Quilts for Philanthropy 02-15-25

 One activity that is quite common to quilt guilds across the country is making quilts to give away to people in need anywhere in the world.  Surfside Quilters Guild's about 100 members create four or five hundred quilts each year that are distributed to various organizations.  Colorful cotton pillowcases are also produced and given to children's hospitals, Meals-on-Wheels, veterans organizations, and others.  Here is a selection from those many donations showing the variety of designs selected. Some are made from orphan blocks, some are incompleted projects donated to the Philanthropic groups, some are purposely made by one maker and others by friendship groups or just friends.  I am constantly amazed by the variety of pattern and the generosity of the makers.

A special "I Spy" quilt with a different motif in every block.

This is a quilt displayed at Road to California that I think would be a good pattern to  make for a Philanthropy  quilt  -  very scrappy.

I am feeling much better tonight.   KoKo walked me around the loop this morning, about 2000 steps, a bit less  than a mile.  I was tired, but not exhausted as I feared.   Tomorrow we may try for the park. The sunshine feels so good and with the rain we had this last  week everything is greening up, flowers are blooming.

#   #   #

Friday Food 02-14-25

HOPE YOU HAD A TASTY VALENTINE'S DAY.

At first glance this looks edible, but it is really a glass box of hearts made of stone, wood, leather, and enamel.  Clutter collected over the years.

Here are some real chocolates gifted years ago. Good, but not See's.

The February meeting of Surfside Quilters Guild always  has lots of Valentine goodies on the refreshment table. 

These appared on my porch table this year.  From neighbors with no names!  Thank you!

I am feeling much better, still coughing, but no spasms today.  The four of our small group who were going to Phoenix for QuiltCon have canceled our trip.  Sickness, apprehension about viruses, and the death of a  husband.  It just wouldn't work. 

I do hope to be able to walk KoKo tomorrow.

#   #   # 

We need the rain. Thursday, Feb 13, 2025

 

This image of the rain pouring down the greenhouse window over the sink, is supposed to be a video.  I thought  I had finally figured out how to post a video, but it appears I have not. Let me know if it moves for you!

It has rained pretty much all day with various intensity.  Not much temperture range  (53F to 56F)  and the clouds don't seem very thick. So, bright  anyway. 

I spent another inactive day, still coughing, but generally feeling stronger.  The doctors office finally called and refilled the cough med I had used up.  5ml every four hours isn't much, but seems to help some.   Mostly I sit up silently, reclining and talking are the worst instigators of coughing.  I'm reading on Kindle, currently  

"Doc" an aurobiography of Dr.Losee of his medical practice postwar II in the wilds of Montana.

#   #   #

Surfside Quilters Guild Feb 11, 2025

I was feeling well enough this morning  to drive south to Dana Point for the Surfside Quilters Guild  meeting.  I went to take the photos and because I wanted to meet with the member who may want to be my backup.  I don't miss many meetings as I do enjoy the group so much, but with increasing age and health problems, I must sometimes miss a meeting. 

The speaker today was Joanna Figueroa from Fig Tree Quilts.  She is a  pattern  designer and fabric designer for Moda.  Website: http://figtreeandcompany.com   Her blog: https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com

She has an interesting color theory which make her quilts soft and muted,  but not actually pastel.  The darkest color is what she calls "warm black"  and has a  small  patterning. 

The quilting is done by a cadre of long-arm quilters.

There were several quilts with dark backgroumds, the warm black or shades of warm grey.

Many of her blocks are repeated in different quilt patterns,  most  using the sew/flip method she prefers.  

Nice gentle quilts to curl up with to sip hot chocolate and read a good book.

#    #   #

A Sunday in February 02-09-25

 

Here we are 1268 Warren Street, Placentia, CA  92870

It was a lovely day,  about 70F with lots of whipped clouds high in a very blue sky.  Our house is basically a one story with an attic in the tallest part.   Several in the neighborhood have built out the attic into a couple more bedrooms. If I won the lottery, which I have never played, I would do that also.  I have  enough  treasures  in the  one story to fill another - fabric, of  course!   

KoKo took me for a walk about noon, the  first I have done for almost a week.   We managed a bit more than 900 steps, not much  compared to  our usual  5000+, but it did feel great to be out in the sun.

Computer is refusing to access photo files.  But it is Sunday! So, here is one of my quilts from the month before the pandemic. I was going out to Lake Havasu, AZ, then, hauling my quiltmaking along.

"Desert Dawn"   Del Thomas - CA   2020  48"L X 28"W

Cotton fabrics. Machine pieced, fused. machine quilted.

#   #  #