H2H 2023 CHALLENGE

 

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict hosts a quilts-for-charity challenge each year and this year I made a determined effort to take part!  I made three quilts for charity in the Mar-June participation time. These quilts went to the Putnam County Sherrif's Dept for the officers to have on hand (in their trunks!) for an accident or for a domestic violence call to comfort a child.

This was a kit called Presto Change-O;  42" x 52"

This one is called Mini-Petals that I made from a couple of charm squares.  42" x 56"

This quilt used the same pattern as Presto Change-O but I will call it Fractured Four-Patch when it has my own fabrics like this one! 

This is what the emergency love bag looks like.  As a group,

 we packaged up 10 so far and more will soon follow!

The nice part of a challenge like this is that is starts something good and keeps on going!

Keep donating quilts!

(I'm excited because I just found a contact to receive quilts for kids in a local orphanage, though they don't call it that anymore!)

 

Hands 2 Help Challenge

I knuckled under and did all of the quilting on the little sheep panel quilt!  It was a lot of fun to meander around all of the 'curls'!  It was bound in no time and it is so cheerful up on the design wall!

The back is a pretty turquoise of swirls leftover from the fabric I used to make the new shades in the family/kitchen rooms.  This will be in the mail to Quilts for Kids today!  Thank you for Sarah's work to coordinate this challenge each year!

Down to the Wire!

 I stopped after going to the doctor's yesterday (appt to adjust meds)

to the quilt shop in town to buy some backing for the last two kid's quilts for Christmas.

I found the backing with no problem and as usual struck up a conversation with the woman about what I was doing with the fabric and she told me about another lady who was trying to get a lap quilt for everyone at the local nursing home who didn't have a family member and wasn't going to get a present this Christmas.  

There were 60 such residents and she was working to make one for each of them!  

I got her phone number and told her that I had at least 10 to send along.  (and found 12)

I diverted these from the pile to go to the hospital to her.

And we have plans to start earlier this to do something similar for next year!

(she started making them in September this year and was only a dozen short!) 

Not quite a Santa's knapsack, but close!

You don't have to look very far to find those that need help.

I am still going to give the 5 kids' quilts to the hospital for any Christmas day incidents in the ER!

Decked!

The guys started right in on the shed this morning, and moved to nailing the decking this afternoon.

 I hung up this curio cabinet we found when cleaning out that old portable garage.

 It is hanging in the sewing room over the antique sewing machine.  I filled it with little knick knacks that were out and about the house.

 Another unpacking find-an old clay plant hanger which I scrubbed, filled with new soil and a planted a baby bromeliad inside of it!

After lunch while them men worked, the ladies went to do the sleeping bag sewing.  After dinner, I sewed this bias challis scarf for Mom.  Now, I am headed to the recliner and some knitting!

Savoring the Day

Tomorrow, family has to depart for Georgia but today was filled with sharing time!  Marsel and I went into the sewing room and she pieced a child's quilt for QuiltsforKids then loaded it right onto the frame and quilted it!

I pieced my Psalms quilt to go in the living room. 

Abigail enjoyed feeding the crane first thing in the morning.

David was pretty contented throughout the day; fishing with Grandpa and quiet time, too.

Bill found a bunch of old flower pots that had been thrown out.-Marsel and I scrubbed them

and then using Sherwin Williams spray paint, gave them a new life.  These will grace the pool area soon!

The decking is all finished and the texture is sprayed on.

This texture will prevent (well help prevent) falls in the pool area. 

The men cleaned out the pool of construction detritus and  grouted the tiles.  It is really getting close to completion!  Just in time, too-our temps are in the high 80's every day and the sun is really heating up the air.

This area of the decking was left smooth and will not be textured.  Can you guess why?

(I am seeking out a set of cues and pucks on Craigslist.....)

On the Level

                                 
Today, the men took the forms away and backfilled the pool sides then they began the work of leveling the area that will be the decking for the patio. 

Mom and I had a dedicated sewing day.  We put together the quilt tops using the fabric that came from the Quiltsforkids.org kits.  What a great day.

 We even ate lunch outside for only the second time since they have been here this winter!  No biting wind, just delicious sunshine.  I will be putting these on the frame as soon as I finish Mom's wall hanging that is on there.

