Well, here it is! The quilt center is complete and sewn together.

Quilt Center

I’m very pleased with how the top came together. I think the colors work well and I managed to keep my goal of using different values in mind. I guess you can be the judge of that! We went out this weekend and found two fabrics for borders, and I think once the borders are on, it will look even better.

Sarah and I spent quite a while moving blocks around and playing with colors, but ended up with all of the blocks back in their original position! What we found is that we had to replace a few of the filler blocks with different colors. Tomorrow, I’ll show you the blocks we replaced and talk about why. Until then..

Kathy

The last block!! Today is the Rising Star.

Rising Star

Again, Sarah chose the fabrics for this block.  She started with the large print for the middle (which she claimed she just had to have). Then we chose a medium red to compliment for the small star and a dark blue with both red and green for the large star. She was very happy when we found the cream with the little rosebuds that looked like they were falling for the background!

This is the last large block for the quilt – I can’t believe it!  I have just a few filler blocks to complete. On Monday, I’ll do an entry with the filler blocks, then on Tuesday, I’ll show you the quilt top (either on the design wall or sewn).

I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate)!

Kathy

Merry Christmas!  Today’s block is Tree Top Twist.

Tree Top Twist

This is the second block that Sarah chose the fabrics for, and she was very pleased with her choices! She kept saying, “It looks so elegant!” As for me, I was just happy that I was getting comfortable with bias edges at this point. Actually, it was not a hard block to make, and I really like how it turned out as well.  I think it’s a nice addition to the quilt.

Tomorrow’s block is the last block!!! It is the Rising Star.  Until then…

Kathy

Sarah came home! She saw the quilt, and she loved it! She immediately started moving blocks around in her head (like mother, like daughter). So, she helped choose the fabrics for the block today, Year’s End.

Year's End

I had these fun bandana prints that I had not used yet, and she immediately picked one of those up. Then she added the cream lasso print. It makes for a busy block, but definately very cute (and very Sarah)!

Even better, she sat with me in my sewing room and we talked as I was sewing yesterday. Eventually, she ended up falling asleep because she had only slept 2 hours the night before (oh to be 18 years old again )! I don’t know of any better feeling than spending the afternoon sewing with my daughter sleeping in the room with me. What a gift.

Tomorrow, the Tree Top Twist block. Until then -

Kathy

Today is the Old School House. What a great block!

Old School House

This block was so much fun because I was able to throw out convention and look for fabric that looked like sky and earth and windows, etc. I used one of my favorite light blue stripe on cream for the sky, and a brown arrow and star for the roof. To continue the schoolhouse theme, I used a light blue alphabet for the front of the schoolhouse, and a medium red leaf/star to simulate brick for the schoolhouse body. I went for a fun stripe for the windows (thinking they might have window shades!), and a cute little tan floral for the ground.

Just a fun block all around.. and easy to sew! Next entry, Sarah comes home and sees the quilt. What will she think?

Kathy

Our Facebook page is off and running! We now have over 300 fans. Thank you sooo much for your support.

As we were starting our page, we offered two giveaways of our McCall’s special issue, America Makes Quilts from the Heart.

Some of you may be following my journey to make the 25-block sampler in this issue for my daughter.

The first giveaway was for the first 5 fans.  The following  individuals are winners:

- Susan Stroh, Carla Ball, Roverta Beauchamp, Dianne Smith, and Cathy Weber

The second giveaway was a random drawing from the first 50 fans for an additional 5 issues.  The following individuals are winners:

- Beth Bernheisel Bigler, Arlette Lebont, Saska Constien Kock, Denise Pulgino Stout, and Jeanine Aderhold

All of the winners need to e-mail their mailing address to: khannah@creativecraftsgroup.com to claim their prize.  If I do not receive an e-mail within 21 days, another fan will be drawn from the hat, so get those addrsses in.

Congratulations and thanks for all of your support!

Kathy

Hello all.  Well here it is… the second look at the design wall.

Design Wall - Per Pattern

This shows all the blocks as per the pattern.  You will note the small, ugly block with the stripes on the bottom row.  I will probably be re-doing that.  In my attempt to use bolder colors, I seem to have taken a step too far!  I really thought stripes were a good idea at the time, but now that I see the block completed, not so much.

After I put all the blocks up, I started playing around with placement based on color and ended up with this picture:

Design Wall - Redesigned

There are some things I like about moving some of these blocks and some things that don’t work as well.  It was a lot of fun moving them around, though!  What I’ve decided to do is just to finish the remaining blocks (I only have 3 left plus a few of the filler blocks.), and let Sarah have some fun moving them around herself when she comes home on Sunday.  I think she might really enjoy designing her own quilt!

