Ms. Sue's Quilt

I don't want you all to think I am getting nothing done so here is the latest one finished. This is for a client that I just love. Don't you just love handing a quilt to someone and seeing how much they appreciate it all over their face. It just makes it all worth while. I will have several more coming soon. I'm working on tops for ALS donation and will post when they are quilted. I don't post them till I have them ready to go.

ALS PROJECT UPDATE

Well, this weekend I was able to finish not only Ms. Sue's quilt but I actually got 3 tops pieced for the ALS fundraiser. It really made me realize how much fabric I have. I pieced 3 tops and pulled the fabric for a fourth and you can't even tell any is missing from the cabinet. I also realized I'll need a ton of batting which has gotten really expensive this year, so I pulled out my batting scraps and my batting seam tape which will give me a chance to use that up as well. I'm really excited about the project. I can't wait to see how many I can get done in time to ship out by the 7/31 deadline. Guess I better plan on mailing around 7/15. This week I think I'll focus on piecing squares for the backing. I even realized I can cut the pieces for tops on my lunch break. I bring lunch so after 15 minutes eating I usually just sit in the conference room and read a book for 45 minutes. Figured posting gave me some accountability and kept up the motivation.

ALS Awareness

May is national ALS awareness month and today is the monthly "Friday Sew In" I registered for. It means you sew up a storm, post pics on the blog and link to the owners of Friday Night Sew In and if your name is drawn you can win a prize. So tonight I'm finishing the veggies, adding the borders to Ms. Sue's and putting hers on the frame. Once the 3 tops are quilted I will be starting my ALS quilts. I want to see how many I can have ready for July 30 to donate to ALS patients. I'll post my pics tonight or tomorrow of the friday night sew in. Wish me luck and maybe I can win some batting for my ALS quilts. Have a blessed weekend.

Many of you that know me well know that in 2005 my dad was diagnosed with the a rare form of brain atrophy very similar to ALS. He left us in January 2006. Quilts of Dreams is doing a drive this year for awareness and fundraising for ALS and has reached out to the quilting community. Quilters all over the US are being asked to donate quilts for ALS patients by July 30, 2012. The nicer quilts may be auctioned to raise research money as well. Did you know that ALS has been around for 100 years yet no research funds are spent on a cure or treatments. The death rate is so quick that the companies providing research funds simply spend it elsewhere. Did you know that someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone dies of ALS every 90 minutes. This disease robs you of what makes you, you. I can tell you fist hand that it’s effects are heartbreaking. This project is very important to me and many are families affected by it. If you know any quilters please pass along this website. If you know any quilters that might want to participate and funds may prevent the, from doing so please consider sponsoring a quilt. Most will gladly tell you what they could use to make a donation quilt. My goal is to have at least 5 to donate by 7/30/12 deadline. The website is below. http://www.quiltersdreambatting.com/HD/ALS.htm Thanks Vicky

On the left are my new hibicus plants. Can't wait till they are my hibiscus hedge.

Working on a few projects at the moment but nothing urgently. Have a couple round robins due out this week then just need to finish the veggie magic tile for my table and quilt a couple of tops for myself. After that I will probably start one for my daughters co-worker. Had to take a minute this morning and remind myself how blessed I am. 13 months later and I still love my first home. God is good all day, every day.

Here's a table topper I just finished for an online friend. We were supposed to swap April 1 but I ran a little late. Luckily, so did she. Can't wait to see what she did. She is an amazing longarm quilter. If I'm a quarter that good one day I feel I accomplished a lot.

It always amazes me how fast the time seems to slip by lately. Last month would have been Pete's birthday. You think you get used to it but I miss him as much today as 5 years ago. I guess in time things get better if we remember we go to a much better place when we leave this world. I spent a week last week with some friends on a mini quilt retreat. We wanted something not to fancy but enjoyable and on the beach. I reserved us a room at Weston's in Englewood. My parents and friends used to go there every summer but I don't think I've been in 15 years. It was funny we had such a good time but when all was said and done it was a sad trip. I have so many fond memories of kayaking with my dad, sitting on the beach with my parents drinking coffee, hanging out with the Boatwrights for dinner. Sometimes you forget how much you miss people until you go back to places where you used to have good times. I like to think he was watching us enjoy the place again. Anyway, although there are new owners (Canadian company) and they are remodeling, they have kept a lot of the old look. Other than the colors of a couple of buildings it looks pretty much the same minus the ant issue. They've really done great at revamping but it still felt like the same place. So thats my ramble for the week.

Here's a Split Decision I finished during tax season I just never had time to add the binding. It's heading out this week to a friend's mom who is not doing well. I have 2 more almost ready to quilt as well. One is the block of the month the weekly ladies are doing and the other is for a client who is just too sweet. I also have another started and one planned.

And you thought I was just slacking off.