y alphabet for my grandkids to play with!  This was a fun and easy (although time-consuming) project that works very well with 5" squares.

I purchased a set of Busy Kids Learning Punch Out Alpha Letters from Joann's to use as templates for the letters.  I used the 4" size, which was perfect for tracing on the 5" squares.  (Remember to reverse the letters so they are correct when you cut them out!)  I treated the fabric using Lara Buccella's new appliqué technique, so the edges don't fray.  Then I cut them out, laid them on top of some batting remnant strips, put a 5" wide strip of leftover fabric on the back, and stitched about 1/8" away from the edges.  Then I cut them out and voila!  A tactile alphabet!  And I'm currently working on a couple more sets of these - so more scraps are going out the door!  Woohoo!!

I also took these two tubs - my box of 1.5" squares and the leftover 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles - and, inspired by seeing so many of these on Instagram lately, turned them into lozenge blocks.  I will keep working on this in June, and may mix them with another kind of block to make an interesting scrappy quilt!  Oh, the possibilities!

So that's my report for May!  I didn't get as much cleared out as I wanted to, but I did make a great quilt, and experimented with some different uses for those scraps.  The alphabets also use up batting scraps, which is almost as good as using up fabric scraps!

And I just keep remembering, in the words of my favorite movie heroine...

"After all, tomorrow is another day!"

And it's for sure those scraps will stick around for the sequel!

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Now it's your turn!  Have you been playing with scraps this month?  Link up below to show off what you've been doing and inspire the rest of us to use up our scrap monsters!  I've been seeing lots of new scrappy sewing on Instagram lately, so I know you guys are out there....

And be sure to come back next week, when you can link up your goals for the month of June.  I'm thinking hard about mine, because we will be traveling a good bit - I want to come up with something I can work on even while not in my studio!  So if you've got a creative idea that will solve that problem, I'd love to hear it...

Hugs!

Sarah