The BIGGEST finish!!

Quilts for Kids

Wow!  I am so happy to have these quilts done, along with some quilty friends that helped!  There are 20 quilts on the fence!  Seven of those were made by the quilty friends and thirteen were made by me.  I have plans for more but I have to put them on hold so I can get some Christmas sewing done and give my left arm a rest!  I did too much and brought on a case of tendinitis in my left elbow...

I also knitted a bunch of hats in the last month too!  There is one more that is done but did not make the picture.

And finally today I am delivering the quilts and all the other donations I have collected in the last few months.  This is how full my Escape is and I still have one more pick up to make! 

And now for all the Thank You's!!!

Many Thanks go out to...

Cleo-for all the fabric

Kris-for making three quilts, fabric and letting me use your fence for pictures

Marcella-for making three quilts and fabric

Donna J-for sending a complete stranger a quilt

My Sis Jenni-for all the fabric

Michelle- for donating blankets and clothes

My Sis Michelle-for donating clothes and household

My mom and Dad-for donating clothes

Alice-for donating clothes and fabric

Mama Diane-for helping me deliver everything

My family-for putting up with all the stuff until it leaves the house and for letting me have the time to make all the quilts!

Thank You to anyone else I may have missed!

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

Visit Families Working Together Facebook Page to see all that we are doing!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts- Finish it up Friday

and 

Link a Finish Friday-Richard and Tanya Quilts

Thank you Kris...

I also asked my friend, Kris, if she would make a quilt or two for the KIDS.  I gave her some fabric and she made three quilts!  Thank you so much, Kris!!   Kris and I both learned we don't like working with panels!  Even though Kris doesn't like working with them, the quilts turned out beautiful!

These three bring us to a total of 16 finished quilts so far!  My goal is 24 quilts and I don't know if I will make it.  I had to take some time off...I sewed so much that my left shoulder, elbow and wrist were so painful I almost could not use them!  I was back at it last week and I have 4 quilt tops ready to be quilted and bound but I have to stop for a bit to make a quilt for a new baby in the family!

The Trickster's Finish...

The Trickster made a birdhouse in Tech Ed...

It has some special features that you don't see on most birdhouses...

It has a skylight...

And "indoor Plumbing"!  He added a toilet inside the birdhouse!  Leave it to a seventh grader to think of that one!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts-Finish it up Friday

Thank You, Donna J!!

Guess what came in the mail today?! 

 A quilt from Donna J!

(ha ha, I made a rhyme!)

Donna J sent this for the kids at Wanblee...

Here it is...

And the back...

Isn't it so cute?  It is completely made of flannel and its so soft and cuddly, the child that gets it is going to love it!

Thank You, Donna J...your quilt is greatly appreciated!

Thank You Marcella!

Three more quilts are completed for the kids!  I asked my friend, Marcella, if she would make a quilt or two if I gave her some fabric to work with...she ended up using some of her stash to compliment what I sent and the quilts turned out adorable!

Thank You Marcella!!!

As of today there are 10 quilts completely done...
I have one quilted and ready for binding...
Two tops need to be basted, quilted and binding added...
Then I will be making more tops and starting all over again!  The goal is a minimum of 24 quilts!

Quilts for kids progress..

I started making quilt tops for the kids on the Wanblee Reservation last Wednesday...Wow, have I been busy!  I made seven quilt tops, quilted seven quilts, made a whole bunch of binding and fully finished one quilt with binding!  I did find two completed tops and one already quilted top in my stash so when all the basting, quilting and binding is done there will be a total of ten quilts made in about ten days!  And I plan on making eight more in the next week or so!

This is the only one with binding at the moment, but that will change this weekend!

These are the other seven that are quilted but waiting for binding.  I have two more tops that need basting but I ran out of basting spray!  I will be getting more tomorrow after my daughters last Cross Country meet and a trip to Joann's...

Linking up with  

Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts Link a Finish Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict-Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

More tops...

I made two more quilt tops today!

Jungle animals and butterflies!

I also had a helper/hindrance...

 Marley wanted me to play fetch all afternoon instead of sewing!

Quilts for kids...

This week has been the start of quilt making for the children on Wanblee Indian Reservation, and I have been busy!  A few months ago a favorite customer of mine was cleaning out her craft room and she asked me if I knew anyone that would want a whole bunch of fabric.  I said I would love to have it so I could make quilts for kids!  The next day she dropped off two garbage bags full of fabric and told me that most of it was Christmas themed.  Well, Christmas fabric will make warm quilts and if kids are cold, then I'm making Christmas quilts!

