Tree Blocks for a Cause

A few months ago the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild in New South Wales, Australia had reached out to the world of quilters through their website and social media groups, requesting tree blocks in their effort to make quilts for the affected families of the #bushfires in their communities.  You can read their original post here: Australia is Burning. 

I love the meaning/purpose behind the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild's request for tree blocks, and think it would be an excellent paragraph of symbolism to add to a quilt label:
"...The tree is a symbol of growth and nourishment. A tree symbolizes the generations of a family; a tree sprouts from a seed, the roots provide strength and stability, and whilst the new sapling is young and vulnerable they are protected by the other trees until they grow and flourish. In time the branches spread and then create new fruit that gives life to the next generation."

So in light of the above, I started collecting tree patterns.  I now have a pretty big stack of them.  But due to the limited time I had available for working on them, I was never able to finish and send more than 5 blocks. 😩  I did have a 6th block under the sewing needle, but couldn't get it done on time.  (Deadline to ship was February 29th). 

Due to the fact that I have accumulated so many tree patterns, I still hope and plan to make each one of them at some point in the near future.  And since there is a worthy cause and need for donated quilts and quilt tops here in the United States, I will make and donate a quilt/quilt top to my favorite charity, Quilts of Compassion.  They travel the states, hand delivering quilts to victims of natural disasters.  I've donated quilts and quilt tops to them in the past, but it's been a couple of years since I've had any to send their way.  This will be an excellent way to use those tree block patterns for another very good cause!

Well anyway...  below are photos of the 5 blocks I sent over to WMQG... hoping they will make whomever gets the quilt(s) they will end up being sewn into, happy.  That's all that matters to me!
Pattern credits are on each photo.

More Fun on the Farm Blocks!

Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day...

For those of you who love BOM programs...especially FREE BOM's, then this is definitely one you should look into.  It started a few months ago, but it's never too late to jump in.  I participate through the Facebook Group page: Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day (click to go to the group page)

I’ve fallen behind on my #funonthefarmbom by a few months due to having too many sewing projects going on at the same time, but here's some more blocks I did manage to get made since my last post on this particular BOM subject...

Here's my “Matt the Sheep” quilt block.  However, I decided to make this block my own way, rather than following the sheep pattern provided for April’s block. Instead, I made the #folkartsheep using a #paperpiecedpattern purchased online. Then raw-edge appliquéd all the rest to complete the #quirky look I wanted. I do wish I had used a different shade of sky fabric for the background, though, so the sheep would stand out better. But it’s too late now!
Note: Here’s where the pattern can be purchased for the Folk Art sheep:

 http://equiltpatterns.com/folk-art-sheep-paper-pieced-quilt-pattern/

Love me some quirky, paper-pieced, #farmanimal #quiltblocks,

with added #appliqué embellishments, LOL!

Just had to get a photo of these two blocks, side by side!

My #sheep is bigger than my #horse 🤣🤣🤣 LOL!

 Next, here’s my #chicken block, which of course, I did my own way

rather than following the pattern that was provided for this BOM.

(Lighting is not the best since it was night time when I took the photo,

and the ceiling lights always tend to make photos seem yellowish).

Anyways, I love #quirky and #wonky so my chicken is quirky,

and my bale of hay is wonky, LOL! 🤣🥴😂

The chicken is paper-pieced, and her name is Lotta.

I purchased the pattern for Lotta from Regina Grewe a few months ago at

http://www.reginagrewe.de/04muster/0439petrillafreunde_e.html

 

And most recently, I made a second

paper-pieced / appliqué Lotta the Chicken block...

this time for someone else, though.

After sharing my photo in the Fun on the Farm Facebook group
of the first Lotta block I made,

another group member jokingly commented she wanted one, LOL!

I told her I would make her one if she really wants one, so I did!

Now that it’s finished and mailed, I can share a photo of it. I hope she likes it! 

 (I love how much better this photo looks than my first Lotta block...

I'll have to retake the other one outside in the daylight to get a brighter shot)!

2018 Finishes

I was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2017, and spent the rest of the year having chemo and radiation.  I lost most of my hair, which as a woman, found it very devastating.  Especially since I'd had long hair for over 10 years.  I had to quit my job due to being too sick to work, and finally after all the cancer treatment was done, I got really sick with a viral infection when my immune system was at its lowest.  I landed in the emergency room where they gave me an antibiotic that in turn started shutting my kidneys down.  I spent almost a month in the hospital fighting for my life.  My kidneys were only working at 20% and I was facing dialysis if things didn't turn around quickly.  After all was said and done, I ended 2017 with the news that I had beat cancer.  2017 was one of the worst years of my life.  It came in with bad news but thankfully went out with good news.  I obviously didn't sew much in 2017.  So in 2018 I made it my goal to finish as many projects as I possibly could.  I am proud to say I feel accomplished in all that I was able to do last year.  Now I'm hoping 2019 will be even better.
And in light of all this, it explains why I haven't been very active here on Blogger in the last couple of years, but here's a recap of some of my 2018 finishes that aren't already part of their own post. 

 

Wingless Wyrm is a paper-pieced quilt block I made
using a pattern design by Jennifer Ofenstein of Sewhooked.com 

Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day

For those of you who love BOM programs...especially FREE BOM's, then this is definitely one you should look into.  It started a few months ago, but it's never too late to jump in.  I participate through the Facebook Group page: Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day (click to go to the group page).

