Scrapping for a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis

Last year I was asked to participate in an auction that benefits Cystic Fibrosis.  The organization I worked with is called Scrapping for a Cure.  It was started and is still run by Rachael McGuire and her family.  Rachel is the mother of Kaitlyn; a pretty fabulous 9 yr-old diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 18 months old.  Rachel and her sisters have been hosting a scrapbook retreat ever year since 2010.  I made a quilt last year for the auction and helped to raise almost $2000  over $8,600 (Edit: the $2,000 was from a different and singe event - garage sale- they hosted this year that will go towards the 2016 donation); the most they have risen since they began doing the auction. 

I learned about this cause and event through my friend Tara, Kaitlyn’s aunt.  Tara is probably the most creative person I know (and I know a ton of creative people).  She is that person you aspire to be and hate at the same time.  We met scrapbooking about 5years ago and have been friends ever since. 

The scrapbook retreat happens in March, here in Memphis.  Its always filled with fun, prizes, classes, and friends (new and old).  There is usually a pop-up shop or two for those who run out of supplies too.  I have been and have volunteered.  It’s a blast.  I am hoping that this year I will be able to join in the fun again. 

The quilt – The colors for CF are purple and blue, so I stuck with that when planning.

I quilted in a stipple pattern using aurifil 50wt thread in Dark Purple.  The background is Kona cotton Purple and the binding is Konna cotton Mulberry.

we did pick up and recycle that bottle someone left.  ;)

the back is probably my favorite...almost always is

The quilt finished at 72x72

I had more people want to buy this quilt from me than any other quilt I have ever made – so next year I am telling people about the auction before it starts instead of after.  lol

Check out the Scrapping for a Cure Facebook page and website for more information. 

 

I am hoping that this year will be even bigger and better for them and I have been asked to make another quilt.  I have sent a request out to my quilt guild members for fabric donations and/or block donations for a scrappy star quilt.  The 2016 quilt will be even better than the 2015 I just know it. 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

-       Katelyn

Color Explosion - ROYGBV category

My second entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival is my Color Explosion mini quilt for the ROYGBV category. 
I made this mini for the Schnitzel and Boo mini quilt swap.  I picked through my scraps and tried to find my favorites for each color.  I used Elizabeth Hartman's octagonal orb block and it came out about 16inx16in. 

I call it Color explosion because it starts out small with the low volume colors in the center and just gets brighter.  Real original.  lol

I quilted with a baptist fan design - using my walking foot...so cheating.  The thread was Aurifil 2024. 

You can see my two original posts here and here. This is the first rainbow anything I have made, and I am in love with it.  I think I should make one for myself. 

Thanks for stopping by!

 - Katelyn

Triangle Baby - Small Quilt Category

My first entry to the Blogger's Quilt Festival is Triangle Baby. I am entering the 40x45 baby quilt in the Small Quilts category. 

A while back I wanted to try out triangles.  My cousin was having a baby girl and I knew that would be the perfect small project to try them out for the first time.  I had a 60 degree triangle ruler and after picking out a few scraps of pink fabric I cut the largest sized triangles I could, 5.5 inches.  Then I used some Kona Berry for my background - man does it pop!

I love the randomness.

The back is made up of Kona - bright pink, azalea, camellia, carnation, medium pink, baby pink.

I quilted straight lines using my walking foot at random depths.  I used Aurifil 50wt in Pink Taffy.  The varigating thread looks so nice.

You can see my original post is here.

Thanks for visiting.  Please be sure to check out all of the other quilts in the Blogger's Quilt Festival. 

- Katelyn

Sew Eclectic

Fat Quarter Shop has a quilt along benefiting St. Jude (man I would love to work there some day).  The second block is an adorable sewing machine and I knew I had to use it.  My most recent #birthdayclubhandmade gift was a great chance to do that. 
March's birthday love's bright colors and low volume.  Her fav brights are lime and orange.  Those colors are not quite my forte so when i picked out the fabrics I was afraid that I wouldn't like how it turned out.

But it was cool.  Bright and I love it. 

I used this time to try out "new-to-me" FMQ.  I had so much fun sewing on this and trying new things.

Background Pebbles

I tried for point-to-point

tiny match-stick and some criss-cross

I was trying to make the thread look like thread.  lol

I had to make sure that she always remembers that it came from Tennessee!  And I tried to write "handmade" in the blue.  I'm so happy I did it in blue.  lol

Yes, I did momentarily forget the year...in permanent ink.

The back is this adorable quilter's newspaper...I think it is timeless treasures, but I can't say for sure. 

I bound in a Sour Apple solid and I think it brings out more of the green in the mini.

What are some quilting stiles you would have tried?  Or want to learn?

- Katelyn

Too small or just right?

