ORIGINS

I never got my post together until now

regarding this pattern I tested last fall.

ORIGINS QUILT by Lifting Limits Quilts.

Carrie Cordes did an excellent job designing this fun and easy quilt.

I like to pattern test with an end result

of having a quilt top I can donate to one of my

favorite quilting charity groups.

Usually that is Stitching Sisters here in Columbus, OH

We make lap quilts for cancer patients at the

local OSU hospitals.

I bring fabric home from their sewing center,

as they have lots of donations.

Then the hunt begins to find fabric for

the current pattern I am testing.

I pulled some purple, blues and whites out and began sewing the strip sets.

Before I knew it I had the first part of strip sets made.

And shortly after that my deign wall 

came alive with the pretty colors.

Lighting outside was finally good...

sew it was photo opp day

Such a bright and happy quilt

amongst the garden that was sleeping.

One of my fav pics is this one.

My neighbors house has the perfect little fence

and pretty decking wall.

My hubby and quilt wrestler helped me get a good shot.

If you like this pattern you can purchase it here.

It's beginner friendly and FQ friendly as well!

Since I used the Stitching Sisters fabrics...

this one will go to them.

What charity projects are you helping?

WONDER WHY it took me so long!

To finish and post about this quilt that began in  2021.

This was a "sewcial distance" challenge

between Kim Hensley and me.

I sewed it at the beach but it sat for awhile.

Kim was learning to use her new

INNOVA longarm and needed some practice quilts.

I was the girl for her! I have quilts just waiting!

Her new business is Happily Every Quilting.

She's still a full time VIP for Nationwide but

when she retires in a few years, this will be her

FUN full time job!

She is a super Disney Fan, has a family season membership 

to Disney World...making this the perfect name for 

her loves and passions!

She used a Star and Moon E2E design.

It was difficult to get good pictures

as the fabric is very light, but I tried.

I used WONDER by Kate and Birdie.

This baby quilt will hang with me til a baby comes

along that I just have to give it too!  

A ‘PERKY’ TABLE RUNNER

Sometimes being a pattern tester has ‘perks’ 

besides getting great patterns. 

For instance, fabric!

Corinne Wells of Frannie B Quilt Company

Designed a new line called ‘Elegance’. 

She reached out to her testers and asked if we could turn around 

a quick project using her new fabric line. 

I committed  to make a table runner and really 

loved the mustard colors in this line. 

Corrine sent me these fat quarters. 

I looked thru my patterns, quilt books, Pinterest for inspiration.

Found this pattern by Nancy Zieman.

The heartbeat idea didn’t do anything for me..

but I could figure a design that would be my style. 

We could only use solids or blenders to keep

her fabric line the star.   

I pulled these together.

A GRUNGE became my blender

And the cutting began 

I changed the pattern design to my liking. 

Making one continuous strip across vs the heart beat chart look!

A Denyse Schmidt stash fabric became the backing.  

I liked the was it was coming together. 

QUICKLY!

QAYG (quilt as you go) never disappoints me.

It’s just lovely!

The gold/mustard GRUNGE was perfect 

for the binding. 

This will look great this fall on my dining room table.

Now the hunt is on for the green and mustard pumpkins. 

TOMTE CHRISTMAS

Stitching things off my UFO list!

This little gnome quilt TOMTE is sew adorable.

How could I resist.

I cut it out in fall of 2021 and intended to make

at a quilt retreat. But that didn't happen.

Back home last winter...the stitching began.

It went together sew quickly!

And begin a BUCKEYE FOR LIFE

you know my Gnome had to have a OSU hat!

Kim Hensley of Happily Ever Quilting

did a FABULOUS job on this quilt.

GO BUCKS!

STITCHING FOR THE SISTERS

I love my volunteer work with The Stitching Sisters 

We make lap quilts for patients going thru chemo treatments

at the James OSU Hospitals in Columbus OH.

The director, Joanne Lester, is on the left, me on the right!

I do a lot of my charity work for them at home.

I found 20+ Trip Around The World blocks..

I stated these about 10 years ago…

time to send them on to be used.  

I brought this fabric home from the center and made a kit.

Someone else will piece it and another

will quilt it and someone else will bind it.

 Everyone has the tasks they enjoy!

A donated FQ bundle into a kit.

More Connecting Threads fabric

for more kits.

I pulled together all my orphan blocks

 and used SS fabric for the background

A great sampler top!

More Connecting Threads fabric

into a different pattern.

I brought all this home with me

 to cut and kit at my leisure.

And this grouping. 

And sew this charity...continues

with hundreds of volunteers and millions of stitches,

thousands of recipients who have a moment to smile

and know someone cares about their journey.

Hugs from quilters, stitched with love.