Category Archives: charity

Fabric Friday

A Hot Month For Linus

Tomorrow is the monthly meeting of The Linus Connection, which means this is the day of the month where I gather all the things in my house that have been accumulating to take to Linus for donation. The quilt above made from the leftover pieces cut from a Storm At Sea quilt that was set on point. It’s the same quilt I call Electric Amish. I’ve been hand quilting it for an interminable number of years now, and I sometimes wonder if it will ever be finished. Completing this toddler version with the leftover pieces of Electric Amish is a small victory and it gives me hope to finish the mama quilt some day.

This next quilt I’ve dubbed Stash Monkey and is made from what I have left from the Log Cabins For Linus collection I held in the earlier part of 2010. There are still a few orphan blocks in my bag, and I hope inspiration will strike again and I will come up with a quilt that’s just as fun as this one! Made from orphan blocks and scraps from my own stash.

Brand new in my life this month are quilts quilted by me on a long arm machine! Dianne, the owner of Honey Bee Quilt Store, where I have my day job, very generously allowed us to use the store’s HandiQuilter to finish up some Linus quilts. Not bad for a beginner! I also quilted the Baby Storm At Sea.

This granny block ghan is made from the very last of the donations from Go Get Granny (the yarn half of Log Cabins For Linus). All of these blocks were donated. I joined them all together and wove in the ends. As you can see here, I’m experimenting with hanging afghans the way I do quilts. It works…sort of. I just love photos taken in natural light, but afghans are not a fan of being hung. Shared in this TTMT.

This gorgeous quilt was made from a top donated by the ever lovely Laci. She sent this to me some time ago and it ended up going to a professional long arm quilter that donates her skills to Linus. It’s all done now and the quilting is just lovely. It was featured in this Talk To Me Tuesday (sans binding), where you can see the beautiful quilting close up.

My very last offering this month is my final Carpool ‘Ghan for the 2009-2010 school year (also featured in the video linked above). Both of my kids are musicians and honor students, which simply means they carry a ridiculous amount of stuff to and from school. I drive them back and forth, as well as taking them to music lessons, rehearsals, etc. That leaves me sitting in my little car all by myself more time than I care to count. What’s a girl to do? Well, if she’s crafty, she brings something to work on! I make afghans for Linus when I’m waiting, keeping a bag of yarn and a crochet hooks in the car just for that purpose. You’d be amazed how much I can get done sitting in my car every day! It’s a good thing I finally finished this one, seeing as how the new school year for my kids starts on Tuesday!

The Linus Connection meets the third Saturday of every month at St. Phillip’s in Round Rock, Texas. Check out the website for more information.

Happy Crafting!

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Free Pattern: Simple Kites

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Four Patch Kite

One of my most rewarding past times is volunteering for The Linus Connection, so when a friend asked me to design a simple paper pieced kite that would be easy to incorporate into quilts for Linus, I eagerly accepted.

Simple Kite

Of course, I couldn’t create just one pattern! Having more adds variety. When I was done, I had the Four Patch Kite and it’s reverse and the Simple Kite and it’s reverse. Each block prints at 6″ x 8″, so it’s easy to make a nice large block by adding sashing, or, keep it as is and sprinkle a kite here and there through your quilt!

Please do take print these patterns and use them for your own non-profit group, or make a sweet summer quilt for a child that you love!

Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free patterns free!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos (that includes my patterns posted to Fandom In Stitches!) to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

Happy stitching!

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Linus in May

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The Linus Connection on Saturday was quite a whirlwind (Linus Show & Tell -there are thank you cards from kids, go see!). I think that was partially due to my being so busy last week By the time Saturday rolled around, it was a continuation of The Busy.

If you caught Wordless Wednesday last week, then you know I had 9 quilts to bind between Wednesday and Saturday. Despite working and having a sick kiddo, I still managed to get them all done!

9 Quilts – binding PWND in less than three days! Quilted by Marge L. (individual photos below)

This is the end of my Go Get Granny and Log Cabins For Linus posts. It’s been amazing and I cannot thank you all enough for your generous donations! Anything I’ve received after the cut-off date has been donated directly to Linus. Unfinished projects have been and will continue to be shared with other volunteers so they can be turned into finished quilts and afghans without moldering in my craft room until I have time to get to them!

Of course, if I receive a really amazing (finished!) quilt or afghan in the mail, I’ll share it. It’s just my way!

And now, quilts and afghans that were donated, sorted and distributed on Saturday, May 15, 2010.

Another stunning afghan by Amber’s Originals

Multitudes of Granny Ghans, blocks by Mary, joined by myself and Linda E. (but mostly by Linda!)

Granny Ghan, blocks by auntypsycho and others (Cat’s mum included!)

Donated by Becky G.

Three quilts made from one giant quilt top, which was donated by Shannon Shaw of Rock Creek Quilts, the official quilter of Harry Potter Paper Piecing.

Unquilted tops donated by Becky G.

Made from quilt blocks donated by clumsy_chord, pieced by Shirley B.

Donated by hardhatcat, Australia (the donation from furthest away!)

Log Cabins for Linus! Individual block donations pieced into tops by me and quilted by Marge L.

Looking for a place to donate your time and talent? Try searching for “quilt donation” or “afghan donation” and your area. There are charitable blanket makers and non-profit organizations all over the world!

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charity: Linus In Spring Time

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The April Linus meeting saw another round of amazing blankets donated by the ever gracious online crafting community!

Many of these awesome crafters are now looking for places to donate their awesomeness locally, which thrills me to no end!

Log Cabins For Linus and Go Get Granny were an unexpectedly huge success and while I’m not longer collecting individual blocks, I do hope to have all the ones I’ve received so far put together and donated to Linus by the end of May.

