With my Babylock back in working order and all missing stitches found, I was able to complete Stars for Linus quilts #3 and #4, as well as quilting a Scrappy Brick quilt top donated by Aalia.
Something I need to do more often: photograph quilts from the back. My free-motion is improving, but I think I need to only quilt one per day from on!
Finished after a month off from crocheting after repetitive stress kicked my crochet muscles sideways.
Granny Ghan donated by Amber
All the blankets above were donated to The Linus Connection during yesterday’s meeting. You can lots of great Show & Tell photos right here, including a couple of photos of yours truly!
It’s been such a busy time around the O household, that I completely forgot that yesterday marked my 9-year Linus anniversary!
I went to my first meeting in November 2002, invited by Osie, who I barely knew at the time. Our daughters were in first grade and in Brownies together. I heard her talking about Linus to another mom and mentioned I had made some baby blankets over the summer and would like to donate them. She encourage met to bring the blankets to the meeting.
It’s no small statement to say that volunteering for The Linus Connection changed my life. It gave my craft a cause, and encouraged me to learn to do things I had never before considered. It gave me friends I would not have had otherwise. At a time when I was a stay-at-home mom with two small children, it gave me something that was my very own. It’s really hard to sum up what the last nine years have meant to me.
These are my very first Linus blankets, donated in November 2002:
The predecessor to Oh Wavy Baby
…and Oh Wavy Baby is born
Linus Sideways Shell…see, I told you I’ve been making this one forever!!
You might be wondering where the quilts are. Well, I wasn’t a quilter nine years ago…
This is my first, very ugly quilt, donated in May 2003. I didn’t know about quarter-inch seams or rotary cutters. As horrible as it is, it was my first nudge toward quilting. I was ready to learn. The yellow afghan is a knitted sampler that was donated in pieces and I finished putting together.
My first real quilt, donated November 2003, one year after I started volunteering for Linus. I pieced, tied and bound this myself, encouraged by Osie. This was the result of my first ever Linus Work Day.
What a wonderful journey it has been. I found a passion for volunteer work I didn’t realize I had and made some of the best friends that I’ve ever had. Not least is the personal satisfaction that I receive knowing that my quilts and afghans have been providing comfort for children in their time of crisis all across Central Texas for the last nine years.
Sewhooked 
Congrats on 9 meaningful years. I know what you mean about PL. Gives your life purpose beyond the everyday. I don’t get as much done as you do… not that much energy in these old bones, but I do donate at least one a year. Your quilts and blankies are lovely, and are probably much loved. Good Job, girl!
Thanks, Terri! Volunteering for The Linus Connection has definitely been one of the best things I’ve done for myself. 🙂
What a beautiful post and so appropriate before Thanksgiving…Have a wonderful Holiday!
I hadn’t even thought of Thanksgiving when I was writing this post, thank you! 🙂