TGIFF!

Hello Everyone! It's another wonderful Friday and time to show off what you've finished this week! I finished a quilt called Diamond Pastures. I used a Cotton and Steal layered cake of Melody Miller's Mustang collection. I paired up my HST with one warm fabric and one cool fabric. It really helped this pattern pop!

This was a pretty easy quilt to put together with large HST, but the design really does stand out due to the color pairing.

I straight-lined quilted the quilt using Aurifil 50wt white thread.

The backing is a collection of Cotton and Steal scraps from the mustang collection as well as some other coordinating Cotton and Steal fabrics.

I pulled a solid out of my stash for the binding. It coordinates nicely, but doesn't necessarily match  everything. I think it compliments the quilt nicely, but doesn't really draw attention to itself.

Now it's your turn to link up those fabulous finishes here. Don't forget to tour the other finishes and spread the comment love! Please include a link and/or button for TGIFF! so your visitors can see other fabulous finishes.

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Gift of a Quilt

I've been giving quilts as gifts since the very first quilt I made back in 2011. I find a real joy in using my hands to put together a gift that comes directly from the heart. I know every piece of fabric in a quilt. I know every stitch. I know the joy of overcoming a challenging pattern, and I know the frustration of completely having to redo a section that just didn't come out right. In the end, I always have a quilt that was made with love for the intended recipient(s).

There are always scraps left over when I finish a quilt. I try to be a good steward of the resources in my sewing room and not be wasteful. I save my scraps to be utilized at a later date. This scrappy flying geese quilt is really the culmination of all those gifted quilts made before it. I can look at each fabric and remember the story of its origin. I can see the babies that were born, the children that were adopted, and the couples whose weddings celebrated the beginning of a wonderful journey. I no longer see a simple piece of fabric, but a life story.

I truly love how all these fabrics came together. I couldn't have asked for a better result considering I didn't have a plan when I initially started piecing everything together back in November. It's so bright and cheerful. It's also a simple flying geese pattern that gives off the impression of complexity with the use of all those scraps.

For the back I found this fabric at Joann's that really complimented the front perfectly. I had some help from Kelly (My Quilt Infatuation) and Jenny, two fellow members of the Memphis Area MQG. I picked this sketched-orange fabric for the binding to add a pop to the quilt. It blends in nicely with the front but really pops on the back.

When I started making this quilt, it didn't have a purpose other than to be just another quilt to snuggle under. A few weeks ago, I was approached by my best friend, Camille, to make a quilt to help raise money for an international adoption by a local Memphis-area woman who wants desperately to grow her family and bring her new 9-year-old daughter home from Central America. I knew this quilt, a collection of life celebrations, was perfect in welcoming home a child into a new home.

I have personally seen the wonderful world of adoption through Camille, the aforementioned best friend. She has adopted 5 children into her family, ranging from newborn babies to fully grown teenagers. Her heart is bigger than most, and she doesn't hesitate to reach out and help others in their own adoption journey. The chance to win this quilt requires only a $25 donation. You can read in more detail about the fundraiser on Camille's blog, Embracing the Odyssey. She has links on her page where you can make a donation and also learn more about the family you will be helping. Every little bit helps and brings this family that much closer to being together at last.

How to Give

There are two options for giving. Click this button:



Or visit Kellie’s You Caring page and use your credit card to donate there.

Of course, if you’re feeling exceedingly generous (or just really have a thing for quilts), please feel free to contact Camille at cclebel@gmail.com for details on how to make a larger, tax-deductible donation.

QuiltCon Pin Swap & Mini

Since getting back from Quiltcon, I haven't had a chance to sit down and truly process the entire experience. It's been a bit overwhelming being back home with the daily demands of life along with a few hiccups...namely coughs, congestion, sneezes, fevers, and upset stomachs. I wish my life as a mother didn't always have to take precedence, but it has. Thankfully, I think we are all on the mend.

The first thing I would like to share with you is the QuiltCon Pin Swap. I'm sure most of you on Instagram are very aware of the pin swapping that was going on at QuiltCon. It was an amazing way to be able to introduce yourself to new people and strike up a conversation by simply swapping pins. Of course, while you are swapping pins, your lanyard starts to get a little heavy as you attach each one. By the end of the day on Saturday, my lanyard was becoming a bit cumbersome with several pins in my pockets since I had completely run out of room.

Even the Sewlebrities were joining in on the pins!  I just had to add a picture of my favorite fabric designer, Denyse Schmidt in there!  :)

By Saturday night, I had transferred all my pins to my conference bag to give me some relief.

I ended up collecting different mini-charm packs at QuiltCon through the swag bag, venders, and presenters. I put my Riley Blake solids, American Made Brand solids, and my Alison Glass mini-charms together to form this fun little mini quilt to hold all my QuiltCon pins now that I'm home.

I also built up the courage and did a little FMQ on the mini quilt. I really like the way it turned out.

My pins now have a lovely home on the wall in my sewing room.  I will be able to look upon them with fondness as I remember my first Quiltcon experience.