I wanted to make a table runner for my #birthdayclubhandmade friend Tiffany.  I haven't ever made a table runner before.  And I didn't even try to think about how long it should be. 
I decided on a pineapple block because she loves Rita from Red Pepper Quilts.  And her fav fabric combos are b&w and rainbow. 

I had no idea how long this little paper pieced block would actually take me!  With my limited sewing time, her birthday quickly came and went without a finished table runner.  

Then I had these four cool pineapple blocks and realized that would not be enough. 

So I made some others.  Its pretty cool how by changing the order of the fabric colors the block looks entirely different. 

I do love the way it turned out, but I would like to make a pineapple something - not a big something - someday that really has that pineapple block look.

The table runner is 14x28.  That is fairly small.  But I told myself that she might have a small table AND you don't want food to actually go on it, right?  :)

Backing - Jay McCarroll Center City Los Angeles  and Binding is Kona Cotton in Slate

 

 

 

 

These kids thought it should become a toy - lol.

So have you made a table runner before?  What is your go to measurement?  How how to you decide how long to make it?

 - Katelyn

Giving is living

Well, I already missed a week.  Opps.  I think Test weeks are gonna be no post weeks. 

I wanted to share the two #birthdayclubhandmade gifts I sent off  for the October and December birthdays.  I loved making these gifts - doing things I had never tried before and "new-to-me" patterns.

Abby is a huge starwars fan - so I made a circle and started hand quilting during lectures.

Then when I finished and sent if off - I forgot to take a picture.  So I stole this one from Abby's IG.

I was so happy it actually looked like the death star when I was done.  It ended up being about 12x12. 

Then Kelsey loves blue as much as I do, so I went with an all blue palatte.

I used a paper piecing pattern for the dresden.  And turned it into a pillowcase.  I have a dresden ruler...but I have never used it.  Someday.  Do you have any special rulers you love to use?  Any dresden tricks to share?



 - Katelyn

Birthday Club Handmade

Mostly I live in the library, which doesn't allow sewing machines. 
Nursing school is my life right now and that is just how it is.  The really sad part is that I miss sewing a tiny bit more than I miss my friends (sometimes - I mean we all have to work pretty hard to find time to hang out even when I am not in school). 
But I have had the coolest opportunity...
Instagram has lead me to a whole new set of friends, friends I have never meet, but totally love.  They are hilarious and incredibly talented (I tend to follow makers).  Through IG I found myself in a birthday group.  We are a small group (as to not get overwhelmed), just 7.  That is 7 months out of the year instead of 12.  The goal is to make something for the birthday girl that she will love and that is totally handmade.  I have made several new friends and love making gifts. 
My birthday was first and I didn't really know what to expect -
My mind was blown!

Pillow case from @tiffanytravels

gorgeous machine quilting and hand quilting!

@kelseysews made this amazing mini

Then @argyle24 used my FAVORITE AMH print to make a purse and pouch.  I use them everyday.

@michelledale79 - look at all those blues!  and that quilting!  

@purplepoppyquilts gave me a rainbow and branched out to paper piece for the first time - fantastic!

 I am one lucky girl.  I have been truly blessed in swaps.  I have had wonderful partners.  I know some people have not had the best experience with swaps and that makes me SO sad cause I think they are so much fun.  And a great way to get to know quilters from afar.  Check out what my group has done on IG with the hashtag #birthdayclubhandmade.
Have you ever participated in a swap?  What did you think about the experience?


- Katelyn

Hiatus Over

It’s been a LONG time.  Oops.  

I got new glasses - and gained a bit of unwanted weight

I have been busy with school and family and just stopped blogging.  I am still in school and my family will always be busy (I now have 8 nieces and nephews instead of just 6). 

However, I have discovered that I kind of miss blogging.  I am constantly on instagram, but it isn’t quite the same.  So I have decided to try to come back.  I am going for a once a week post – we’ll see how that works out.  I’m just gonna start with what I have been doing recently and then what little I have gotten accomplished over the past year. 

My SIL and her three kiddos are living with us until my brother comes back from deployment.  Its fun having them around, but I am spending most of my time in the library at school. 

Such cuties!

I have been hand piecing and stitching in my “spare time” during lectures at school and quick little 10 min breaks while studying.  It helps to save my sanity.  I may never finish a project, but it makes me happy.  Due to this I took the leap and joined on the bandwagon with the La Passacaglia quilt.  It is a pattern by Willyne Hammerstein from her book Millefiori Quilts. It is all over IG and I just couldn’t resist.  I got the book, templates, and precut papers from Pink Door Fabrics – for an amazing price.  

 

Where I am at with Rosette #1

beginnings of rosette #2

next step ready to go

I am working on round at a time, just picking the fabrics as I go.  It is so much fun for me to do it that way.  Its like I don’t know what is gonna come next so it stays exciting.  lol.  I may need to try and alter my definition of exciting. 

Back to the nursing school grind.  See yall next week!

 - Katelyn