Dad worked on the derusting the roof.  He made quite a bit of racket while we were sewing but it meant he was on the roof and not falling.......... Look at that beautiful sky!

When I came home  this afternoon, I took a nap in the backyard and this is what Nyki did to try and get to me!  She was determined to find a way to get to me! 

Good thing we are going to screen  in the pool area and she will get to play 'outside'!  She will love it!

(Today Bill was in Lake City again, replacing the alternator on Matthew's car which died the other day.  What a day!)

Ribs

The pool guys worked in the drizzle all day and now the pool looks like it has ribs!
The men went to a farm auction today and Mom and I went to Daytona Beach for a JoAnnFabrics fix and to find a new quilt shop.  Wonderful to spend time together as always!
I bought some supplies; needles for quilting and rotary cutter blades and lining for a new dress for Abigail and a tie for David.  Mom bought some batting for the next quilt project we have planned. 

We sent for a quilt kit from Quiltsforkids.org which is a charity that supplies quilts to area hospitals, shelters etc.   Click on tab titled How to Help and then to request a kit and you will have a kit in the mail in a week!  You have to supply the batting and the binding and machine quilt it then send it back to them in a month.  Check them out!

Oh, yeah; Bill brought this home from the auction today............he says it is for me because I have always said if I had one of those zero turns I would mow our lawn!   Now we will see if I can!  (For inquiring minds...this is a Toro Z master, 72" cut)

And these are for Bill who has an idea............tanks for solar hot water for the pool. 

A New Month and a Clean Slate

I did a little shopping at my new local fabric shop!  (I had gone to get a zipper and some quilt backing and ended up having a grand time!)

I loaded a new quilt on the frame-more on this one later.

I have been spending a bit of time in the sewing room.  I have ignored my first love of garment sewing for  ages.  It has gone well......

A mantle scarf is coming forth.......

                                             

I finished the cursed pair of butterfly socks! ....well, finished knitting them; I will hit the dye pot today as I have quite a waiting list for color.  (See the ink stain......hoping to reduce that with  some spot remover before the dyepot.)

Bill has added the fireplace header!  We had the usual husband/wife language barrier for adding a fireplace to this room.  It has been remedied at a structural level and tomorrow we go to the fireplace store to do some visuals! 

A very great start to a new month!

Home is Where You Lump!

We slept in this morning........it is so nice to be out of the car! The traffic was light and the company was great! The cats did wonderfully but were so glad to be home to their own territory again, too!

To recap a few highilghts of our trip...
Friday-hugs on arrival and then we went to watch my neices (count over from the left to the third and fourth soccer players) play their final game of summer soccer (they won!)....... Saturday-We had a family picnic and some of us swam. Sunday we went to church and had the pleasure of fellowship with old friends......the cats adopted my Dad's chair to sleep in all day-and the biggest surprise is that he let them! No one ever sits in my Dad's chair but my Dad-yes, you are mellowing, Dad, no matter how much you try to deny it!!!

Monday-sewing with my Aunt and Mom- who combined their stashes and we were able to make 4 large lap quilts for the women's shelter in Oswego.
Monday evening we enjoyed a boat ride at my brother's......we made it to shore just before a huge rainfall hit!
Tuesday-Bill went fishing to Geneva with a friend-not too many fish but a sunburn and lot's of good conversation! I spent the day with Mom/Dad and we sewed. (Thanks to Charleen for the disappearing 9 patch inspiration!) Tuesday evening I borrowed Dad's car to go and meet a soul-mate of a friend -I was told to be careful, not to speed and be home by 10 o'clock-talk about a flashback!
Wednesday-visited a neighbor who had recent knee surgery; took the neices to drs appt, shopped 'til we dropped and met my sister for lunch! (We went to Gino & Joe's which is my favorite pizza shop!)

The guys had a field trip, too, and bought 7 old mowers for my Dad to 'fix'! He has had a hard time finding any this summer but they made up for it in one trip! (Thanks to Bob,the packrat, who parted with some of his treasures!)

We played cards, dominoes and talked and knitted and laughed..............thanks Mom and Dad for a great week!