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!

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!

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.

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!