Well, I hope you are enjoying the sneak preview.  Tomorrow is the schoolhouse block.  Until then,

Kathy

Many of you have been following my story about my daughter Sarah, who has joined the Air Force at the age of 18. She will not be deployed overseas (Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea) immediately, but I know that it is likely sometime in the next 2 – 3 years. Some of the staff at McCall’s Quilting have taken a personal interest in supporting our troops and have discovered that many soldiers do not have access to necessities for personal hygiene and do not have anybody to send them mail and/or e-mail from home. We have discovered an organization, Adopt A US Soldier (http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/), and we are actively participating. One of our ladies, Tricia, has written the following:

I heard stories about soldiers not having basic necessities.  I heard stories that there are many who have no one at home, receive no letters or care packages, and it struck me this is Christmas and how alone I would feel in a strange place in the middle so much tension. I simply had to sign up to adopt a soldier!

Oh, I did debate whether or not I could actually commit to sending care packages and letters.  Not really could I, but would I?

I took the step, signed up really late on a Tuesday night, and waited for the email on my assigned soldier.  The website said it could be three days before they would make a match. I was most concerned that I wouldn’t get the information until it was too late to get packages to him/her by Christmas.  On Thursday morning, I woke up with the information sitting in my email.  I was so excited, I was giddy!

My soldier is in Afghanistan. His name is Miguel. He’s in a new compound with no access to purchase necessities except through the local shops. He asked for personal hygiene items and snacks, but most of all some distractions for when they are off duty… for his squad of 15 men.

I’m lucky.  He has intermittent access to email and it is his preferred means of communication. I hear from him every few days, a quick sentence or paragraph. I feel like half the time I just blither on about my day, my cats and dog, the weather. I don’t think it matters. But I know how much it brightens up my day to see a message from him in the in-box.  He begins or ends almost every email with a thank-you, but I wonder if he understands that I should be thanking him.  He’s in a foreign country, away from his family, fighting for me and my freedom. He’s there to make a difference. He gives me the chance to feel like I’m doing something too.

I do not know what he does, where he goes, what he sees, who he interacts with, or if he is in any danger.  I do know that he cares a great deal about the men in his unit, he calls them his friends, and he lets me know if there is something special they’d like.  I’ve only been in the program for 10 days.

The Adopt a US Soldier program needs people.  The website gives a lot of good information and very realistic expectations for its sponsors.  It offers a way to communicate with others, a place to ask questions, and to get answers from someone who has experienced the same concerns. It offers support on subjects I hadn’t even thought about before I signed up from people that have firsthand knowledge. It offers tips and examples of things to send and how to fill out the shipping forms.  It’s been operating for about 5 years, and hopes to continue until there’s no longer need.  They are a 501c3 organization and they could use your support, because right now, they have more soldier requests than they have sponsors.  www.adoptaussoldier.org (See picture below of Tricia’s adopted soldier.)

*****

Thanks for listening -

Kathy

Hello! Well, as many of you have guessed, I will not be finishing this quilt for Christmas! Fortunately, I have been granted a small extension until Sarah goes to her permanent duty station on January 12, 2010. I think that will work perfectly. Actually, I think she might enjoy seeing the blocks on the design wall and possibly moving them around. I will be finished with all of the blocks by Sunday when she comes home for Christmas – Yeah!!!

Today’s block is Patchwork Fantasy.

Patchwork Fantasy

This block has a lot of story behind it. First, I went out on a limb for the fabric selection. I chose a large print cream for the background, which is unusual since I had been sticking with small prints. Then, I chose a bright, bold blue and a dark, bold red as well, and I love the effect!

Another thing that I am proud of is the very straight lines in the half-square triangles. Last week I was talking with Sherri Bain Driver (our resident quilting expert) about my problems with this and we came to the conclusion that I was trying to control the fabric to much. (I can hear my husband laughing at this point. We’ve been married for 20 years and he would say very sarcastically that I have NO control issues!) I have a Pfaff Creative Vision 2.0 with IDT which means the machine feeds very straight. If I would just start the seam straight, the machine would take care of it for me. Well, on this block, I finally gave up control and let the machine do the work. And what do you know, the seams are straight as an arrow! Hallelujah!

So, this block carries a lot of emotional angst with it .  Kind of a lot to fit in a 12″ square. Tomorrow is a sneak peak at the design wall in a couple of configurations.  I hope you enjoy it. Until then…

Kathy

We are all very excited here at McCall’s Quilting.  Our Associate Editor, Sherri Bain Driver’s son, Ryan has been selected to participate with his group, Face in a national competition, “The Sing-off”.

Face (Ryan on far right)

Face is headquartered in Boulder (see their website, www.facevocalband.com) and performs both locally and nationally.  Face is a nationally recognized all-vocal rock band bringing a new edge and attitude to the human voice. Using just five singers and a vocal drummer or “beat-boxer,” Face creates a rock-music phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed. No other instruments or special effects – just six guys.

The Sing-off will be premiering tonight on NBC, December 14, 2009 at 8:00/7:00 central time. Join us in supporting Ryan and enjoy some fabulous a cappella entertainment. Congratulations, Ryan!