Cherry House Quilts

2007 Angel Card Project

The Angel Card Project is an all volunteer program set up to send Christmas cards to the elderly, or those that might be lonely, sick, less fortunate, or that need a cheerful reminder that they are remembered.  This group is in need of volunteers to send some out cards to those individuals.  The only cost is a card, and a stamp.  You can also request that a card be sent to someone in need.  Here the link to sign up, or request a card...what a good project that we can all participate in this holiday season - Angel Card Project

To Lizzy with love

If you wonder why Stella was leaving it's because Mick just jumped on the bed.  Pet Relations just isn't the same without you.  The only reason they semi cooperated is because I'm the Mother, but alas not a dog or cat whisperer.  Pinecone regretfully declines having her photo taken due to the fact that she is feeling a little chubby in her winter coat.

Tomorrow I'll try to capture on film the elusive Stella and the Red Pencil...sounds like some kind of exotic Nancy Drew type tale (or should I say tail...ha ha).

Leftover batting - what a dilemma

Is anyone beside myself at a loss about what to do with leftover batting?  Throw it away, piece it together, cut it up for stuffing...several choices, but I'm not a huge fan of any.  There is an option that I'm really enjoying.  On HGTV there was an episode with Sharon Pederson - Two Sided Quilts.  The purpose was to create two quilts in one, kind of a quilt as you go method using sashing strips to join blocks/rows together. 

I'm using the sashing strip techniques to create scrap quilts - I made 6 (6 x 42) panels that will be joined with the sashing strips.

• Piece together 6" x 42" strips of batting, and cut 6" X WOF strips of fabric for the back of the quilt
• Pin these together in approximately 3 places (to prevent shifting)
• Starting in the center do a 'flip and sew' method of crazy piecing the width, and length of the fabric
• When the batting is completely covered, trim with a 6" x 24" ruler (or whatever 6" ruler you have on hand)
• Cut the sashing strips according to the directions on the HGTV website, to join the rows together
• Bind as usual.

This quilt will be the 3rd of the three quilts I'm doing for our MD Anderson quilt drive.  It is really bright, and cheery!  Someone will be able to spend hours finding all of the little objects and characters on this quilt. 

  The best part of this project to me is using all of my favorite scraps that I couldn't bear to throw away, using up leftover batting (which takes up more than it's fair share of space), quilt as you go has immediate gratification, and the sashing strips on the front/back are from my fabric stash, and since it doesn't have to be the same front/back - it gets used up, and it's gone.

To Santa's Elf

Pictures and hints are okay...I'm the worst present peeker in the world, I'm also the worst at keeping Christmas secrets.  I'll try to be good and wait to open my gift till Christmas, but I'm not promising anything (except to love my gift).

Cherri

To all of our friends and loved ones - Lizzy and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! 

We are so grateful for your friendship, support, and kindness.  We hope you will have a wonderful day with your loved ones, wherever you may be.

Cherri and Lizzy

Home Again

My quilt exhibit is coming to a close.  It's been great having them in a show, and I've loved seeing people's reactions, but it will be good to have them home again.  People have such curious reactions to quilts - I was watching a woman one day - she approached the quilt, ran her hand over the surface it of - stepped back, read the gallery sign - ran her hand across the quilt again - stepped back, looked at it - and off she went.  There is something so inviting about quilts, maybe textiles in general.  There is an innate part of us that seems to be drawn to them.  For myself during a particularly bad time in my life I didn't sew for almost a year.  When I finally started to come out of this funk I really wanted to sew, but couldn't somehow.  One day I went to my sewing corner, appalled by all of the dust.  I began to sort fabric, and found that just touching it, running my hand over it made everything - not so bad.  That was how I found my way back to quilting, through fabric.  It was undemanding, unlike unfinished projects, which seem to send out stern reminders. 

If you have a stack of Kaffe Fassett, or Amy Butler fabrics that are in dire need to be made into a quilt - I DO is the perfect solution.  Pop over to our pattern store and check it out.

Quilt #2 complete

My goal for three quilts is almost complete - I've turned in 1 & 2, and 3 is about half finished.  This is the silliest little quilt - I hope someone loves it.  Finding a way to use fleece leftovers is always a challenge, but I pieced two long strips together to form the back.  It's about 2/3 navy, and 1/3 bright yellow.  It actually looked intentional - which is a trick my mother taught me.  If you doing something unconventional, make it looked like you meant it.  I then cut yellow and red stars out fleece, and appliqued them to the top, to go along with this little star.   

Two of the three fabric winners have contacted me about their fabric - in fact I'm meeting Lauri Smith at a Starbuck's on Friday morning to deliver her prize - I'm so excited. 

This has been a really hard week for our family...accepting the loss of our Pumpkin has been more difficult than any of us could have ever imagined.  She loved to be on the couch, and when one of the girls would sit down, she would come over and lick them on their forehead.  The girls called this "Pumpkin giving them their medicine."  She had been part of our lives for so long - and we miss her so much.  I keep looking for her every morning to feed her, or yesterday when it rained I kept thinking I had to let her inside so she wouldn't be cold and wet.  For some reason Lizzy took a bunch of pictures of her a few days before she was gone.  This is how I'll always remember her...

And the winners are...

Drum roll please.............

The winners are (I picked three - sorry, I couldn't help myself)

• Lauri Smith from Artsmith who makes blankies for orphans in China
• Vivian Love from Quilts with Love who makes little prayer rugs
• Annie from Annie's Quilting Adventure who makes all the scraps play well together, even the uglies (a girl after my own heart)

Thanks everybody for entering (even the ones that didn't want to win).  I've loved reading your ideas about how you use scraps.  Lauri, Vivian, and Annie email me your mailing address at [email protected] and I'll get your fabric on it's merry way! 

Is there a scrap quilting ring?  Does anyone know?  I know there is the maverick ring - but that's closed to new members I think.  Is there anything better than a scrap quilt (besides chocolate)? 

Well, this for sure - Ashlee and Baby Alton in his new gingerbread suit from Old Navy

Just one more day...fabric giveaway!

Just one more day to submit your ideas for the best use of fabric scraps.  To recap - I'm making three scrap quilts for our church's donation to MD Anderson Children's Cancer Center, but after that I'm giving all of my BRIGHT FABRICS away...that means fat quarters, scraps (good usable scraps), and more.  I collected brights for years when my children were small, but they aren't small anymore - they aren't even home anymore :(   So, I'm passing the torch, and giving it away. 

Leave us a comment, and tell us your best scrap "recipe".  If you have plenty of scraps, and believe that they reproduce when you are not looking - just say "don't enter me" but share with everyone your best use of scraps, or your favorite charity for scrap quilts. 

My love of scraps and fabric has me in my current dilemma, but I know that lots of good can come from such an abundance.  Let's make the world a better place, one quilt at a time!

Fabric Give Away - Quilt #2

Here's the center of quilt #2, I think it's really fun!  I've used the craziest fabric - anything goes for this one.  One of the reasons I really love buying scrap bundles is that I end up with fabric that I WOULD NEVER BUY ON MY OWN.  There is a fabric in here that has fish cats, or cats that are fish.  Dogs that are firemen...I can live with that.  Need a challenge in your quilting - make fish cats work with crayons, and everything else in between.  Cover it all up with a wonky fleece star, and make a child happy!!!

We've had some great entries on our WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF YOUR SCRAPS CHALLENGE.  Have you entered yet?  Do you need some wonderful bright fat quarters, and scraps?  If so, leave us a comment about your best use of scraps, and enter our challenge now through 11/15.  Our favorite entry will win lots of terrific fabric.

Two down, one to go...