For Project Linus

I took in three quilts to Project Linus today, plus some fleece for them to use. I've been donating quilts to them now for several years and its a nice way to get practice and have the quilts go to good use. 

This is one of the baby boy quilts. I understand they get plenty of pinks and purple quilts, so I try to make mine ones that little boys would like cuddling up under. This one is called Carter's Cowboy. Its got a flannel back so is quite cozy. The next one is a scrap log cabin.

I rather enjoy this simple classic even in its scrappiest forms. No matter how you put one together, its got that huggable feel to it. I named this one, Home.

And I didn't take a pic of the third one, which was made of two colors of fleece, simply cut and tied around the edges for a fringe. I am not a fan of this kind of quilt, but people like them for their simplicity and care.

The Project Linus site had just opened, and already people were there finishing work on other quilts that had been donated. Some women brought machines and were piecing. I saw a man clipping threads from corners and checking the quilt to see it was complete. It gets packed there as the morning wears on with volunteers from nearby. 

After getting to all the other places on my list, the fabric store was the last stop. I bought material for backing two other quilts that will be shipped out soon, and some for aprons that will become thank you gifts. The library was holding two books on apron-making that have directions in them as well as lots of photos. Hmmm...garment sewing is such a different skill. Oh well, aprons have become popular again. I wonder. 

What I never liked was ironing them and so made sure it was a heavy cotton and not quite canvas. If I don't like ironing, I cannot imagine anyone else doing it. So if I am going to all the work of making them, they have to be really carefree and come out of the dryer good enough to put on again.

Its exhausting going shopping to so many stores in one day, however, living an hour away from the big city means making a list and doing as much as possible.

This is a good time to shop before the holiday rush, which I understand starts by the first of October when the stores begin to stock for December. Yikes!

Well, tomorrow is the day I stop putting off doing the free motion quilting. I sewed the stitch-in-the-ditch lines on the Hallows Ghastleys (and yes, I am taking the liberty of spelling it this way), and the machine is loaded with thread in pink and black so that I do not allow myself to procrastinate about it.

All the new fabric is washed, and I have another reservation at my clubhouse to use the tables to baste again on Wednesday.

Basting. Ah yes, basting. I know that some use a spray basting and some use pins. I like thread basting. Its what I learned for hand quilting, and I like how it holds the quilt together. Pins are usually used for machine quilting, and I have not learned to like that method.

See, this is the joy in choosing something for yourself, and its especially joyful when you are the only one living with those choices. No one cares what I do to make this art work for me. Unless they read my blog, or quilt and it comes up in conversation, my basting method is my own business.

Can you imagine how the quilting world would be shaken if the government or the churches got involved with this simple choice? Bad enough for women that what we do in our bedrooms matters to so many others.  And speaking of my bedroom, its gotten to be a long day, so I am headed off to that purple room down the hall with the sleep number bed and open window.

good night and sweet dreams!