I went through my stash and found two quilt tops that were completed (by the sewing machine) and I made four tops, three Christmas and one kitty.  I had to take a break from all the Christmas fabric, there is only so much red an green my eyes can take!  I also asked a couple of quilty friends to help and I think they are making 5-6 quilts so that means I need to make 18 quilts to reach my goal of 24 quilts (or more) to send out with the November/December trip...

Info about Wanblee...they are part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and conditions there are shocking! You can read more about it here  For the last two years I have been getting donations and sending all my kids clothes, coats ect out there to help!  My husbands family also started a non profit organization that works directly with the people so we know they are getting the help that is needed, where it is needed.
Click here to go to Families Working Together Facebook Page to see all the good that has been done!  You can see a lot of my family in the pictures!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

Farm Babies II Goes to the Farm!

Yesterday I finished my Farm Babies II quilt, so today I took it to the family farm for a quick photo shoot...The top is almost identical to the first Farm Babies except the first and last squares are scrappy (I didn't have enough fabric for those two squares), the binding is scrappy (I cut the binding before I realized I still needed two more squares), the backing is farm and the quilting is different.  I used a variegated thread called sunny day (oranges and yellows) for the quilting.  I love how it turned out, but I think I love every quilt when they are finally done and ready for the new babies!

I found the cutest farm flannel for the backing at my LQS...

Now on to the next quilts...as many kids quilts as I can make in the next few weeks!

Linking Up With...

Crazy Mom Quilts

Simlpy Pieced TGIFF

Finished Farm Babies

The first Farm Babies quilt is done and delivered!  I finished it on Wednesday night and was able to deliver it in person to Emily at the hospital yesterday, while she was in labor!   I finally got the news last night...its a boy!

I had to take the picture with my phone, in the hospital parking garage, because I forgot to get a pic before we left home.  My son is my quilt model, he had an appointment with the orthopedic doctor for a check up to be sure the tumor in his ankle is completely gone.  Good news, it is gone, and we don't have to go back anymore!

I also made cradle sheets this week too, they turned out really cute!  They are for Cousin Tami's new baby boy.

I also finished the other Farm Babies quilt top this week, also for Cousin Tami's baby boy.  I'm having a hard time deciding how to quilt this one...

This quilt will get a scrappy binding made from the squares fabric...so its the same but  kinda different from the first Farm Babies quilt. 

Linking up Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

To Do List

Yesterday I sat down and wrote out a list of what I want to get done by the end of November.  The list is a lot longer than I thought it would be!  I'm hoping that putting it in writing for anyone to see will keep me motivated.

To be done ASAP

• Tammi's Quilt Done!
• Emily's Quilt Done and delivered!
• 2 Cradle sheets  Done!
• Pack-n-play sheets
• Shoe Quilt Done!
• Grandma Quilt
• Tina's Mini Quilt Done!
• CLEAN my sewing Room!
• Knit a bunch of hats Done!

To be done by the end of November

• The Month of October will be for making as many quilts as possible for the Kid's on the Wanblee Reservation I am setting a goal of at least 24 quilts!  8 Tops made
• Youngest Daughter's Quilt
• Oldest Daughter's Quilt
• Glamping Quilt
• My Family Christmas Quilt

I will report back to let you know how I'm doing!


Still working on getting this list done!

Farm Babies

Even with all the crazy stuff going on around here, I did manage to finish a quilt top this week!

It only took me about two hours including ironing the fabric, cutting, sewing and pressing all the seams.  And while I was cutting the fabric, I also cut enough to make a second quilt.  I have been awaiting two babies that were due five days apart, one has arrived and one is past the due date!  This quilt will be for the overdue baby...hopefully the baby arrives soon...

If you want to make one of your own...

You will need...
18-6.5"  squares
4-1.5" WOF strips
2-10.5"  WOF strips focus fabric
All seam allowances are 1/4"

• Sew three rows of six squares
• Sew a 1.5" strip to the bottom of the first row of squares
• Sew a 1.5" strip to the top and bottom of the second row of squares
• Sew a 1.5" strip to the top of the third row of squares
• Trim and press the strips
•  Add the strips of focus fabric to the second row of squares
• Trim and press
• Add the top and bottom row of squares
• And you're all done!

Measures approximately 36.5" X 43" when finished

Where does the time go?

