What's Cookin' At The Sweatshop?

Hi, all!

It has been another quiet week, although that appears to be changing - I've had two requests for quilts just today.  I predict an upsurge in quilt needs very soon!  But for now, let's see what we did this week...

This pretty quilt was made from a donation sent to us by Laura - top, back and binding, plus two matching pillowcases!  It came in the nick of time, as we had just received a request for a quilt for a 70-year old woman with uterine cancer.  

Laura felt like it was too "sweet" for her, so she sent it to us - and hopefully its new owner feels that it is just perfect!   I love the soft colors and pretty design....

And this past Saturday morning, we met for our regular monthly meeting.  This month some of us decided to work on making "buddy bags" for foster kids who are being moved to another location.  We finished fourteen of them...

Don't they look pretty all hung out there?  

This will be an on-going project, as DCS will let us know 

when their stock gets low.

And we've got another block for 

the Helping Hands Project quilt...

This one was made by Rhonda, a new member of our group!  Remember, there's still time to send in a block for the quilt - you can read more about the project on the page tab 

at the top of this blog.

So that's what's been going on this week - stay tuned as we start making quilts for our middle schoolers to take to Rogersville, TN on their fall mission trip.  We'll be talking more about that in the near future!

Hugs!

Sarah

Make A List Monday - Road Trip!!

Hi, all!

Monday rolls around once again - rainy this morning for us!  My front yard looked like a lake until about three o'clock, when inexplicably, the sun came out!  Weird weather here, once again....

My husband has roped me into watching Duck Dynasty - actually dragged me kicking and screaming - but I have to admit, this is pretty funny!  I've laughed out out several times just in the past few minutes.  And at least it's keeping me awake enough to write a blogpost - something I haven't been able to do this evening for nothing!  Those little girls wore me out today!  Take a look at what Emmy did today...

Granted, her mom took this picture after she left here, but when I say she's into everything, now you can see and believe!!

OK, now on to business - let's see how I did on last week's list...

1.  Quilt a baby quilt for the ministry.

Done!

Isn't that a cute print?  One of our new members had this focus fabric and put this sweet little quilt together...

2.  Keep up with the quilt ministry needs.

Done! It's been a quiet week, thankfully...

3.  Quilt the shop quilt that's on the frame.

Done!  I had fun with this one...

4.  Make a "quilter's apron".

Done - but no pictures yet!

5.  Figure out how to really use my DSLR camera!

Done - sort of... it's getting better, as you can see in the quilt picture just above, but I've got a long way to go!

6.  Get that shop open!  (I'm hoping to do this by Friday...)

Done!!!!  Woohoo!!!!  You can visit my shop by clicking here!  And be sure to check out my giveaway - it is open until Thursday!

7.  Make English paper piecing pincushion kits.

A work in progress - I really want to get a bunch of these done - it's a long drive to Lancaster and back!

So not too bad - I also got some new things made up for the shop that hopefully will show up there before I leave on Wednesday!  And we made more than a dozen "buddy bags" - the duffel bags for foster kids - at church last Saturday!

And here's what I need to work on this week...

1.  Get new items listed in the shop.

2.  Deliver "buddy bags" to our contact at church.

3.  Clean up the house so the house/dog sitter doesn't run away screaming!

4.  Make more kits to take for sewing in the car.

5.  Get some ministry quilts ready and lined up to quilt next week.

6.  Clean up my workspace a bit - it's getting hard to see the cutting board!

I think that's about all I'll be able to get to this week, since it's so short!  It feels funny not to have a list of ministry quilts to do, but I'm glad I won't have to feel guilty about being out of town....  I'm sure it will all start back with a vengeance next week!

So now the question is....  What are you working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

What's Cookin' At The Sweatshop?

Hi, all!

Well, it's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, my home town...  Oh wait -- that's Garrison Keillor's line!  Actually, it has been a quiet week here for the quilt ministry - which is a good thing, I think!  It gives us a chance to take a deep breath, straighten up and get ready for the next wave of ministry quilts.  So here's to deep breathing!

We did give away a couple of quilts this week....

This quilt, made by Debora in what I like to call a Mega D9P pattern, is going to a gentleman in Illinois with thyroid cancer.

