I Love Teaching Grandkids to Sew

Some of my favorite memories growing up were when my mom was teaching me how to sew. She helped start a 4-H club with the neighborhood girls up on Antelope Bench where we farmed, and it was always so fun getting together once a week, and learning together.   My Grandmother Murphy then taught me how to make quilt blocks, and from there I never looked back.  I've almost always had some kind of sewing project going.

A few years ago when I was Quilt Guild president, my secretary Gail Glover suggested we start a 4-H quilt camp after school was out for the summer.  It has been a very successful program, and since then I have continued inviting grandkids to come quilt with me, sometimes at the camp, and sometimes just at home.  These quilts were finished up during the summer of 2015.

My oldest granddaughter Laurie, found a picture of a pattern she liked, and we attempted to replicate it.  We came pretty close, and the black and white looks great with the purples.   While she was working on her quilt, Peyton, was making this cute puppy dog quilt.  It took a lot of work, as this was her first quilt ever, but she did great.  When she took it to the County Fair she got a blue ribbon.  It was fun working with both of them, and Laurie had enough experience that she could help Peyton too.

 First we went hunting in Grandma's stash for colors and prints that would work together.  Then Peyton and Laurie cut out the strips and squares and laid them on the Front Room table to figure out a pattern.

Next Peyton stitched them together, and did some unpicking too -- which is part of learning to sew! When I went up to help Autumn when Heber was born (July 27) I taught Peyton how to tie the quilt, and then I bound it for her.  The only complaint the Fair judges had when she won her blue ribbon, was that the binding wasn't very neat!!  Great 1st quilt, Peyton.

 Madison got the quilting bug in 2015 too, and used her creativity in making a really cute quilt, which she embellished eventually with surf boards!  We started by going over to Grandma Connie's and raiding her stash.  These are the colors and patterns we confiscated!! and it looked great.  She is a very motivated young girl, and stuck with it even after I left and had to head home. 

Mattea starts sewing strips and blocks together.

 Once we had the rows of strips/blocks set together, we laid it on the floor to get the design we wanted.

 
After I left, Mattea finished the quilt, and then she embellished it with these 3 cute suft boards, and Hawaiian flowers!  Great job, Mattea.

While their mom was busy having a baby, I made this play house for the Jeppson grandkids.  I used a sheet Autumn already had for the main house, and then just embellished with trees, grass, windows, etc. Hopefully, they continue to use it for awhile, as it took quite a bit of time to make, but they should have fun playing in it.

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2015 Quilts Shown at July 4th Quilt Show

I missed out on the workshop in 2013 when the guild learned how to make apple core quilts, but got caught up this year, making two of them.  My main goal the next few years is to use up my "stash."  I have 3 cupboards full, plus 3 file cabinets, and about 5 tubs full of cloth!  I made good headway last winter (2015-2016) making all these quilts.  It's been quite a few years since I've had this many quilts in the 4th of July quilt show.

  

 I enjoyed making these two quilts, though gripping the cloth when stitching the curve, made my arthritic thumbs start hurting again. The quilt below is my 3rd twister quilt and I really like it.  I bought the fabric remnants in Monticello at the crafts store.  I really love the colors.

This was a create as you go modified rail fence.  I had 5 hunting prints I built the quilt around and several camouflage jelly rolls I used on this. After I was finished I appliqued on some fall leaves.  I think one of my grandsons will like this.  I have one more with this color scheme I'll make, as I'm trying to make more boys' quilts.  My goal is to make enough quilts ahead of time so I have a wedding quilt for each grandchild -- that's 30.

 This quilt used the rest of the fabric left from the twister quilt. Again it was a create as you go.

I finally finished the purple waves quilt I started the year before.  I really love how it turned out.

This is where all the fun happens!  Sewing at the Blue Mountain Lodge, visiting, and sewing!

 

I used the remnants from my big ocean wave to make this baby wave!

This is how the next twister quilt started!  you sew the fabric into blocks first and then cut it, in such a way that twisters appear!  This was my 2nd twister quilt and it certainly went better than the first one.  I used batiks and really liked it.

 I finally finished the pioneer braid quilt top I started Sept. 2013.  Hooray for me!

Getting quilts ready for the quilt show.

In 2013 I learned to make a pioneer braid -- well sort of.  Probably couldn't do it now, but I did get one cute baby quilt out of the experience.

I also had enough fabric left over from the 2014 retreat to make both a large and small wave quilt which Kathy Hurst taught.  Both of these were taken to the quilt show in 2015.  This shows the speed at which I operate in finishing quilts!

