My Elves have been BUSY!
Remember many months ago when I got busy and cut up a fabrics and prepared bags of tops in pieces for Ewa and her mom? I checked. It was Feb. 16, 2021 that I featured it.
Well, I didn’t know at that time that I would be gone for these months, but I wanted to get those tops made up from the small baby size quilts Fran sent over. If you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, I have a friend in AZ who makes tops for me - in two sizes - a baby size and a full size. I add to them to make them the sizes I need/want.
So, Ewa took them away. She asked me when I wanted them done. I hesitated, and told her, “The end of the year.” She beat that goal by months!
February, 2021
Look at what I just got back from Ewa - those tops back PLUS a whole pile of creations by her using up the scraps from those things I sent her.
I’m still feeling surprised at what I received. Ewa’s mom is trying to keep herself busy as she is sick (cancer) - but doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life feeling sorry for herself! I am so happy that she has decided that making tops/helping me is what she is willing to do! I figured if she wasn’t well enough to do these, then, of course, that was fine…I would get to them eventually!
82 tops! All laid out so you can see them better
Most of these tops were originally from Fran - a lady in Arizona, USA who loves to sew for me - the centers were, anyway - they come as about a 36”x45” center - or a panel of sorts. I then cut pieces to go around the outside and she sewed them up. Ewa is good at problem solving so she helps her mom figure out what to do when I don’t give quite the right amount of fabric. :)
A few of these were scrapbook style or simply squares.
The same 82 tops!
I did get two back that really lacked pieces and couldn’t be creatively finished with what I had given them. I need to find the pieces needed and give them back to her to finish.
I also got back 15 “other” tops that Ewa made that are centers that I will eventually work to make into the size I need for the charity quilts I’m making. For now, I’m trying to work on the tops I have currently or ones that are already the right size. This year has been crazy enough for me - I’m trying to not feel the pressure to do more than is realistic.
Remember?
I set a goal of 120 charity quilts a year for my own sanity. First of all, 120 is an ambitious goal - even with helpers making the tops or the main part of the tops - but if I don’t put a brake on internally, I will never feel done and thus never be able to relax. This is why I made myself such a goal. It’s a big enough one that I can feel good about it, but not so big that it takes over my WHOLE life completely, all year long.
If we were to get a second person who helped me quilt, I’d probably up the goal. But I don’t have such a person, so I haven’t.
I haven’t shown any charity quilts for this year - yet. Just a note - I have finished quilting about 35 of them including 14 large ones - but haven’t bound or washed any of them, so I haven’t shown them yet. Hopefully soon.
And now…back to sewing!
Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Thanks for coming along with me on my quilting/sewing journey!
Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!
Here’s one of the beauties we have!
