Christmas Scarves and Project Updates

Subject 1 – Easy But Oh So Appreciated

Scarves…. We all have them, and we take them for granted.

What does a scarf really do?  A LOT! 

When I get home in the evening, I come into a house that we keep rather cool.  We heat a couple rooms more than others, since hubby and I are living in only part of the house unless people are over.  When I walk into the house, I walk into the front entry way – a vaulted room, that we don’t add heat too.  I take off my coat, and then my scarf.  Each day I am tempted to leave on my scarf as my neck gets hit with the cool air immediate and I regret taking it off.

So, I have a story about scarves that ties into this blog.  While I mostly discuss quilting, the true subject matter of this blog is creativity and its role in my life.  To continue, however, I must give a lengthy, tug at the heartstrings, background story. 

About ten years ago, I was an employee at a local major company and I (volunteer, not my actual job) ran their involvement with a local Charity.  One of the things I did was organize my company’s Adopt-a-Family program.  I would take the list of families from the organization, dole them out to groups inside our firm, and make sure all details got handled.  The employees of our firm knew me quite well.  If you are unfamiliar with the Adopt a Family program – it is volunteers/donors, provide gifts for a needy family based on a wish list provided.  Things in this program are usually wrapped up (no pun intended!), by the second week in December and delivered to the families well in advance of Christmas.

That particular year, on December 23, an executive in the firm stopped me in the hallway, opened his wallet and handed me a large sum of money. 

Him:  For the Adopt a Family

Me:  Sir, we’ve delivered everything, it’s all done

Him:  Oh, just figure something out…

And he walked away, leaving me holding this money…. Now, I’m a very honest person, but it was two days before Christmas… what can I do?  No time to buy anything, adopt another family, figure anything out… but I can’t hold onto this.

The Union Gospel Mission is an organization that supports and helps men in the community.  I’ve been involved with them for many years on an informal basis.  They are the only place that I know that can take open food, touched food, etc.  We’ve taken leftovers from many a charity picnic to them over the years.  I also used to take all the bakery leftovers from my firm there during a year that we were having many meetings.

Please note, most of the men at the Mission are working, involved in a jobs program, etc.  They have strict standards there that also include church services.  Union Gospel is NOT a shelter in the standard sense, but rather a “Hand Up” place.

There is no Christmas gift program for single men.  For men with children, men in families, etc., but nothing organized like Adopt a Family that gives to single men.  I’ve even seen a Christmas program that gives to single women….

So, I took that sum of money, and went to Target and got $5 gift cards.  I called ahead, don’t worry!  I did NOT hold up a cashier line at Christmas time! 

Hubby, kids and I then took that sum of gift cards and went down to the Mission on Christmas Eve.  We had just about the same number of cards as men who were there that night.  We handed them out, saying “Merry Christmas” and “God Bless”, and got the same in return.  One of the men politely and apologetically asked me how much the card was for.  I told him that it was only $5.  He then said something that changed my life in many ways:

“Now I can buy socks!!”

Socks…

Small, cheap items that many of us take for granted.

Socks….

Hubby and I discussed it throughout the year.  I got online and I did some research.  Now, we buy 30 dozen or so pairs of socks each year.  We put together gifts for the men at the Mission and hand them out on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  One year, we were out of town and rushed back on Christmas day, speeding on 94 from the Dells, in order to get the gifts given out before their lights out time. 

We started out using white paper bags for the gifts.  However, three years ago, Hubby and I each thought the other was buying the bags.  We realized on Christmas morning.  It is NOT possible to buy even 75 brown paper sacks on Christmas day in Minnesota… we tried.   Luckily, I’m a bargain hunter and a hoarder.  I dragged out some of the 100 rolls of wrapping paper bought at Target and Joann’s one year for 90% off after Christmas (I’m exaggerating, but not by much….)  We wrapped up the presents and headed out as usual.  We noticed that the men seemed to really appreciate getting a wrapped gift versus a paper sack.  So, now we wrap them ever year…. Also gives me a chance to buy more at 90% off sales after Christmas J

I’m getting back to scarves… promise….

During the year we were planning this – the year after the gift cards, we brainstormed about different things we could add to the bags that would be useful.  Some of the men are very transient, and many don’t have a lot of space for things.  We had to put in things that could be continually used, and/or consumed.  We finance this on our own, so they had to also be cheap, but not cheap quality.

