Quilt Photo Year 7 in Review

This is a really late post.

My quilting year goes from the first of October to the end of September.  I usually post in October. This is because of when I started to blog. Obligations and necessities took over + Festival.    I knew I had 5 months of personal business that occupied all of my time.  However, I could not figure out why I had such a little bit of output for the other 7 months.  Then, as I was looking at last years calendar to update to 2015, I found the reason.  I remembered that I put a LOT of time into this quilt.  Did not realize how much until I looked at my calendar notes. My calendar notes revealed the whole story.  I started sketching this quilt on 24 January; finished piecing 21 March; just made the photo deadline on 2 May.  I know that later I had to do all of the back finishing, including putting on the sleeve.  I also know that my hands were in too much pain from arthritis to even think about doing hand work.  Therefore, following advice from my very supportive Quiltart group, I did all of my finishing with glue, namely 'liquid stitch'.  It worked wonderfully.  

Blue Rose

Blue Rose center

Chair Bag for Festival 2013

This worked GREAT!  A few folks did notice that I was from quiltart.  However, the biggest use was for storing stuff collected/purchased during the show.  Big stuff of course was shipped.

Butterflies for mobile

This was a Fast Friday Fabric Challenge.

Mobile in Motion

Chemo Quilt

Chemo Quilt

Chemo Quilt

Quilt of Honor

Drone Quilt block

This has become part of a quilt protesting drones.

Star for Houston

too small

Star for Houston

too small

Star for Houston

Frustrated with my pieced stars ending up too small, I used a large piece of yellow linen as the backdrop for this GLITZy star.  What FUN to find it in one of the quilts in Houston commemorating time in the space station with astronaut Karen Nyberg.

Fun Wear

I received the bath robe and a  long night gown as a gift from my cousin Carla.  Not one to wear long gowns, I did a major remake.  I added/revamped the robe belt with a quilted one.  After making a shorty top [with added fabric to trim the bottom] from the night gown, I used the fabric to make PJ shorts, mini top for really HOT weather [that did not get much use] plus made some coordinating short pants and added trim to a Salvation Army collared knit top to complete my night wear ensemble.

This review is NOT in any special order.  The photos are in the order that my program uploaded them.  However, basically, it is what I created during this slice of time.

Quilt of Honor = Stars

This is my second star quilt for a veteran.  I liked the first one.  However, I think the larger size of the stars, make this one much  bolder.  These quilts are always needed to bring a little comfort to our recovering veterans.

Quilt of Honor, 40x60

Pattern

Please feel free to use this.  For the stars I drew a star on paper then paper pieced it.  Sorry, I can not find my drawings.  If you make squares the size of the squares + half inch, draw the star, and then paper piece, it should work.

Chemo Quilts = 4 more

T'is the season for charity quilts.  Always needed, this time of year they help a lot.

I like to make theme quilts.  The kids get to pick their own quilt, so it is fun to guess which one will go first.  I think the Cat Theme will attract a girl; Outer Space = boy; Sweet Treats = either boy or girl, young or teenager; simple shapes for a Young Child.

Cat Theme

Outerspace Theme

Sweet Treats Theme

Simple Shapes for a very Young Child

Quilt of Honor

Quilt of Honor

My idea was to have these large stars as the 'flow of interest'.  Unfortunately, it got tooo tooo busy.  I bought a lot of red-white-blue fabric, but very little red fabric or blue fabric.  Lesson learned, I hope.  

Layout on my Bed

My bed is the usual place where I lay out my designs.  I have to be confident that I can get it sewn before I meed to use my bed for sleeping OR take a photo for reference.  I take a lot of photos.

My Design Plan

I redesigned this today.  The next 'Quilt of Honor' will have bigger stars and smaller background pieces.

Camp Sunshine and Quilt Installation

 

Welcome to Camp Sunshine

 

Entrance Doors address ALL who come here.  This is an absolutely amazing place.  The main building is huge because of all the needs it must address. 

 

Entry Walk

 

People may buy a brick to help support the work here.

 

 

 Donna and Me in the Main Entry

 

This is a very large area used both for  entry and circulation between pool, dining hall, and age related play and gathering areas.  Donna,  grant writer and wonderful hostess, is helping me hold my donation:  A Friendly of Five Fabulous Fishes Frequently Travel with Two Terrific Tag-a-longs. 

 

Right Side of the Entry

 

The cozy bench and animals invite snuggling.  The corners are round to flow into the 12' wide hall which is adorned with memory quilts.

  

A Very Welcoming Quilt

 

Quilts Made by and for a Special Disease

 

 

 

Each Camp Session address One Disease

 

The quilts above were made by and for one of the groups.

