Iraqi Bundles of Love

I just wanted to pass on this information if anyone would like to donate to this cause. I'm just cutting and pasting from Kristin's site.

My very own Tech Support & World’s Greatest Husband, AKA, Mr. Incredible, has just launched a short-duration project to “surge” fabric and sewing materials into the area around which he’s posted in Iraq. It is timed to coincide with both Ramadan, and the departure of his units from Iraq.

The project started, as many do, out of a confluence of inspiration and circumstances. It may have started with reading 3 Cups of Tea, an inspirational story not only of one man’s impact, but of his conviction that terrorism can only be fought effectively with education and opportunity, not by force. Follow that with the understanding that when a US military unit leaves an area, although they take with them everything on their master list of what they brought, truth is they leave a whole lot behind as well — bed sheets, small refrigerators, DVDs, old clothes, unused building materials, etc. As one man’s trash is another’s treasure, the idea to donate re-usable materials to local groups emerged. Then came the idea to supplement those resources with more — tailor made for individuals and sewing co-ops trying to make a living in the community.

The basic premise is to make a bundle of fabric and sewing supplies from your own stash, mail it to my hubby’s APO (American) address, and he will facilitate the distribution of the bundles. By bundling teh goodies, it saves time on his end as he won’t have to redistribute the supplies or use excess packaging for them, and it makes it far simpler for his local counterparts to distribute them to those in need.

The project is called Iraqi Bundles of Love, here’s a link to his FAQ page, and we’ve got until September 7, 2009 to bust our stashes and send what we probably won’t get around to using to my man, who will get it to those who will use it right away.

Indecision and Picnics

Apparently this has just been indecision time. While I was trying to decide how to complete the butterfly quilt, I moved on to quilting this baby quilt. I used a bit of an all over swirly pattern (someone probably has a real name for this, but whatever.) I HATED it. I not only thought the quilting pattern took away from the quilt, but I didn't think I'd done a good job. So, I spent a few days ripping out all of the quilting. And, then requilted it. I'm not quite ready to show the completed quilt yet, but it is completed. Yeah.
We go on a lot of picnics around here. At least two a week, where we sit on the ground. I've been talking about making a quilt for picnics, and finally got around to it. I knew I wanted the quilt to be cheap, or as inexpensive as possible. So, when JoAnn's had a good sale, I bought all of the materials for the quilt. About $25 worth I think. I also wanted the quilt to be pretty easy to make. I borrowed this book from the library, which had the perfect quilt design. It took me just a couple of hours to complete the quilt top, though quite a bit more for quilting. I quilted it with an all over stipple. I also wanted the quilt to be bright, as in stain-resistant. I think I got that. We've already picnicked twice on it, so it already has peanut butter, jelly, milk, and cheese spilled on it.
I believe it is about 60 X 80. The green for the sashing was the first color I chose, thinking grass stains.

(I can't seem to get the color right on these photos. The quilts are a bit brighter than they are showing up. I'm having a hard time editing lately.)

Help!

I'm working on an applique baby quilt. I knew that I wanted to make a bright, butterfly quilt. In 2004, I made this baby quilt inspired by Eric Carle, containing a butterfly.
I loved the bright colors, and wanted to make something totally girly this time. I found this batik and used it as my starting point for fabric choices, though the colors are a bit outside of my comfort zone.

I now have the butterflies appliqued together, but not the whole quilt pieced. One of the butterflies is bothering me a bit. I'm not a big fan of bright pink, so that pink, ugh. I bought quite a bit of that pink, too. I guess I thought it really went well with the butterfly batik.

So, this is where I need your help. I planned this background, with strips of purple and the butterfly batik on either side of the white. I'm not sure how well you can see them in these photos. Should I keep it this way?

Or, should I add a bit of the pink, so the pink on the butterfly doesn't stand out as much? Or, would a pink binding tie things together enough (attempts at showing a pink binding in above photo with the wad of pink on the side.)

Or, should I lose the purple and just have the butterfly batik between the white (like in the photo below?)

Or, should I tear out all bits of that bright pink from the butterfly, replacing with some other color? Like maybe a lighter pink?

Or, do you have other suggestions? Please be honest, I do want input. (though I did spend quite a bit of time designing and sewing this, so, you know, be kind.)

A few projects

My current WIPs.

I certainly am more (cough) organized when I have only one project going at a time, but I'm definitely not bored with anything when I have a few sewing projects all in various stages.

Easy quilt top, almost completed

Applique from the beginning of a baby quilt

And a sandwiched, ready to be quilted, very feminine quilt

Pizza Quilt

I made this quilt for Brad, a friend of mine who is recovering from a brain injury. I tried to use masculine fabrics in a simple design. Ashlyn thinks the orange dots are hilarious and calls them pizza fabric, hence the name of the quilt. I was originally planning to add a few more different design blocks, but decided that I would just stick with these two as I was putting stuff together. I used some of the different designs for the back.
The yellow might be a little bright, but I like the back otherwise. Notice the three pairs of feet behind the quilt. Allen was being such a goofball about holding up the quilt that the kids thought it must be great fun to hold a quilt, too.

And the goofball holding the quilt when I asked him to turn the quilt around to show me the other side.

Couch quilt

I've had a few plans for quilts for other people coming up, but with my new machine I wanted to have a "practice" piece first. We didn't have a quilt/throw/blanket for curling up on the couch, so that was what I planned for my practice piece. I wanted to do something simple, since I was really trying to get to the quilting part this time. I know. That is usually my least favorite part, but I wanted to try out the stitch regulator. So, I made several improv log cabins, completing them with white and trimming to about 15 inches, I think.

I had a rough start on the quilting, but just kept going after tearing out several really bad parts. I think I was sort of getting the hang of it by the end of this quilt. I did learn that my machine is picky about thread. I've always just used coats and clark quilting thread, but the Bernina just wasn't having it. I had to run to JoAnn's for Gutermann thread instead. Things ran much more smoothly after that.

I like how the quilt turned out, but I'm glad I decided the first quilt was for us. The blocks add just a touch of color to our otherwise blah living room.

My New Love

What is this?My new baby, my bernina.

Isn't she pretty?

I don't know how to use it, but it has made it out of the box. I am excited to play. Three classes are included with the purchase, but it will be a few weeks.

My last machine was purchased in 1999 for $120, very basic. I was ready for an upgrade. I tried out a few different brands at the dealer, and I just didn't know how lovely sewing machines could be. I loved them all, but was excited about having the Bernina stitch regulator that comes with this machine. I tried showing Allen the foot and telling him what it does. He just isn't any fun when it comes to sewing stuff. So, I've turned to the internet with my excitement.