The Raffle Quilt

Amy of Park City Girl is hosting a quilt festival that I'm sure that you have all heard about...I think that I am the last on the list! But here is the story behind my entry:

About 3 years ago, one of my co-workers announced that she was quitting, shocked as we all were, we were even more shocked to find out that she was quitting to have a kidney transplant...it seems that she had suffered throughout her life with a degenerative disease that was affecting her kidneys.  At the time, she was having undergoing dialysis daily and it was placing a real hardship on her family.  Being a very private person, she of course didn't want anyone to know what was going on and surely didn't want any kind of sympathy from anyone.  Wanting to help, a group of us got together (finally with her permission) and decided to make a raffle quilt for her, with the proceeds to help defray the medical costs.  We scheduled a work day, where we first shopped for the fabric and then cut all the strips, then bit by bit, ladies would complete "homework" sections and bring them back to work.  I put together the top, another coworker donated the batting and the backing fabric and a friend of a friend kindly gave us a deep discount on the quilting. Then began the arduous task of taking turns sitting in the lobby of the local Joann's selling raffle tickets.  When all was said and done, we raised almost $1400 for our friend, whose transplant was a complete sucess and I am happy to say that she is healthy and active today and had and added a daughter to her happy family. It's amazing to me that so many women (most of whom had no sewing nor quilting experience) were first able to agree on the fabric and pattern selection...lol and second were diligent in putting it all together so quickly!  It turned out to be a beautiful quilt of which we received many compliments, but most of all it went together with love for another in need.

Almost There...almost

12 wonky blocks, all framed in white, made up over the weekend, with the ever-helpful tutorial by Quilt Dad and I love them!! Now here's the dilemma...I only made 12 when I probably should have done 16-20 to come up with something a little bigger than a lap quilt. Oh...the pressure of a decision (it always seems to come to that for me) should I make 4 more? separate them w/lattice? add a wide border? I guess what I am trying to achieve here is to think out of the box and do something a little different for me...hmmm, perhaps I will ponder for this one for a bit...btw, does anyone know what I did with the battery charger for my camera??? I haven't been able to find it anywhere since we came home from our frolic in the woods...another perplexing situation...lol : )
Oh, and before I go...did you know that Blue is Bleu , bitty bits & pieces AND Mrs. Schmenkman are all having wonderfule giveaways??? You should go check them out, they include Amy Butler Love!!!!

Back To Reality

We are back to civilization...the Bungalow is unpacked, most of the laundry is done, the accumulated dirt has been scrubbed away and the sewing bug has set in. I did do a bit of handwork while I was away, stitching 2 of the dresdans to their backgrounds and managed to whip up a few hexies for GFG while sitting by the fire.
But yesterday, while perusing for the makings for my oldest's Homecoming corsage & boutonniere at Craft Warehouse, I wandered over to the fabric section to discover that they were having a truckload sale!! All sorts of wonderfulness in the form of fabric was piled high and calling my name...I mean, who could resist Moda @ $3.99/yd???I did manage to escape w/ only 2 yards, but it was just enough to get me started on those wonky log cabins I have been dying to make! (and I must say that I made some good progress after I constructed the corsage & bout. in the meanwhile the kids were at the football game and my DH was cleaning the kitchen...he is SOOOO good to me!!)

But now, I have a date w/my DH for a sub & a beverage at the local pizza spot, so I must bid you adieu and toddle off to hop in the shower and make the attempt to beautify myself. On tonight's agenda: get the kids off to dinner & the dance, take MANY pictures, make dinner (nothing in mind there just yet, but it will come to me), relax w/a nice glass of pinot, perhaps a movie and....MORE SEWING!!!
TTFN...and Happy Saturday!

~Andrea

I think Fall is here...

The forecast is calling for snow in the upper elevations of the Cascade Range...4500 feet, I believe that's what the weather report said. I think camp is at or around that elevation (must remember to pack the thermals...) and I must say, there has been a definite nip in the air this week, but I like it really.

Tomorrow we will begin the first day of vacation by heading back to the mountains for the opening of elk season and the official last camping trip or the season.

But first I must report that I have been creative this week...it just hasn't been with fabric! A friend at work asked me to take her daughter's senior portraits and we did just that. It was fun and I think they turned out well, but I didn't ask permission to publish the photos, so you will just have to take my word for it. (just to be on the safe side)

Tonight, however, has been all about cooking and freezing meals for the mountains. Sometimes I think that we eat better when we camp than we do at home. The menu? Well, there is beef bourginnone, stew, swiss steak, salsa chicken, ravioli lasagne, chili, gourmet burgers and deep fried turkey...yummmmmm, it's gonna be good!

Rest assured that I will be taking projects with me to stitch by the fire...a round of cream hexis on the Grandmother's flower garden and hand stitching the dresdans to their backgrounds. It's going to be a busy week, but we are expecting a fairly large group including my parents, my older brother and his son (who currently has chicken pox at the ripe age of 17...poor thing, he looks totally miserable) and my best friend and her husband, oh and of course my brood, darling husband, my 2 sons (and a girlfriend), the pups and myself, of course!

And...Speaking of the new girlfriend...darling Shelby...look what she brought home from the store for me! Isn't she the sweetest? I think so!!