Can I do it? I sure hope so!

Made by Friends of Pren (pictured below!). They donated 8 fleece blankets.

This is what went out the door with me Saturday morning. What a haul!

Friends of Pren, who had a Linus Blanket making party!

More Friends of Pren (that’s Pren on the left!).

The official label of The Linus Connection, along with the business address (you know, in case you need it…please note that is NOT my address).

HUGE granny ghan made by Shae!

Huge, colorful granny ghan made by Amber.

This one was so big, I had to move the ottoman to take a picture! Made by Mary.

Another lovely big afghan made by Mary.

Soft baby ghan made by Mary.

Granny Ghan made by Mary.

Go Get Granny Afghan made from donated 12″ blocks, made by a variety of people. Chenille yarn donated by Jenn F.

Another Go Get Granny Afghan made from donated 12″ blocks, made by a variety of people.

I neglected to get a finished photo of this blanket, so here’s a sneak peak I posted to Twitter. You can see the full blanket in this TTMT. Blocks made by Mary, joined by me.

I also forgot to take a photo of this gorgeous blanket made from blocks that Janina donated, as shown by me in the above TTMT. I’m pleading sniffles for forgetting…I’ve been sick!

Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times to everyone that made Go Get Granny and Log Cabins for Linus such a huge success!

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

Happy crafting!

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charity: March Linus Mayhem

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Today found me at yet another meeting for The Linus Connection. I’ve mentioned in the past that our numbers were low and that the continued shortage was weighing on myself and the other volunteers.

Thanks to our very diligent volunteers and some serious recruiting, our numbers are back up again and we’ve even been able to set aside blankets for the camps we donate to each summer!

I’d like to say a huge heartfelt thanks to all of my online friends that have donated to my favorite charity and encourage every crafty person out there to make something for a charity in your location. There are loads of organizations out there just like The Linus Connection that could use your crafty skills! Whether you knit a cap, crochet a scarf or make a quilt, whether you do it once a year or once a week, use your crafty skills for good and help change your world. Volunteering for a good cause pays in love and friendship. It’s one of the best non-paying jobs you’ll ever have!

These blankets and quilts were donated through Go Get Granny & Log Cabins For Linus (aka, my online friends!). Thanks a million times to each of you for your time, your talent and your general all-around awesomeness!

Quilt made by Shae, quilted by Marge.

Granny-ghan donated by caitirin

Quilt made with blocks donated by clumsy_chord, pieced by me (to be quilted).

Afghan made from blocks donated by Janina, joined and bordered by me.

Afghan made from blocks donated by craftylilthing in Starknuts colors. Joined by me.

Afghan made with blocks donated by auntypsycho, joined by me.

Afghan made by Mary (Mary also donated loads more granny squares, which are being joined by my friend Linda!)

Afghan made by Mary

Fleece blanket with crochet edges, made by Jennifer Tanner.

See more great blankets from Show & Tell at today’s meeting!

I will continue to accept donations until the end of March, so just a couple more weeks now! If you still have something you’d like to share with Linus, please contact me for my mailing address.

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

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vlog #48 – TTMT – A Great Big Box!

vlog #46 – TTMT – After Linus and Granny Squares

charity: You’ve Gotta Have Friends

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If you’ve missed it on my last few TTMT videos, Log Cabins for Linus and Go Get Granny has been wildly successful!

This past Saturday, the first donations from around the world went out to kids all over the Austin area (read the Linus Blog here).

Many of the the wonderful online crafters that have been participating have sent individual quilt and crochet blocks, but I’ve also received completed quilt tops and entire afghans, fabric yardage and yarn!

Made by Mary. Mary also sent oodles of granny squares which are currently being turned into afghans. She also participating in the Starknuts Community blanket.

made by Marissa from my Oh Wavy Baby pattern! Marissa also made a Spiderman quilt, which you can see below.

Made (and designed!) by Amber of Amber’s Originals, one of three teen-sized afghans she donated!

Mmmm, Olives made by Amber of Amber’s Originals

Donated by Cat, from Australia!

The following are photos taken by my good friend Linda during Show & Tell at Linus this past Saturday. That’s me holding up the blankets!

Another beautiful afghan by Amber of Amber’s Originals.

made by Marissa…do you see Spiderman?

The Starknuts Community Blanket. You can read more about this one here. And no, I have no explanation for the look on my face!

Top donated by Laci of Orange Blossom Boutique. This one will be quilted and go out with next month’s deliveries.

Each blanket receives a stitch on label, so the child that receives it will know just where it came from. There’s also a paper label that includes the first name of the blanket maker as well as a poem about the making of the blanket.

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This month’s challenge for me will be to start turning the individual blocks received into quilt tops. I will likely quilt those myself, the sooner to have them go out to kids in need. Shae, your quilt top is still at the quilters and I will post photos as soon as I can!

We were still short on larger blankets because so many of the facilities that we donate to request them, but the numbers were better than last month, in part thanks to my wonderful online friends and the crafting community!

I have HUGE hugs for every single one of you…someday!

I will continue to accept donations until the end of March. If you still have something you’d like to share with Linus, please contact me for my mailing address.

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

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Go Get Granny Update #1

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I’ve finished the very first Go Get Granny afghan for for The Linus Connection. All the blocks for this blanket were donated by members of the Livejournal community Starknuts, who decided to have their own block drive in support of Go Get Granny!.

The ends aren’t woven in yet, but I’ll get that done tonight and then it’ll go out with other donated blankets this coming Saturday.

It includes blocks by dragonsinger954, archerpren, hpfan_poa and ladyoflosttimes. (I hope I didn’t miss anyone!). Thank you all so much!