Wow!  The last post I did was August 15 and now it's almost the end of September!  I have been busy...

  I'll just highlight the fun stuff from the last month starting with The Wurst Wine Trail!! Wine and sausages, yes, please!!  I went with my friend Tashy and my daughter was our designated driver.

 This vineyard has my favorite wine-Ice Maiden

 I know the owner at this winery...he was very generous with the wine and I sampled every one they had!!  And they had the best sausages too!  My pick for this winery was Moonlight White.  This winery was also the most fun on the Wine Trail!

Sinnipee Valley is always our last stop,  and as always they have great wines!  We also stopped at Bauer and Kearns Winery, not my favorite but its on the trail so we stopped in.  After all was said and done I sampled 22 wines!

The next weekend my girls and I went to Springfield, Illinois to visit Jenni!  She is a tour guide at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, she gets paid to do the coolest things!  We left Wisconsin at 7pm Friday night and finally got to Jenni's at midnight.  The drive down was not fun, this was the first time I have driven that far alone with my kids!  Saturday morning we took Jenni's tour...She's an awesome guide by the way.  Uncle Joe, Aunt Donna, and cousins Ben, Darlene and Kelsey also came down for the weekend.

Jenni explaining the rules-Look but don't touch!

 The most memorable part of the tour...Mary's Indoor Potty and the wallpaper.  My youngest daughter could not believe that people used these in their bedroom so they didn't have to make the long trek to one of these!

Fashion influenced outhouse design, these potties are because of hoop skirts!!  I am thankful for my bathroom with a flushing toilet and a place to wash my hands everyday!

 Yes, that is Mr.Lincoln...we met Mrs.Lincoln too but I did not get a picture.

 We also visited Lincoln's Tomb and rubbed his nose for luck.

I think everybody and their brother did too!

Later that night we all met at Uncle Joe's hotel and the little ones swam while Joe and Jenni taught me and my daughter how to play cribbage.  I still have a lot to learn!  Then all of us girls went to dinner at Steak 'N Shake and we embarrassed my youngest daughter with all of our laughter!

We hit the jackpot in the claw machines!

And then we had to come home...the kids had to start school on Monday!  My oldest started college the same day...

The puppies had their First Birthday on September 1ST!

They celebrated with their favorite treats, cheese cubes and gummi bears!

And the rest is a blur of school, work, cross country meets, house projects, doctor visits and life in general!

Baby R's new quilts

As usual, I was a Last Minute Lucy again!!!  I knew the baby shower was coming up and I knew I had a deadline but Last Minute Lucy took over...but I kicked her butt and finished the quilt and receiving blanket 20 minutes before I had to leave for the shower!  And, I also made four cradle sheets too!!!

You can see the cradle in the picture below.  Her dad made the cradle 35 years ago when she was born... The nursery will be done in pink and gray with chevrons. 

Quilt front

Quilt back

Receiving blanket

The fabric line is "Willow" by Riley Blake.  When this line came into my LQS, I couldn't wait for someone to  have a baby girl so I could have an excuse to buy it!  I bought the other two colorways first thinking I was going to make the quilts from those but then I found out pink and gray were the colors so ,of course, I HAD to buy MORE fabric!  Her sister is due with her third baby in September so maybe I will be able to use the other colors sooner than later or if its a boy, I will have to make something for me.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish It Up Friday

Family...

The first two weekends of August are family reunions!  And this year they both were a lot of fun!

The first one is for my dad's side and we all got together and camped at Pike's Peak on Thursday thru Sunday.  There was a lot of bat chasing-the shelter where the family picnic was held is a favorite sleeping spot for the bats during the day!  And there was also a lot of snake chasing!!  Two of my uncles had snakes in their campsite and so did my campsite!!!  I have a horrible fear of snakes so it was very traumatic for me and I was leary of going anywhere near the back of our camper for the rest of the weekend!  Unfortunately, no pictures, I forgot my camera!!

The other reunion was for my husbands side of the family and this year we had 75 people show up thru the weekend..I remembered my camera for this one!!  Uncle Joe had lots planned so here are some of the highlights!

There was a 75 ft Slip N Slide and a Bouncy House

Wagon Rides

A huge bon fire

Fireworks

Four wheeler riding

Fly By

Horseback Riding

And Uncle Si sightings!

Just kidding, that's Cousin Allen!

I asked some of the kids what they wanted for next year and most of them asked for a Ferris wheel!!  I guess we'll have to wait and see!!