I hate fleece in some ways… It’s not really fabric, and those fleece tie blankets are not artistic sewing.  However, somewhere along the line, I started making scarves out of fleece.  Nothing fancy, just a single width of fabric cut with a fancy blade on the rotary tool.  I buy the remnants and make scarves that go with every coat.

So, starting that year, I watched the 75% remnant sales at Joann’s and bought a ton of fleece pieces.  That year, and now every subsequent year, each man gets 3-4 pairs of socks and a fleece scarf (and other things) from us each year.  It takes about 2 hours to cut out 75+ fleece scarves.  We try to stick with neutral colors, patterns that won’t offend and use the no pill fleece. 

Mini Stories about the Scarves

·         Every year, at least two people ask us what group, corporation, etc., the presents are from.  It seems to make a huge emotional impact when we tell them “Us, we are a family, we live nearby”.  Each year, someone also asks about the scarves.  I tell them that I make them myself.  That also seems to touch people strongly

·         A few years back, a friend and I were waiting in the minivan downtown St. Paul while hubby ran into a store.  A scruffy looking guy was walking down the street; he spotted the van, walked in front of it, came to my window and knocked.  As he knocked, while I was decided whether or not to roll the window down, he pulled his scarf out of his jacket at the neck and started waving the end of it.  I rolled down the window.  He said “Thank you again, this is the WARMEST scarf I’ve ever had”.

·         My friends know about this program.  Those who are also quilters/crafters, know that I can use as small as 6 inch x width of fabric and often give me their scraps.  A couple of times now, I’ve come home to bags of fleece on my front porch.  One bag, I’ve never figured out who gave it to me!

·         This year, while I was still standing at the reception area at the Mission handing out gifts, one man who’d already gotten his, walked by me with the scarf around his neck, he waved the ends of it and said:  “See, I’m already wearing it!”.

·         Also this year, I glanced back into the community room as we were leaving.  I do try not to use many patterns, but this year I had some Twins fleece and I did cut that into scarves.  One man got one of those scarves and was sitting at the table with it around his neck.

Conclusion

I’m a textile artist.  I quilt in order to satisfy the creativity in myself.  I’m a fabric snob, enjoy complicated patterns, am constantly challenging myself, and have very expensive sewing machines.

However, above all else, $25-35 worth of fleece brings me far more satisfaction than anything else.

Subject 2 – More on Fleece Scarves

Although I’ve already stated that I dislike fleece, I really have to push the concept of the fleece scarves.  There’s a whole world of possibilities out there.

·         As a craft project for younger children, Brownies, Campfire, Sunday school, Christmas presents done at school for parents:  While you probably do not want to give rotary tools to children, these scarves can also be cut with a pinking shears or other heavy duty specialty scissors.  If watched well, even a first grader could cut out a scarf for their parent and “make” a useful gift…. Beats a ceramic ashtray any day.

·         Fundraiser for a sports team at a school:  buy ten yards of fleece in the main school color (use your 40% Joann coupon or hit the 50% sale).  Have the team cut out scarves and sell them to their friends, families, neighbors, etc.  Yard of fleece on sale - $5, cut the scarves 6 inches each, 6 scarves per yard; sell them for $2 each.  At our school, we did a drawing (prizes were donated), each person who wore their scarf to a football game got a raffle ticket, then, at the end of the season banquet, we had a drawing. 

·         Charity program:  it does not take long to cut out scarves.  Shelters, Meals on Wheels programs, etc., are great organizations to donate a large number of scarves to.  I’m giving three bags of child themed scarves to the MN Diaper Drive.  There were all too young (pastels, cartoon characters, etc.) for the men at the Mission and I figure that the Diaper Drive people can give them to the shelters they service.

Subject 3 – I Am Behind on All Projects!!

Ok, back to me and my projects!!!  I promise that I’ve been being good.  I’ve ONLY worked on my backlog of Block of the Month programs and my contest entry as I said last week.  Following is a recap.  It’s the same list as before – I promise I haven’t cheated and edited it; just made a couple corrections, rewording, etc.  The crossed out items are – obviously – done items.  Those in red are things that I intend to take with me next week when I go on vacation.  I cannot take my sewing machine as we are flying, but with the Delta Amex giving me a free checked bag for each hubby and me, I intend to take cutting and organizing projects with. 