Eight Days in July -- at Clarks Market

Many of our guild members bought large amounts of tickets for their contribution to the fund raiser, others signed up to help man the ticket booth at Clarks Market on Wednesdays and Fridays from June 5-July 1.  During that time we raised over $2000. In addition, guild members were asked to share the posts I put on FB, on their personal pages, which helped promote the quilt.  They also posted flyers of the quilt in their car windows and homes.  Press releases were sent to the San Juan Record which also promoted the fund raiser.

The funds from our 4th of July fundraiser have been used in a variety of ways:  We have made several quilts of valor for deceased military, as well as quilts for police officers.  We also made quilted military stars identifying families with those in the military.  Each year we help the state guild with their fundraiser for the fight against cancer.  We made a beautiful sampler quilt for the Blue Mountain Hospital, and have made hundreds of baby quilts for newborns over the years.  We have also made quilts for families who have had fires, as well as quilts for the the local women's shelter.

The Best 4th of July Quilt Ever

This is why selling donation tickets for this quilt was not hard.  Everyone wanted it, and was struck by its uniqueness and technical crafting done by guild members.  It is a humdinger!!!

Quilting on the backside

My contribution to the 2015 quilt was to make the back.  Since the fabric we had for the main color wasn't large enough to cover the whole quilt.  I pieced three blocks for the center of the quilt.  So both sides of the quilt are showy and patriotic.  

Raffle for July 4th quilt show

My main assignment in helping the quilt guild in 2015 was to organize and promote our fund raising 4th of July quilt raffle.  I determined early on to try some new advising strategies.  Starting in May, I posted a single section of one of the blocks in our 4th of July quilt on Facebook, on 3 different sites, as well as sending out group e-mails.  I advertising when tickets would go on sale.  For 1 month we sold at discount prices, raising $948. Kathleen and I took turns "hosting" the quilt, so people could see it. Starting June 5,  prices increased by $1. by mid-June we had raised over $2000, which was my initial goal.  Now I've raised it to $3000.   At least 15 guild members help to make the blocks and back of the quilt.

Another quilter in the house: Tiya Roanhorse

For 4-H quilt camp in May, Tiya became my student.  This was her first quilt, and she did an awesome job.  It was easier for our schedule just having her use my machine here at home.  Then she had tied it, and then bound the sides, and fringed the top and bottom.  She was very happy with it and so was I.

May 20, 2015 guild meeting

 For this meeting we shared fabric and clothing from around the world.  Mine came from the Yucatan, Costa Rica and Mexico.

I also brought the apple core quilt top I had just finished.  One of the fun things about attend quilt guild is seeing all the interesting and beautiful things members bring and share with us.

Coming out party for Michael's Eagle Scout Quilt

Michael is Chris and Pam's second son, and he is a great scouter.  It helps when your dad is the scout master!  He finished his final project up and received his Eagle Scout Award May 17, 2015.  We are very proud of him and the good choices he makes.

Apple Core Quilts

Though I am a bit sporadic at attending our monthly guild meetings, I always enjoy it when I do go.  Here are some of the things we did during 2015.

One of my goals for 2014-15 was to reduce the size of my stash and to complete unfinished projects. I've been using what I already have for all the quilts both I and my grandkids made.  These are "some" of the cupboards where fabric is stashed, as well as the file cabinets.  In addition I had about 4 tubs of cloth.  But I have made good progress.

During the winter I made these "valentine" related pillow cases.  I can't remember if I sent them to grandkids or friends, or if I have them stashed somewhere.!!!  That's what happens when you do a "catch up blog" for the past year -- and why you should blog when things are fresh in your mind.  But, hey, at least a took photos...so I know I made something!  These used up quite a bit of my random stash.

Quilts I showed at the March 18, 2015 meeting made from my stash.

 I have a huge collection of purple fabric, and love this wave pattern that Kathy Hurst taught us.

I used my fall collection of jelly rolls, plus deer panels I'd had for about 10 years.

I have enough left to make another hunting quilt.

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Pincushion night...all sorts of zany and practical cushions appeared and were shared.  May meeting 2015

 

Fabrics from around the world were shared at one meeting.  I brought samples from Mexico (when we went to the Yucatan) and from Costa Rica and the Panama Canal cruise.  I hope to put these into a quilt this next year.

November work day.  Debbie taught us how she makes placemats.

This is where I started cutting out my Southwest crazy patch pieces.