Saturday, April 27, 2013

Trip Around the World


We did a small makeover on our queen suite in our B&B.  I had a hand-quilted quilt on the twin bed in the Queen suite.  You can see the bottom of it on the twin bed on the right.  But the queen bed in the suite has this quilt on it.  We've removed the brass bed and made a new headboard.


I wanted to make something a bit more 'country' looking and I wanted it to be quick quilt.  So I made a Trip Around the World for the twin, in compatible colours to the quilt on the queen bed.  And as of tonight this is it now done and on the twin bed.  I quilted it on my frame with my Janome 6500.

A photo shoot tomorrow and the website will be updated to show the new quilt.


And that's quite enough for one day!  

I have another quilt back from the long arm quilter so I have another binding to finish and then there will be yet another UFO off the list!  Woot woot!!  Stay tuned for more pictures of another finish in a couple of days.

Until next time,

Mavis

Sunday, April 21, 2013

To Romania with love...

Our church, Lion of Judah, has a longstanding connection with Romania and the work of a few para-church organizations in Brasov.  One of these organizations, Firm Foundations Romania, ministers love and care to the children in the Brasov Children's Hospital.  As quilters, our natural inclination was to send some love and compassion in the form of baby quilts over for these children.  We were told that they don't cover the babies in blankets and that quilts would not be accepted by the Hospital.  So, a few years back, we sent a quilt called "Bugs in a Jar" to adorn the walls and hopefully bring smiles to some of those tiny faces.

Then last summer, the leader and some of the team from Firm Foundations Romania, stayed at our B&B and did a recording session (google Sarah Berchtold or look on youtube for more information about her music and their work in Romania).  Once again we talked about sending baby quilts but were told that things had not changed, and that for whatever reason, baby quilts were not allowed.  How sad.

THEN...one of the girls on the team said, "if you REALLY want to do something to bless the ministry, you could make quilts for the volunteer quarters".  We then discussed what that entailed.  5 twin sized quilts for the volunteer quarters.  They were just about to be painted and spruced up.  Brown and Purple she said.  Challenge on!!

Anyway, we committed to make 5 of these quilts and here is the pictorial story on their creation.  The quilts were delivered a few days ago to one of the volunteers who was in Canada visiting but going back to Romania.  I believe they have now arrived at their forever home, sent with our prayers for God's blessing on the volunteers and the work that they are doing with these unfortunate orphans.

Scrappy purples and creams/beiges are cut to create the Ohio Stars

Building quilt blocks

Pressing is SO important!

Putting the blocks together

Portable design wall - necessary to make sure all the blocks are in the correct order and orientation.


 
One quilt top done!

2 quilt tops done!


Working on number 3!

#4 ready for quilting
Rolling in on #5!


Closeup of lovely pantograph stitching.

Quilted and ready for binding!
The quilts were presented at Lion of Judah at both Sunday services on April 7th before making their way to Romania.  Here are a few pictures of that presentation:

Only 4 got shown at the first service somehow.  Need more hands to hold them!

Thankful for the extra hands to hold the quilts at the 2nd service

The big reveal.

Me telling the story about the project.

This pictorial representation makes it look like it was an overnight project.  No so.  We have a dedicated team of quilters and this took several months of cutting, sewing, pressing and finally quilting.  Our hearts were full as we sent these off and we hope they make the 'home away from home' for the volunteers at Firm Foundations Romania a little more comfortable.

Until next time,

Mavis