The Mariner’s Compass and Contest Entry items are both elaborate paper piecing patterns.  It really speeds things up, and adds greatly to organization while taking away from mess, if I have all the fabric pieces pre-cut and organized.  Each Mariner’s compass block takes about 20-30 minutes to plan and cut.  I have six or seven more of those.  The contest entry is based on patterns from Ra’Nae Merrill’s Spiral books.  There are sixteen main blocks in it.  Eight of the blocks have nineteen pieces each, and the other eight have 65!!!  That’s 634 pieces just in the paper piece sections.  See where pre-cutting will help?  Taking it on vacation will allow me to do that in time that I can’t spend on my sewing machine… see, Time Management skills from my profession in use for my hobby!

The Curved Piece quilt started out with 24 fat quarters (I used the Stonehenge line).  Using the 7 inch Crazy Curves template and the 3½ Small Paths template from Back porch Designs (see here), each fat quarter was then cut into four sets each of the small and large curved block pieces.  The pieces are then mixed and match, and sewn into 3½ and 7 inch blocks.  Four of the smaller blocks are combined to make a large block.  This will give me approximately 120 blocks (I know I messed up cutting a couple).  The quilt from these blocks uses only that one block – so the success of the quilt depends upon the layout of the blocks.  I figure since I’ll be in a resort condo with more open floor space than home, and with more people than at home, I’ll take all the pieces with, and lay them out there for critiquing and re-organization.

Mariner’s Compass quilt

·         Design layout

·         Print all blocks

·         Cut out/prep all pieces for blocks

·         Assemble blocks

·         Cut sashing pieces

·         Assemble quilt

Curved Piece quilt

·         Finish cutting blocks

·         Assemble blocks

·         Layout quilt/arrange blocks

·         Assemble quilt

Block of the Month – TCQ

·         Frame 8 inch blocks

·         Make current blocks

·         Determine layout

·         Decide on other blocks to complete layout

·         Make additional blocks

·         Assemble quilt

Scrap Tamers

·         Month 1 – Bali Runner (can’t remember rest of name)

o   Finish binding

·         Month 1 clue

·         Month 2 – (can’t remember name at all)

o   Finish binding

·         Month 2 clue

·         Month 3 – Seven sisters baby quilt

o   Determine layout

o   Cut out any additional blocks needed (most are already cut)

o   Assemble blocks

o   Assemble quilt

o   Bind quilt

·         Month 3 clue

·         Month four – just got, haven’t looked at

o   Determine project; project will be a full sized quilt

o   Cut out blocks

o   Assemble blocks

o   Assemble quilt

o   Bind quilt

·         Month 4 clue

Contest entry

See here for the “test” quilt I made for the contest.  The contest is a challenge; I can use black, white, black and white and a green fabric.

·         Determine color scheme

·         Organize fabrics

·         Cut fabrics

·         Piece blocks

·         Assemble blocks

Update on Projects

In between a Victorian Christmas dinner and burning my hand pretty badly, I managed to get some work in on my to do list of projects.  Most of my every day sewing takes place at my dinning room table.  Due to the large Christmas dinner, I had to clean off the table.  This actually allowed me to sort out and prioritize things a bit!

The Month Two Project from Scrap Tamers

Yes, technically month two got done before month one.  Month one is just waiting on hand stitching the binding and it is actually over halfway done. 

The month two project is based on two different nine-patch blocks that are then alternated to create other patterns.  The project can be done in just about any size.

Block one is a fairly simple nine-patch using squares and half square triangles

Block two is more complicated.

I had a piece of bright orange fabric in my stash.  I picked it up at a Mill end and had no idea what do to with it.  It’s metallic – almost – and has a bit of a coating.  I figured that it wouldn’t make a good bed quilt fabric, but a table topper would work.  Since I was already going overboard with bright orange, I matched it with several other bright fabrics and came up with this.

As you can see, Bronx approves.

Mariner’s Compass blocks

I’m moving forward, just showing some pictures.  These were taken quickly, late at night.  The colors are NOT correct.  The blocks are purples and greens, not pinks and brown/tans.

Should be a purple - lavender background.

Grey green background....

Purses, Hardware and My To-Do List

Bear with me… I have some things to discuss, and this is going to be a bit of a long, disjointed blog ramble.

Subject 1 – Purse Hardware

I went to see my son last weekend.  He lives in North Carolina, in the country, and is very much a “redneck”.  He calls himself that, so I can!  He hunts, fishes, works as a welder and drives a beat up pickup truck which is also used to haul home deer and other game.  His house is 1 ½ hour drive from the “big” city that has an airport with FOUR gates.  When he lived at home, he was also the child who showed the second most interest in my sewing/crafting hobbies.  However, his interest was to make useful things rather than decorative.

