Friendship Star

I googled Friendship Star images and my computer returned several great examples:


I wish google would have given me the links...




This is a computer generated traditional friendship star block with a yellow star:

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Here's a computer generated friendship star quilt with red stars and a cream background:

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Here's a quilt with all purple stars on a light background:

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These next two are fabulous quilts made with friendship squares that have both dark and light stars, I wish I knew where these pictures came from!:

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Here is another single block with color coordinated fabrics:

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And finally a quilt made up of squares with multiple backgrounds and the same star fabric. This qult has an additional line of sashing after the first row of blocks and after the third row of blocks.


I wish I could give you more information about these images! But it should give you some inspiration for our swap!

9-Patch and Friendship Star

Anne, my Oct swap partner in England, loves using silks and brocades in her blocks.

So for her I used a deep purple silk dupioni and a gold detailed print with an asian flair in a Friendship Square Block.



I had some extra fabric so I decided to make a 9-patch for Glenys in Australia.


She loves deep rich colors. I'm not sure if using silks is included in that grouping... but I'm sure she'll like it!

Friendship Star Quilt Block Swap

Ok ladies, this swap is for a finished 12-inch block. The friendship star is a super-easy variation of the 9-patch.



There are some lovely variations of this pattern, but this time we're keeping it easy!



The only requirements are that the star is a light fabric and the background is a dark fabric.



I've included directions for the easiest method: (this method has more scraps leftover, but only a little)



Square directions below:

Background Fabric - Cut 8 squares 4.5 inches (you will need 4 for the Half-Square Triangles - HST)

Star Fabric - Cut 5 squares 4.5 inches (you will need 4 for the HST)


To make the Half-Square Triangles (easiest method) place right sides together, make a LIGHT pencil mark from one corner to the other and stich along the line, then trim 1/4 inch from the stiched line and press open. Voila!

NOTE: Please pay attention to "which way" your star is turning. This is only important if we do another swap with multiple squares. (I.e. if next time we make several of the same block and swap tehm with many other partners) then we will want our stars all turning in the same direction!

Deadline to sign up is: Oct 20th
Deadline to post is: Nov 20th

NOTE: We have enough swappers participating that you can send up to 12 identical blocks if you wish.

For example: If you make 12 identical blocks, send all 12 blocks and a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) big enough to fit 12 blocks in. You will receive back 11 unique blocks (made by other swappers) and 1 of your own blocks back.

If you send 6 blocks, you will receive 5 new blocks and 1 of your originals.

If you send 1 block, you will receive 1 new block!

Scrappy Baby Block

This is for a scrappy baby block quilt. Our directions were to all bring two log cabin blocks with the center block in a 5-inch size. These are for two little twins born not too long ago, the mother had requested bright colors.

I really thought this was a fun baby blanket. Doesn't look at all like the ones I made for my kids a million years ago!

So I ended up making several of them, I was on a role! (Just don't look at my Challenge 'To-Do List'!) And even sent one away for one of my swaps.

There is a new swap club starting, with Guaranteed Swaps, when I have more details I'll share them. But it makes you think....

What would you look for in a guaranteed swap??

Spectacular Block Arrived!

Vicky in Florida has sent me the most stunning block!

Here is a closer look at the detail in her block:

Challenge Progress Update - Oct 5th

I took Finn's New Years Eve Challenge. Here's an update on my Progress: (Beginning state means where I was on this project when I began the challenge)

• My (Very) First Quilt (Ever) - Beginning State: Top completed, What I did this week: Backing pieced, To be done: quilting, binding.
  
• Ina's Christmas Quilt - For my MIL. Beginning State: Top completed, What I did this week: NOTHING, To be done: Backing, Batting, quilting, binding

• Kayleigh's Christmas Quilt - To be done: Everything :-( What I did this week: NOTHING,

• Cricket's Christmas Quilt - Beginning State: Top (mostly) completed, What I did this week: NOTHING, To be done: Border, Backing, Batting, quilting, binding.
  
• Cameron's Christmas Quilt - Beginning State: Top (mostly) completed, What I did this week: NOTHING, To be done: Border, Backing, Batting, quilting, binding..
  
• Botanical Shop Hop Quilt - Beginning State: Nothing, nada! (well, ok, a little piecing work was done), What I did this week: NOTHING, To be done: Piecing, Border, Backing, Batting, quilting, binding..
  
• Lastly, the Old Tobacco Road - Beginning State: I'm through steps one and two of this FABULOUS mystery quilt, What I did this week: NOTHING, To be done: Finish Piecing(steps 3, 4 and 5- pieced Border), Backing, Batting, quilting, binding!

31 Projects Done!!! Woo Hoo!

Although I haven't finished anything in Finn's New Years Eve Challenge, many have.

Look at what All these women have accomplished!! It's wonderful! At the time of this writing, I have finished Nothing! I don't feel too bad because there are others like me who are still making progress.

But these 20 women, have commited to 94 projects and finished an impressive 31 projects! Check out some of their working! It's Awesome!

