"Crazy" Crazy Quilt is done!

A year ago Tacoma Lakes Quilters challenged its members to create a quilt based on a song from the 50s-60s.  I knew I wanted to use Patsy Cline's "Crazy" in a crazy quilt but I had no idea how to do that.  I spent the year collecting ideas, fabric, embroidery thread, etc.  I took an on-line class in mid-March at Craftsy on crazy quilts and got started with this project about two weeks ago.  One of the things I figured out was how to stiffen fabric enough to run it through my printer so I could print out the sheet music to use as one of the eleven fabrics for each block.  I also learned the embroidery stitches and practiced on these four blocks.  I used three different methods for the four blocks--flip and sew, curved piecing, and applique piecing.  I really enjoyed working on this project and I imagine this is the first of several crazy quilt projects I will tackle.

"Crazy" Crazy Quilt Top

top left block

top right block

lower left block

lower right block

My post today on Outside the Box

Spring rains are forecast here in Maine for the next few days with temperatures in the 40s and 50s.  Because I live at the end of a rather long dirt road, what that signals for me is the beginning of Mud Season. I'll be out splashing in the puddles and the mud in my farmer's boots!  I can't wait for all of the snow and ice to finally melt away.

Today's card features the Memory Box die Splashing Puddles No. 99062 on the cover of the card, cut from Pool Moroccan Dot paper and layered onto a Pool notecard:  

The sentiment is the April Showers Combo stamp B1912 which I cut into two parts so I could use"April showers" on the card front.

I used the rest of the sentiment ("BRING MAY FLOWERS") on the inside of the card along with layered die cuts using the Trumpet Vine die No. 99075:

I think we often focus on the card front and forget that we have all that great white space inside the card which can also be decorated.  If I mail this card, I'll add a layer of bubblewrap and/or cardboard over the flowers to keep the gems from punching through the card front.  

Have you used your Memory Box dies to make flowers or other items for the inside of your cards?  Do you add stamped or die cut sentiments inside?

Happy Crafting!

Fidget Quilts for Alzheimers/Dementia Folks

One of our charity projects at Tacoma Lakes Quilters is to make fidget quilts that will be donated to places that care for Alzheimers/Dementia folks.  We had a workshop/sew-in day this past Wednesday.  I had two tops already made that I'd been working on earlier in the week that I took to show:

This one has a birds and cats theme going on.  It's a pretty one for a woman.
There are buttons tied on, vintage belt buckles, a frog closure, a doily, a felt flower piece and a felt pocket, a little cat sewn on with a ribbon that can go in and out of the pocket, a tassel, patches of polar fleece fabric, velvet ribbon, lace...

I made this one for a guy, using a fly fishing vest cut apart as the main focus.
Lots of zippers and velcro pockets, a buckle, a bead on a ribbon, even a tiny level on a keychain buckled on.

The idea of a fidget quilt is to give the person holding it lots of things to play with--different textures, a variety of objects to fiddle with, zippers and pockets...anything to keep their hands busy.  It is suggested to use bright colors and busy fabrics.  Lace, velvet ribbon, other trims can also be added.  One rule of thumb is to only add things you'd let a child have. 

I now need to add a thin batting and a backing to each one and then quilt it to hold the layers together.  I could eliminate the batting if I back it with fleece or flannel or blanket material.  I think the finished size will be about 24" square.

15 Jungle Lane AKA the muddiest road ever

This is what the town road/Jungle Lane looks like today after driving in and out six times over the last two days.  This is a town-maintained road which really hasn't been maintained other than plowing in the winter for the last twelve years or so.  At that point I did get my Ford wagon stuck in the mud up over the door frame and the town hauled in some rocks and more sand and they dug out the ditch deeper.  

Every year since it has been sort of muddy but never anything like this.  The ruts today are 8-12" deep in places.  Maybe if the road wasn't all sand it wouldn't be this bad.  I do worry about getting a firetruck or ambulance in/out of here if it were necessary.  And with plowable snow predicted for this weekend, I wonder what will happen with the town plow and our own driveway plow guy.

My post today on Outside the Box...March 3rd

Packaging Easter Treats--Peeps and Chocolate Bunnies
Cards, Tags, and Pillow Boxes

See the entire post at:  http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/outsidethebox/