Anyway, he picked me up in said beat up pickup truck he told me that since he’d driven to town, he’d had to stop at the local Joann’s.  He showed me his purchase and complained about the price.  He is making duck call lanyards. 

I find that to be immensely creative.  Apparently he’s sold quite a few of them and has orders for more.  His initial materials stash was partially gifted to him and partially re-used items.  The cording is from a large spool (hundreds, if not thousands of yards) of Army green cord that is something like parachute cord – it was left over Army supply.  Each lanyard has 3 or 5 loops on it in which you can secure a duck call with a cord lock.  The cord locks he was using were cut from discarded Army clothing.  However, he’d run out and stopped at the Joann’s to buy some.  They were $2.50 for two and he was upset.

I felt his pain.  When I made the professional tote bags, I too had to buy cord locks.  I waited until the last moment to get them and didn’t have much choice.  I bought the same 2 for 2.50 at Joann (black) and spent a similar amount for two white ones at a quilt shop.  I plan on making more bags – both the professional tote and other pieces – that use cord locks.  Since he needed some – and needed them cheaper than $6.75 in materials per lanyard – and since I wanted a stash, I figured that I could find some site on the internet where I could either get them in bulk or use my whole sale tax ID number.

My son is making these lanyards to get a little spending money.  I’m not the type of parent who hands over cash/pays bills for their children.  I really, really like that he’s trying to earn a little extra – especially since he’s encroaching upon my territory and involving thread craft and accessories that I would buy.  I really believe in a hand up, not a hand out.  This was perfect!  I could gift my son with something for Christmas, something that he would use, from a shop that I would also buy something!!  Every artistic mother’s dream fulfilled – crafting/creating alongside one’s child!!!

I found a wonderful site!  Strapworks.com. I spent $50 with shipping and bought hundreds! They have many different colors and many shapes.

The larger barrel cord locks are what he needed.  They are also the kind I used on my two professional totes.  The cost per unit was $0.25 and $0.35 depending upon exact size and shape.  I only have the $0.35 pictured here; the $0.25 ones are more cylindrical versus the bowling pin shape.  The smaller circle ones are only $0.05 apiece but are definitely far lesser quality.  I will be using those for light weight projects where the cord lock does not get much use.  They would be really good on American girl doll clothes and small accessories.  The pretty colored ones pictured here are for me – his are black, Army green (hunting green) and grey.  I got orange, lilac, lavender, fuchsia and mint green!

Another thing that I purchase for purses are D-rings and snap hooks.  The craft stores have many choices – silver and gold.  Quilt shops and other online stores have a few more – brass, old fashioned brass, polished and dull silver.  Yes, I’m being sarcastic.  Strapworks has MANY colors – anodized onto the metal.  I was unsure of sizing; the craft stores and quilt shops basically carry one, maybe two sizes.  Since I wanted to make a quick order to get my son a bunch of what he needed first, I just picked out a couple of the metal accessories in different sizes and colors.  I plan on making another bulk purchase in the next month or so.  Before doing so, I’m going to take their catalogue and my samples to my quilt groups and see if anyone else wants anything.  

Subject 2 – Lollipop Bag

I took another class at Bear Patch.  I can’t remember the teacher’s name.  This bag is a Terry Atkinson pattern.  I’m really beginning to love her patterns.  They are well done, directions are good, and she’s from here!

I was traveling so much, and not home during Nov/Dec, that I FORGOT about the class.  Mid day through work, I noticed it on my calendar!!!  Good thing that I synch my work and personal calendars!  (Side note:  I use Google calendar so that my hubby can view from anywhere as well and I “invite” my work email address to classes and things.  That puts the event on my work calendar as well, and synchs any updates I make).  So, instead of planning out what the purse was going to be, etc., etc., I ran home and grabbed up a bunch of larger left over pieces from recent projects.  I made one complete purse at the class and cut out several others.

That action turned out very well.  First, it helped me keep with my determination to “buy little – use stash”.  Second, I used fabrics the coordinated very well with the flowers that I made on vacation (see this post).  The pattern has a flower included in it, but it didn’t impress me.  I really like the look that my pin back orchids have on the purse.

I was not, however, happy with the pattern dictated purse hardware.  I thought that the D ring and snap hook were just too heavy and bulky for a small bag like this.  I made subsequent purses with the D ring only.  However, now that I have discovered strapworks and their many sizes of D rings and snap hooks – I think that I will make more with the small size. 