• Babs ~ 6 projects *2 done!
• Bren ~ 5 projects * 1 done!
• Cindy ~ 3 projects (plus a small immediate one) *2 done!
• Clare ~ 6 projects (or more) 1 done!
• Em ~ 6 projects * 2 done!
• Ethne ~ 3 projects * 1 done!
• Finn ~ 5 projects * 4 done!
• Granny Lyn ~ 4 projects * 1 done!
• Jacquie ~ 8 projects *1 done!
• Julie ~ 5 projects * 1 done!
• Katie ~ 2 projects * 1 done!
• Myra ~ 5 projects * 3 done!
• Paula ~ 3 projects * 1 done!
• RoseMarie ~ 5 projects * 1 done!
• Ruthie ~ 8 projects * 1 done!
• Sandy ~ 4 projects * 1 done!
• Solvi ~ 5 projects * 1 done!
• Suzette ~ 3 projects * 5 done!!!
• Sweet Pea ~ 8 projects * 1 done!

I'll be on this list soon! I'm very close, just have one to quilt actually!

Keep Quiltin'

Dionne

Cents 4 Sophie

Every now and then, something comes along that compels me to share. This email came to me from Stichin' Heaven (a Quilt shop in Texas). It is NOT Quilty related, except that you can get a 20% off coupon to Stichin' Heaven in the month of Oct (which is pretty awesome!)

Here is what I received directly from Stichin' Heaven:

We always begin our newsletters with "Stitchin' Heaven is located in beautiful Quitman, TX population 2030." Well, fortunately, it doesn't matter the size of the town, its' county limits, or even the size of the state we live in. Community is determined by the size of our hearts in a time of need. This beautiful little girl has really brought this home for us in our small town of Quitman, Texas.

Sophie was diagnosed last year, at only 4 years old, with a large brain tumor. Since, her and her family, her parents, Darrin and Miranda, her 2 brothers, Camden and River, and now, her new baby sister, Livvy Ren (who is just a week old!), have had a long, hard road filled with doctors, hospital rooms, medical tests, and huge financial obstacles.

Earlier this year, a treatment that her mother describes as their "beacon of hope we so desperately needed and prayed for" came in the form a therapy offered by Envita Natural Medical Center of Scottsdale, Arizona. However, it is a 6-week therapy that is, by no means, cheap, and since we are in Texas, they would also have to live there. This is where a community bonds together to make it happen! Cents 4 Sophie was born, and the donations have poured in through different fund raisers like a lemonade stand with cookies on the courthouse square, an exciting game of baseball, buckets in the streets to take that change that clutters our cars, and makes your purse heavy, a quilt raffle, and so much more.

Thanks to a huge group effort from friends, community, and many more, the funds became available, and Sophie was able to receive the treatment she so desperately needed. Not only has Sophie had the first half of her therapy in Arizona, and has returned home, but a recent MRI shows that the tumor has not grown in 4 months! Her mother states in a recent letter in our local paper, the Wood County Democrat, " We truly believe the six weeks of therapy offered to Sophie this summer at Envita Medial Center made the difference."

The road has not ended, though. While Sophie is still receiving the medicine from Envita orally (at the cost of about $250/week), she still needs to complete the other half of the treatment in Arizona. Another 6 weeks at about $10,000 a week is needed.

This is where we come in...There are many worthwhile charities out there we like to support, but sometimes we actually get to see the money we give help an individual, and we believe that Sophie is one of those. We would like to invite you to join in this cause with us.

During the month of October, when you donate at least $5 to Cents 4 Sophie, we want to say "thank you for caring" by extending to you a 20% shopping pass for your next order of any full-priced items here at Stitchin' Heaven. You can donate in the shop, or online. Just enter the dollar amount that you would like to donate in the quantity box, and we will see that every penny of your donation goes to Cents 4 Sophie. Only one pass per customer, please, and all passes will expire on October 31, 2008.

So, join with us in supporting this wonderful family, and this beautiful little girl. Give what you can, not only your money, but also your prayers. You can visit the Cents 4 Sophie website at http://www.cents4sophie.com/ to keep up with her progress, make donations, and read Sophie's Story.

Postage Stamp Quilt Results!

Well, I've tallied my poll results and it was a close preference but clearly more people like the idea of ditching a plan and going all scrappy for my postage stamp quilt.

This is a scary prospect for me because I tend to be a 'fabric control freak'. But I always feel that when we strongly resist something, often we should most do it. Now don't go getting crazy and try to apply that to all areas of life... it just won't work.

But I really do need to exercise more, aerobically. But I hate running and I've resisted it for years, trying to substitute other forms of exercise. (I'd much rather play at lifting a few weights than huff and puff my way through a run). But clearly I need to bite the bullet and go for a run! Who knows, I might even like it... also, pigs could fly. But I digress.

A scrappy postage stamp it is! Now.... for a pattern! That's not controlling, is it? ;-)