And this cute little flannel baby quilt, made by Emilie and Pam, is going to a new baby boy in our church family!  Love those baby quilts - such a wonderful cheery event to celebrate!

<*>^*^<*>^*^<*>

We received this pretty quilt top today; it was donated by Laura and is the perfect fit for a request we just received.  

Finished quilt next week!

And here's the most recent hand block we've received - this one is from Anita in Michigan.  Once again, if you've ever donated to our church's quilt ministry, or helped out in any way, please consider making a "helping hands" block for the commemorative quilt I'm working on.  It will celebrate 500 quilts given away by the ministry, and we hope to reach that milestone by June.   You can click on "The Helping Hands Project" button at the right, or the page at the top of this post, to read more about the project. 

So that's all from the Sweatshop this week - like I said, a quiet week!  We meet this Saturday morning and will probably work on making some of the foster kid duffel bags; I'll try to get some pictures of the Sweatshop at work!  It's always fun to see the group of us working on one project - it really does look like a sweatshop!

Hugs!

Sarah

Make-A-List Monday -

Hi, all!

Wow, last week went by quickly!!  Seems like just a short while ago that I made that monstrous list of things to do... but nope, I checked, and it's been seven days!  I know lots of you have had to deal with lots and lots of snow - hopefully you are all well, warm, and safe.  You've been in my thoughts - sometimes just a little jealous, since we seldom get snow here in my neck of the woods - but I'll settle for our 50 degree weather this week!

Well, enough of that - let's see how I did on last week's list...

1.  Quilt the commission quilt.

Done!  This was fun, even the second time!

2.  Finish the pillow cover.

Done!  I love the way this turned out...

3.  Make the messenger bag.

Not finished, but I'm happy to say that the inside and the flap are assembled, and the outside is ready to be sewn up.  

Woohoo for progress!!

4.  Work on setting up an Etsy shop.

Working on it - but it's complicated, plus I've got to get some stock made up before I open up!  Hope to do that this week...

5.  Work on some spec quilts for the shop.

I did finish one...

...but I'm only going to show you a peek at the quilting right now!  I had a lot of fun doing this - a great design I saw somewhere on the web, but can't remember where - if you know, please tell me!

6.  Make a computer sleeve for a friend.

In progress - it's all cut out, just waiting to be sewn together tomorrow morning!  I've got an extra cut out, too, so I can add it to the shop inventory...

7.  Mail the Leap Year Traveling Stash.

Done!  And Karyn says it arrived just before the storm, so she held on to it to paw over while snowed in!

8.  Work on scrappy trips blocks.

Not a one!  That quilt is looking a lot farther in the future...

9.  Take care of any ministry needs that arise.

Done!  I quilted this baby quilt...

...and made this back...

...for this pretty quilt...

...and quilted this cheery child's quilt!

(I'll share more about these quilts on Wednesday.)

10.  Work with a friend on bags for 

a local foster child ministry. 

(I'll share more about this project soon)

Done!  Here's the bag I've come up with...

...and I'm working on a tutorial for 

those of you who offered to help make bags.  

I should have that ready for Wednesday's blog post too!

Whew!  I feel a lot better about last week's progress now that I see it all in writing - I felt like I was spinning my wheels a lot last week, but apparently I really was getting something done!  Here's what's on my list for this week...

1.  Write a tutorial for the foster kids bag.

2.  Finish the messenger bag.

3.  Finish the computer sleeve, and make one for the shop, too!

4.  Finish getting the Etsy shop set up.

5.  Do two quilt book reviews and write a blogpost.

6.  Take care of any quilt ministry needs that come up.

7.  Put together two more storage cubbies for The Sweatshop.

8.  Make some pin cushions for the shop.

OK - that's enough for one week!  Especially since I've decided to clean up the house for the hubs for Valentine's Day...  no one coming over, just for him!  He won't believe it - the last time I did it, he asked me if my evil twin was planning to stay for a while!  I have the world's greatest hubby - he puts up with a whole lot to let me do my thing quilting and working with the quilt ministry.  I'm a lucky girl!

So now, the question is - - - what are you working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah