Hexie Weekend of Sorts

Since I've been working on that commissioned quilt, haven't had time to do much else, so I'd like to share with you one of my favorite blogs instead.  And she has hexies this time!

Kerry found these in New York city's Central Park.  Go here to learn her story.  Kerry has a wonderful blog with gorgeous applique (my other love) featured prominantly on it.  You'll see some fabulous work there - and she so graciously shares it with us.  Check out her tutorials, too. She makes it look easy.

No linky party this Friday, but you can link if you have a finish to my previous post for TGIFF.  I define a finish very loosely cuz I know how short of time we can be.  So a finish could be a block, a top - anything that moved you forward and let you feel progress had been made.  Like Kerry says, "making a quilt...one stitch at a time."

Charity Breeds Contentment + a Giveaway

        Hi, there - I'm taking a break from the commissioned quilt to bring you a TGIFF post for this Friday.One of my favorite quilting endeavors is making charity quilts.  When I started quilting in 1986 I made myself some quilts and then some for family as most quilters do.  But once I had a twin bed in my guest room piled high with all the ones I hadn't gifted,  I knew I had to find another outlet. That turned out to be easy - the Guild I belong to has community service projects:  quilts for kids, pets, Veterans, girls in Foster care, happy bags for children with Cancer, preemie quilts - you name it!  Most of them are small and easy to put together quickly.  After making these quilts, I realized I found a huge sense of contentment in creating and giving away these tokens of caring.  Also, there are quite a few advantages for me, the quilter, in making them, too.
 For instance:

1. I test out new block patterns,
2.  practice machine quilting,
3.  diminish my stash,
4.  try new techniques,
5.  solidify friendships with fellow quilters as we meet to work on these quilts

to name just a few.  But the nicest feeling comes from seeing a quilt recipient's surprise and happiness recieving an unexpected token of solidarity. Below are my latest finishes (completed just before I started the quilt I'm working on).

This is a Veteran's Quilt - 36" by 45" made from 9 1/2" squares.  They are given to vets in our local Veteran's hospital for their bed or as lap quilts or when using a wheelchair.

Then there is this one for our local low income Mommy & Me clinic:

This is a self binding recieving blanket.  It took all of 10 minutes of sewing to make using two squares. You can see the tutorial by Jenny Doan here .  And as Jenny suggested, I used one of my machine's stitches to close the pocket left for turning.

Learning, crafting, sharing - that's what charity quilts are all about - and feeling good :).

Okay I'd like to invite you to share your finish on this TGIF Friday.  Below is the linky to let us view your eye candy.  I have 100 (3/4") hexagon paper pieces and a fat quarter as a thank you for someone who links up to my party.  You can try a new technique and maybe make your own charity quilt with them. Note: Link up those fabulous finishes below and don't forget to tour the other finishes and spread the comment love! Please include a link to my post so your visitors can come back here and see other fab finishes. Ends Saturday morning to give everyone a chance to link up. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for stopping by and thanks, too, to Laura and M-R for starting TGIFF  (Look over in the right hand sidebar).  Lastly, visit Quilts are For Giving and St Anne's Sewdality for charity quilt inspiration.  The possibilities are endless.

Stash Report/Design Wall

1/4 yd for binding the Vet quilt. .10 yd -  bits  for Soupçon border, .01 yd for testing a block, commissioned quilt doesn't count as that was bought specifically for that project, so doesn't get counted in or out.

1/8th yard for making the April BOM blocks for guild -these are only 6" blocks finished. Then I used 1/8th yard to test the side blocks to the commissioned quilt - didn't want to get that wrong when I have just enough fabric. And now I've used about 1/4 yard testing the corner blocks - geesh! First too small, then too large inner unit - but finally I got it right and have only 5 more border blocks to do and all the blocks for the quilt will be made.  Here's my test sample of the side blocks.

This is not the fabric for the quilt - just a scrap I picked out of the piece shelf to make this unit.

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away! See you next week  - hope to be quilting this top by then. Stash numbers updated on the right sidebar.