Blog of The WEEK!

Whew Hoo!  My blogspot, QuiltingKrazy was picked as the Blog of the week by American Quilter's Society!  Now how cool is that!  I had best get busy tonight and update my Blog! I just couldn't wait to get my "Blog of the Week" button on my site!

Christmas in June

Here is my first attempt at Inchies !  I sign up for a Challenge Amanda's Christmas Challenge. Starting in June, each month your are suppose to create a Christmas gift.  Then by the time December rolls around you already have 6 handmade gifts to give away!

July we are to make a place mat or table runner.  Got to find an idea for this one!

Recycled Quilting and Garbage City

My niece, Patty, has has traveled the world to some of the most beautiful and exotic places most only read about or see on TV,  (courtesy of her husband's work)  as well as some not so great places.  Patty is also a wonderful artist in many different mediums.  She recently posted pictures on her facebook I found so fascinating I have to share. She is currently living in Cairo.

She and her friends made one last trip to a place called "Garbage City" to visit the women's recycled crafts stores. 

Cairo has been recycling their garbage for 50 years.  An army of collectors, the Zabbaleen, have not only been cleaning up the city, they have been improving their own lives.  Mokattam girls have learned to keep their environment clean,  because the reward is - income - that meets a real need. Many of the girls have learnt to read and write for similar reasons. The crucial difference between this and other literacy programmes, is that literacy addresses a real need - generating income. For instance, a girl must be able to read and write her own name if she wants to weave personalised rugs that fetch her more money. 

Married women started approaching the Association: like their daughters, they too wanted to earn. The association showed the women how to recycle square cotton pieces - too beautiful to be sold for mattress stuffing - into patchwork quilts.  This simple act of recycling patchwork has spiralled into larger benefits for women. Each woman is given a sewing machine and an iron when she produces a perfect bedspread.

Here are some pictures of the quilts they have made.

For instance, a girl must be able to read and write her own name if she wants to weave personalised rugs that fetch her more money. And a gift who wants to staff a sale at a posh hotel must know how to read the price list. "Otherwise she won't be chosen,"

They reuse everything. The trash collectors and their trucks bring all the trash home. The ground level of the apartments is used for sorting trash. Families live above the trash and even the kids help collect and sort. The usual paper, glass, plastics are separated and many thrown away objects end up at the Friday Market (even old tooth brushes). All organic waste gets fed to the animals. It is quite a system.  Here is a link to read an article about the system.  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5327/is_n198/ai_n28655572/?tag=content;col1

HOT WEEKEND!!

This has been the hottest weekend so far this year. I have become accustomed to the nice weather here in NC and have forgotten the icky steamy weather back in FL in the summer. Oh well, I guess that is a good thing.  I have used the weather as an excuse to stay inside all weekend long. I have gotten some things done that needed and got to work on a quilt.  I started out trying to figure out the back for Eddie's tie quilt by using the fabric I had bought for the top.  I started by thinking 8" blocks would work good since some on my fabric left over was in 18" widths.  I got out the computer and pulled up Quilt Design Wizard.  Yep, that did the trick.  Here is what I came up with.

I really like it to much to use as a quilt back!  So now  I gotta think about it.  I did learn one thing for sure, I LOVE MY 1/4" FOOT!!  That and my new machine, Izzie,  make things so much easier.

Adorable Doll Quilt

This just an adorable doll quilt I found at Sew Mama Sew blog.

She has the simple tutorial

posted for you to make it. I can't wait to make one!

Christmas In June!

Christmas Challenge 2010



I have just stumbled across Amanda's Blog where she is busy organizing a challenge for Christmas. Basically you make 1 item each month from now until the end of November. So that is 6 items all together. Everyone is encouraged to join in... This sounds like a great way to get a head start on your Christmas projects, if you want further information just click here Christmas Challenge 2010


The Challenge
Basically we will make 1 item a month from now until the end of November. So that is 6 items all together.

Item List:
June: An Ornament for the tree- your choice of what to make and what medium you use. e.g. fabric, paper etc.
July: A Place mat or Table Runner- your choice of style.  Medium: fabric
August: A Table decoration/ centrepiece - your choice of medium again.
September: A Doll - you can choose to make an Angel or Santa or a Reindeer etc. what ever you choose it has to be made from fabric.
October: your choice - make it from fabric.
November: your choice - any medium.
The theme is of course Christmas so all items must be be Christmassy. 
 
Sounds like a great idea to me! 

Quilt of Roses

I went downtown to my local and favorite quilt shop Needle & Thread after work today to show off my Tie quilt but mainly to visit with good friends! Terri has a new quilt class coming up soon on this Quilt of Roses.

This quilt looks very difficult to sew but it is done in strips so it can be done easily.

Here is a picture of this quilt from the reverse side as it hangs in the shop window with the sun behind.

It gives it a stain glass appearance to me.  I really like it!

Memory Tie Quilts

I am making progress on my TIE quilt.  I still plan to add a small border on to this using the skinny part of ties.  Then add a light grey border about 4" on the sides and 6" on the top and bottom. Then bind it with the dark grey from the center.

I do love my new camera, see how close up on the detail it gets!

I do love my new Janome Sewing Machine!

Check out the stitching.

This picture was taken in my office at work. My new favorite spot to take pictures on my quilts.

AQA Knoxville TN show

I found this quilt somewhere on the net!  I fell in love with it!  It started with the "French Braid" pattern.  Although it was made to represent "Under Tennessee Skies" it looks to me like the "Blue Ridge Mountains" in North Carolina. 

Here is a link to see a photo collage  from start to Finish on this quilt!

The details in the quilt to represent many different things in TN is amazing.

Under Tennessee Skies

Deja Blue Squared

Today I finished another quilt that I named Deja Blue Squared.  Most of the Fabric I used is from a company called "Studio e Fabrics".  The color line was called Deja Brew and had a coffee theme.  I first found several fat quarters in this line at a quilt show last summer, I just loved the colors. I collected several more fat quarters at other shows for the past year with no idea what I was going to do with it.  I used a pattern called Squared Squares that Lauren wanted for her green quilt and decided to use that pattern with this fabric.  Lauren took the quilt top to work one day to show Rhonda and she fell it love with it!  So I finished it tonight and tomorrow it goes to a new home!  To Rhonda's house! I just love the feeling I get when I complete a quilt and send it on its way to a new home! It's such a warm and fuzzy feeling.

I quilted squares within the square and then did loop de loops and hearts in the center squares.  My free motion quilting still needs practice.