I made four of the batik purses.  The one with the rounder flowed and the full hardware is the first one made and will be for me.  One with an orchid was given to my daughter in law when I was down seeing my son.  When I was making the three subsequent batik ones, I was at a sewing day at a quilt shop and discovered that I did not have an appropriate topstitching thread for the little triangles on the front.  I could have bought thread there, but I have so much at home.  Instead, I decided to use those decorative stitches – of which I have MANY and I hardly use – to create a unique look on each purse.  

The two brighter ones are made with leftovers from one of my professional totes.  You will notice that I did NOT do the triangles on them.  I felt that the fabric was too busy for something like that.  I also don’t think that flowers are appropriate on them.  When I have a little time this weekend, I’m going to dig through my button boxes.  A few years back, I bought a ton of big, bright buttons from a children’s clothing designer that was going out of business.  I seem to recall that I have some 2 inch or so green and pink buttons in odd shapes.

Subject 2 – I Am Behind on All Projects!!

If I post my to do list here in this blog – I will feel more obligated to catch up!  Right?

From Thanksgiving until now, most quilting has been put aside.  I spent the end of November on vacation, and my December days have been split between work and traveling around the country to see my children.  I’ve only had two non-work days at home since November 20 and my projects have been the item that suffered.  One of those two days was spent at Glad Creations making the purses listed above and getting about halfway caught up on my Twin Cities Quilting block of the month.

It’s now Christmas, and I have a four day weekend this week, a four day weekend next week, and NO PLANS to travel or do anything else.  January will see me taking another one week vacation that involves a plane trip.  However, this time will not be the quilting wasteland that other plane trips have involved.  I don’t take many projects with on vacation because checking bags costs and my carryon just doesn’t have the space.

I gave in.  I got the Delta perks American Express card.  I can check a bag for free and so can my hubby.  We travel light generally, so the extra space can go to some projects.  I won’t be taking a sewing machine, but I will be taking all the cutting, trimming, binding, etc., that I want to catch up on.

So, below is the list.  I WILL get this done by end of January.  Note that I do NOT list laying out, pinning, quilting or binding for most of the pieces.  Due smaller rooms and no carpeting in my house, I save my laying out for quilt retreats.   

Mariner’s Compass quilt

·         Design layout

·         Print all blocks

·         Cut out/prep all pieces for blocks

·         Assemble blocks

·         Cut sashing pieces

·         Assemble quilt

Here’s a rendering of the design for the Mariner’s compass quilt.  If you remember from this post, I will be making different sized blocks.  The squares are the different blocks and the odd sized pieces will be sashing/filler fabric that coordinates. 

Curved Piece quilt

·         Finish cutting blocks

·         Assemble blocks

·         Layout quilt/arrange blocks

Block of the Month – TCQ

·         Frame 8 inch blocks

·         Make current blocks

·         Determine layout

·         Decide on other blocks to complete layout

·         Make additional blocks (I have PLENTY of fabric for that!!)

·         Assemble quilt

Scrap Tamers

If you recall, besides being a mystery for the year, Scrap Tamers is also a Marti Mitchell club and hands out a pattern each month.  I am doing a piece from those patterns each month, and can ONLY use existing, on hand fabrics, thread, backing, batting, etc.  These are small pieces, so I have to quilt and bind too.

·         Month 1 – Bali Runner (can’t remember rest of name)

o   Finish binding

·         Month 1 clue

·         Month 2 – (can’t remember name at all)

o   Finish binding

·         Month 2 clue

·         Month 3 – Seven sisters baby quilt

o   Determine layout

o   Cut out any additional blocks needed (most are already cut)

o   Assemble blocks

o   Assemble quilt

·         Month 3 clue

·         Month four – just got, haven’t looked at

o   Determine project

o   Cut out blocks

o   Assemble blocks

o   Assemble quilt

·         Month 4 clue

Block of the Month – Fat Quarter Quilt shop, paper piecing

Due to the absolute incompetence of this shop and this program (see this post), I have determined that I will not be completing this block of the month program.  I bought the book, paid for the program, completed block one and paid for the kit for block two.  I really like the book – that’s the one saving grace.  However, the blocks and fabrics don’t thrill me.  I think I’ll cut up the fabric from block kit two for my rolls of 1 ½ - 4 inch fabrics (used in scrap quilts) and frame up block one to make a small table topper.  It can go to a church auction or something.

Contest entry

See here for the “test” quilt I made for the contest.  The contest is a challenge; I can use black, white, black and white and a green fabric.

·         Determine color scheme

·         Organize fabrics

·         Cut fabrics

·         Piece blocks

·         Assemble blocks