Here's my completed blocks so far...

"Washing Day"

Over the years I've made a number of random quilt blocks.  Mainly because it's my way of trying out a new technique, or just because it's a pattern I like, so I make them and throw them in a pile.  I have made so many random quilt blocks, with no idea what to do with them, when I finally came up with the idea to make a quilt that looks like a clothesline with "quilts" hanging out to dry, and here's what I ended up with!   I even added some kitties at the bottom from some vintage fabric I found at a thrift store.
The blue floral borders on the top of the quilt, and the green patch of fabric on the scrappy back are both true vintage fabrics found at a rummage sale.  I love incorporating vintage fabrics in some of my quilts.
I started this project in 2015 or 2016, and completed it in 2018.

Added Note 6/18/2021:
I'm linking my Washing Day post up to blog post "Show Me Something Outdoors" over at Sarah Goer Quilts.  Give her blog a look and follow for great inspiration!

Canyon Twilight BOM

I'm one of those people who love to participate in Block of the Month and Mystery Quilt programs quite frequently.  But my biggest problem however, is that I tend to get involved in too many at a time, then fall behind in all of them, most of the time resulting in never get a single one completed.

However, the Canyon Twilight BOM, which was  previously offered online through Stitchin' Heaven, Texas' Premier Quilt Shop, is a paper-pieced quilt that I have a strong desire to see finished!  I have long-awaited the chance at making a paper-pieced quilt, but never had the confidence to try one until this year.

We are on our 3rd block/month (September) in the program at this time, so I'm not behind yet!  HAHA!

Here are my first two completed blocks so far...

 

                    Block 1                                                         Block 2                                    

Can't wait to start my third block!

Photo Memory Quilt Block

It's been awhile since I've had time to write a post...even a small one!  I have been on mandatory overtime at work since November, and I've literally had no time whatsoever in my life to sew for the past couple of months.  It's been quite disheartening, to say the least!
This past weekend I finally had some time to spend in my sewing room.  One of the projects I've just started working on is a photo memory quilt featuring photos from my boyfriend's family's life on the farm from the late 1960's.  We found a poster in the attic from when his parents auctioned off the farm, and I've had that put on fabric through Spoonflower.com.  We also found an aerial photo of the farm from before it was sold.  And his eldest sister scanned in some photos and emailed them to me, since she was the only one with a camera taking pictures way back then.  So anyways...  My hopes for this quilt are to have it completed by July so I can display it at our first ever quilt show during the Rosholt Thresheree.  I want the quilt to represent a piece of Rosholt, Wisconsin history, featuring my boyfriend's family.

Here's the very first quilt block, featuring a photo of one of my boyfriend's older sisters...

... this block is paper pieced, and the reason for the orange color-tone is because the poster is actually orange, so I am sticking with the color theme.

I can't wait to see how this quilt turns out...I have it imagined in my mind, but things don't always turn out the way we think they will.  Only time will tell!

A Polka Dot BOM - October 2015 Block

As mentioned in my last post,

I just LOVE participating in BOM's!

Here's my 2nd block from

Melissa Mortenson's BOM over at PolkaDotChair

October 2015 Block

A Polka Dot Chair BOM

I just LOVE participating in BOM's, and I'm actually currently active in a few different ones at this time!

The most recent BOM that I joined is with

Melissa Mortenson

over at the

PolkaDotChair

Her September 2015 Block, was a simple, yet a very fun pattern for me:

Plus Quilt Block

Here's my version of her block:

Wouldn't this look awesome in a quilt, if every block were a plus block?

Can't wait for the next one to come out!

Fun with Quilt Blocks!

I have recently started getting into making wonky house quilt blocks due to a swap I've been participating in on Swap-bot.com, called the "BOM Wonky House Block Swap."  So far I've participated in two of the Wonky House Block Swaps this year, and am really loving how fun these blocks are to make!  Of course, they are paper pieced, so it takes some patience to make them, but they are so adorable when they're finished!!

Here's the two I've made so far...

"House in the Woods"
Block pattern design by Regina Grewe

"Wonky House Block"
Block pattern tutorial by SewCraftyJess

This year has been busy for me...

I haven't had a lot of time to spend in my sewing room the past couple of months,

so unfortunately I've got a lot of UFO's piled up. 

About all I've had time for was a quilt block here and there.

So here's a few more blocks I've managed to squeeze in since the beginning of 2015:

 "Butterfly in the Sky"

"Let Them Eat Cake"

Snapshots QAL: Block 1

"Sew On & Sew On"

Snapshots QAL: Block 2

"Put the Kettle On"

Snapshots QAL: Block 3

"The Penny Arcade"
Pat Sloan's 2015 Vacation Time QAL: Block 4

 

 "The Beach Bag"
Pat Sloan's 2015 Vacation Time QAL: Block 5

"Summer Nights"
Pat Sloan's 2015 Vacation Time QAL: Block 6

"The Hot Dog Stand"
Pat Sloan's 2015 Vacation Time QAL: Block 7

And although I posted about the first 3 Vacation Time blocks in a previous post,

here's a reminder of what those first three blocks look like...

Block 8 just came out on August 1st, so I have yet to make that one!