Quicker Strippie!

When the too short troll backing turned into a quilt top, I got the idea that I could make quicker strippie quilts for Lap Robes for Veterans!  This organization actually prefers simple quilts over more intricate designs for a couple of different reasons, so these quilts will be perfect for them and I'll be able to use up the odds and ends of patriotic fabrics in my stash too!  It's a win all the way around!

Back Or Front?

My original plan was for this to be the backing for the Quick Strippie Troll quilt top that I made last week, but it turned out to be just a few inches too short.  Yes, I could add another white stripe somewhere to lengthen it, but I think I like it well enough as it is to use it as a top.  Perhaps I will simply back them both with solid white and then I will have two Troll quilts to donate instead of one!

Back In The Sewing Room!

Now that fall is here and it's getting dark earlier, I'm finding that I have a little more time to spend in the sewing room again.  I don't want to do anything too complex when I get home from work, but a few minutes of mindless sewing, while dinner is in the oven, is just what I need!  Quick Strippie quilts are just the ticket for mindless sewing.  It doesn't take long at all to stitch one together and they make great donation quilts!

Done & Delivered!

I finished twelve quilts total this time around and last week I delivered them to Lap Robes for Veterans.  No doubt they will go to some very deserving veterans!

Wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

USMC Quick Strippie

And the last in the stack to be bound was a Quick Strippie that will go to a USMC vet.

Another Finish

Making the most of my patriotic scraps!  Here's another simple 4 x 5 setting of 10" squares all finished and ready to go to Lap Robes For Veterans!

Star Quilt FInish

At 40"x 40" this star quilt pattern by Amy Smart makes the perfect quilt for a wheelchair bound vet!

USMC Strippie Finish

I'm a USMC mom, so I definitely have a soft spot for Marine vets!  Here's a USMC quick strippie quilt all finished and ready to go to Lap Robes For Veterans.

Nine Tiny Hats

I was able to make nine preemie hats with the Red Heart Buttercup yarn that was given to me a couple of weeks ago, so that's just about three hats per skein.  I added top-knots and crocheted pom-poms to some and stripes to others, so they are all different.  All of these baby hats will go to the Janet Weiss Children's Hospital in Danville, PA.  You can find my pattern for these hats HERE.

Lots Of Handwork!

The quilts for Lap Robes For Veterans are all quilted!  Now for my favorite part...hand stitching the bindings!

And on this Memorial Day...

"Love your country and live with pride

And don't forget those who died

America can't you see?

All gave some and some gave all

And some stood through for the red, white and blue

And some had to fall

And if you ever think of me

Think of all your liberties and recall 

Some gave all"

Hot Mess Preemie Hats

I came up with this simple pattern for preemie baby hats using Red Heart Buttercup yarn given to me by a friend who declared it "hot mess" yarn. They may look like a hot mess, but they are also the softest little hats ever! Once I get them all finished, the hats will go to the Janet Weiss Children's Hospital in Danville, PA.

 

Hot Mess Preemie Hats

 

Size 13 double pointed needles

 

One skein Red Heart Buttercup yarn yields several hats

 

Gauge is not important...preemies come in all sizes!

 

Cast on 24 stitches. Join to knit in the round being careful not to twist the stitches.

 

Knit to 5 inches from cast on edge

 

Decrease for crown

 

Round 1: knit 2, knit 2 together, repeat around 18 stitches

 

Round 2: knit

 

Round 3: knit 1, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round, 12 stitches

 

Round 4: knit

 

Round 5: knit 2 together around, 6 stitches

 

Cut yarn about 12 inches from last stitch. Thread tail through tapestry needle and through remaining 6 stitches. Pull tightly to close top of hat. Tie off. Weave in ends.

*To add a top knot 

Round 6: knit 2 together around, 3 stitches

Knit around on these stitches for about 3 ½ inches. Bind off the stitches, weave in ends & tie the top tube in a knot.

On The Frame

Now that I have all of the veterans quilt tops pieced, it's time to get them quilted!  I really enjoy quilting these Quick Strippie quilts.  It goes fast and it's fun to quilt something different in each strip.

Tops For Vets!

All of the kits that I made up over the winter are quickly becoming tops.  I purposely chose easy patterns with large pieces for these quilts that will go to Lap Robes For Veterans.  Their motto is "So Many Veterans...Sew Little Time" and it is so true!  Veterans greatly outnumber quilters, but that doesn't mean that we aren't going to try and show our appreciation for their service by giving each and every one a quilt!

Quick Strippie

Oh, how I love Mary's Quick Strippie quilt pattern for donation quilts!  With just three yards of fabric and about an hour, you can have a top cut and sewn and ready to quilt.  I'll be making a lot more of these quilts over the next few weeks to donate to veterans who will be taking Honor Flight trips this summer.

Pitter Patter Babies Matter

Heaven Sent is a non profit started by my friend, Barb Gaddy.  Their mission is to assist grief recovery by providing Pitter Patter swaddling and keepsake blankets through their Pitter Patter Funeral Home Partnering Program, to bereft mothers who have suffered natural pre-term or infant loss under the age of one year, promoting grief healing and recovery by creating a bond for the surviving mother to her lost child, offering tangible proof that the baby was real and existed, delivering comfort and security that the baby was a precious addition and significant loss to the surviving family, and solidifying the birth space the baby occupies within the family structure, guaranteeing that the baby will never be forgotten.

When I learned about what Barb was doing with Heaven Sent, I had to volunteer to help in some way.  I don't have an embroidery machine, so Barb sent me an embroidered center and I stitched together the blanket and keepsake quilt.  Just a yard of fabric and an hour or so of my time will hopefully bring a little comfort to a grieving mother and father.  If you would like to help or learn more about Heaven Sent visit their website pitterpatterbabiesmatter.org or go to Bejeweled Quilts by Barb.

Warm Fuzzies All Around

A friend and I spent a good portion of our summer making fleece blankets for the local Head Start classes.  We made 34 blankets in all!  They were handed out to the children last week and you see by the photos that they were well received!  Warm fuzzies all around!

No Internet Means...

We have been having trouble with our internet not staying connected for the past couple of months.  Multiple calls to tech support, visits from the cable guy, a new modem, and a new router weren't of any help.  Last week I reached my breaking point and threatened to change ISP's if the problem wasn't corrected.  Apparently they didn't want to lose a customer because they sent someone right out to change the line into the house.  Low and behold that fixed the problem and our internet is running full speed without interruption.  No internet means, no blog posts, but it also means that I was actually doing something a little more productive than blogging and pinning patterns to Pinterest. I knitted eight hats that will be donated to a local pre-school!  Maybe the internet should go out more often...

Knitting For Pre-Schoolers

The local yarn shop is collecting hats and mittens for pre-schoolers, so I thought I would give my fingers a break from binding and knit a hat or two.  Working with size 11 needles and a double strand of worsted weight yarn is a nice switch from sewing bindings with a tiny needle and thread!

Binding...Lots Of Binding!

I have been quilting just about non-stop this week and I now have five Air Force quilts quilted for Lap Robes for Veterans!  I even have the bindings sewn on and they are ready to be hand stitched to the back.  I see some quality NetFlix time in my future!

Blankets, Blankets, Blankets!

A friend of mine mentioned that she was working on making fleece blankets for our local Head Start classes.  That's quite a project for one person considering there are two classes of 17 kids each!  I quickly volunteered to help.  We are well on our way to meeting our goal of 34 blankets before school starts next month.  (Did I really just say that?  Can it be true that school starts next month already?  Where has the summer gone?)