This Support Post was turned into a Volunteer List

 

There is a little yellow shirt with a name of a volunteer.  One side is for 5 years or more; another for 10, etc.  Donna told me this place could not operate without all of the wonderful volunteers.  While I was there many volunteers were pulling wagons with a child in side going from one event to another.  There are lots of wagons for children to ride in because many have a difficult time walking, especially in such a big place.

These Guys Great Everyone at the Dining Room Entrance

 

Dining Hall - Theater End

 

They often have productions involving the campers.  Quilts are hung from the ceiling to add  warmth and absorb noise.  Although this is an institutional size building, many efforts have been done to bring it down to scale and add warmth and interest.  The lights overhead are people doing different things.  This is another work of art.

Dining Hall as seen from the entry

 

A Cozy Spot in the Dining Hall

 

 

The following murals are All by wall muralist Mary Bleackfeather, herself a cancer survivor.  As you can see, these add such a warm, wonderful addition to this building.  I personally loved them.  Everytime I saw one, I smiled automatically. 

 

Bathroom Entrance

This one is close to the one above.

Shower Entrance, Females

Shower Entrance, Males

Computer Room

 

Hall Leading to the Infirmary- starting corner

Hall to Infirmary - entrance is just around the corner

Infirmary Waiting Room

Shower Curtains Decorate the Stair

 

There are craft rooms for every age.  One popular project is painting shower curtains.  After decorating the stair, they go into the family room baths.

 My Guild Friend, Sharon

 

She drove me and the quilts [ Beside my wall quilt, 5 bed quilts were donated by our members.] out to this wonderful facility with a heart as big as its' structures.  Sharon posed just before we left.  We both have warm memories of our visit and plan to find ways we can contribute more.

  

 

 Play House

 

This is attached to a Play Room for Young Children-Toddlers

 

 

My Quilt Installed

 

The entrance to the Play House in on the left side of the photo.  In my mind my quilt might be a little high.  However, it is hard to tell from the photo as everything here is child size.

 

  

Quilt Hanging System

 

Before I delivered the quilt, I sewed Velcro to the back and also glued and stapled Velcro to a wooden 1x2 drilled to mount on the wall.  This way the children can touch the quilt, yank it down, get it dirty, yet cause no harm.  It will be easy to wash it when needed.

For more information about Camp Sunshine, please visit
http://www.campsunshine.org/

QUILTS NEEDED

Camp Sunshine needs bunk size quilts, especially for boys. They now use the same size for bunks and beds. Width 63" - 78"; length ~ 87" long. The new bunks are the longest ones. This 87"-90" length is the size most needed.  As true of most places, quilts for boys are in short supply. They would prefer long bunk quilts that are age appropriate, with a theme that might appeal to either a boy or a girl, especially quilts for teens. Of course, bright, cheery colors are always important for these special children age baby through 18.  Each family room has a futon for the parents [yes, that also needs a quilt] and bunk beds for the children.  There is also space for a crib or cot if that is needed.

As an example, the quilts of mine that she particularly liked are the 'Tinkerbell quilt' for a girl and the 'Musical instruments quilt' for a teen, especially a boy.

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2013/03/bed-quilt-for-girl.html

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2013/01/twin-size-boy-quilt-features-musical.html

It is not that these quilts are so wonderful.  It is just that they relate to a girl, boy or someone interested in music.  Donna said that she prefers quilts that are "age related" as opposed to a quilt that might be OK for anyone.  In my opinion, these special children deserve a quilt that relates to them.

If you would like to contribute a bed quilt or other work, please contact

Donna Leith

Development Team/Grant Writer

Camp Sunshine

35 Acadia Road

Casco, Maine 04015

207-655-3800 (telephone)

207-655-3825 (fax)

This is seventy, number 19

 

For more information on "seventy", please see the post below.

 

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2013/01/one-black-square.html

 

Ovarian Cancer Rearch Funded by Quilts

A Taste of Summer 2

16" x 20"

 

This is my contribution to the MD Anderson Quilt on-line auction to benefit ovarian cancer research.  Quilts of all sizes and styles are welcomed through May 2013.  The auction will be October 23 to November 6, 2013.  Please consider donating a quilt.  It can be a small or large art quilt, lap quilt, bed quilt or simply make some blocks as suggested on their site.  At present, there is no good way to detect ovarian cancer until it is in an advanced stage.  One of the primary goals is to discover a way to detect ovarian cancer in an early stage.

 

A Taste of Summer 2

detail

Mailing Package with Donation Form

 

Everything is padded and then enclosed in plastic.  I am having a more difficult time mailing this year because I put my quilt on a stretched canvas.  It was necessary because I needed to support the 'skirt' part of the dress.

The direct link to the donation site is below.

http://www.mdanderson.org/how-you-can-help/other-ways-to-help/ovarian-quilt-project/make-a-quilt/index.html

Please consider donating a quilt to this very worthy cause.