"Simple Things" Quilt Along

Kelly and I couldn't be more excited about our quilt along!  Hope you all are excited about joining us in the
 
"Simple Things" quilt along.  Everyone is welcome to participate with us you don't just have to be a Charming Girl.    Please feel free to use our button on your blog. 

We have two versions for you to chose pick from!   Here's my version...it's 72" X 72".
 
  Here's Kelly's  smaller version...it's 38" X 38"...it is so darn cute!
 
which is 38" x 38".

Kelly called one day and asked if I'd like to do a quilt along with her.  I came up with a couple of blocks, Kelly came up with a couple of blocks...she worked her design magic...and here we have 2 very fun quilts.

Each week for the next several weeks, we'll post instructions for completing the quilt!  This week we're giving you the fabric requirements, next week we'll be back with the cutting instructions . . . all the way to the binding.  We're going to take it slow - so that everyone can relax and enjoy the process!  No rush, no stress!
In the end, we'll have a parade and a prize drawing for those who complete their quilt tops!

Fabric Requirements for "Simple Things"...the big one
33 Layer Cake Squares or 10" Squares (or equivalent)
1 1/2 Yards Background Fabric 
1/2 Yard for Inner Border
1 3/4 Yards for Outer Border
2/3 yard for Binding
4 1/2 Yards Backing
I used all of my scraps of Minnick & Simpson fabrics...Prairie Paisley, Flag Day Farm, Wiscasset, Bar Harbor, American Banner Rose, Charlevoix...it all works so great together.  I also used Bella Solid White for the background.

This quilt  is a reminder to us that it's the simple things in our lives that make us happiest- lunch with a friend,  time with family, a visit on the phone with the grandchildren, a walk on a nice day...whatever makes you the happiest.

Can't wait to see what fabric you all decide to use...are you going to use your stash or pick out something new?  And I really can't wait to hear what you're going to do with your quilt...will it be a graduation gift, a wedding gift, a snuggle quilt on the couch, a baby quilt?  I've already decided what I'm doing with mine...it's a gift for Jami...she starts chemo soon...so she'll need a quilt...and I couldn't think of anything better for her than red, white and blue.

So gather your fabrics...and we'll see you next week...same time, same station...let's have some fun!
 

The Rotary Cutter is Dull...

and the machine has been smokin'...well not really, thank goodness...but I think it was very happy when I shut it off a bit ago.  I've been working on pillowcases for Jami today...but first I need to tell you about my trip to Joann's this morning.  I saw in this morning's flyer that they had patriotic fabric on sale for 40% off and then they had a coupon for 10% off your entire purchase, sale items included.  Well, we were there when the doors opened...I was so excited!  Well it got even better...the cashier looked at my pile of fabric and said "Are either of you military?"  I said "I grew up military, my dad was in the Air Force."...I wasn't sure where she was going with her question...she looked at my pile of fabric again and looked at my coupon for 10% off...she then asked what I was doing with all this patriotic fabric...I told her I was making pillowcases for servicemen and women...her face lit up and she said "That's military enough for me...I'm giving you the additional 10% for the military that we're doing this weekend"...I almost cried right there at the cash register...I thanked her and thanked her...well then we were both almost crying, Andy got me out of there so the poor woman could check out the person behind us.  It was a wonderful morning.  I came home and cut out all the pillowcases that I could get out of my pile of fabric...16...and then started pinning

and sewing
Oh I had that poor machine flying...nice long straight seams.

A huge thank you to all of you that have sent in your pillowcases so far...we hit 100 on Saturday...I was doing the dance.  I delivered 87 to Jami on Thursday...she was absolutely speechless...I can't even tell you how wonderful my visit with her was...she was so happy, so appreciative and she kept saying to me "You have the most amazing friends, they don't even know me and they're helping me with this."  I told her we weren't going to cry...but we did...tears of joy this time.  I heard from her on Friday and she had gone through every envelope and every box and read every note that you all included...she asked me to please thank you all so, so much.  She said "I know now that I don't have to be afraid, I have all of these new friends who are praying for me and sending me good thoughts.  This cancer may slow me down, but it's not going to beat me!"
THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  You all are the BEST!

I worked on something really fun with a friend yesterday...I bought this pattern

with the tiny template at a quilt show back in April that Lisa from Primitive Gatherings was vending.  We started out by sewing these blocks together...this ends up being 22"...did the cutting with the little teeny twister template...sewed them back together and it ends up being 10"

...It is really, really fun...but I'm going to tell you, the pieces a teeny.  I'll finish it this week.

At lastly today...here's a little peak at my version

of what Kelly showed the other day on her post...a Quilt Along that will be starting really soon...it's going to be FUN!

Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day weekend...we have much to be thankful for!

My Dream is Coming True

I can't even begin to tell me what joy I feel...you all are beyond amazing. So far I have received 68 pillowcases...all are just wonderful...I had no idea there was so much patriotic fabric available...there have been some of the most amazing and inspirational notes included...some for me and some for Jami...I have shed immeasurable tears these past few weeks. Mostly tears of joy, for the way you
all embraced this project, opened your hearts to make this dream of mine come true. I will never, ever be able to thank you appropriately for all of your help. I know there are lots more on their way, I've gotten quite a few e-mails this weekend letting me know that they're on their way. My heart is truly singing. You all are amazing!

I'm going to see Jami on Thursday, I'm taking breakfast out to her house and we're going to have a girls morning. I'm going to take all the pillowcases I have with me...she is just going to thrilled. She has so idea what I've started and what you all have done...I only wish that all of you could be there with me on Thursday...and I know this is just the beginning. I know there are lots more pillowcases to come. I'm hoping to have them all in by August. I've also gotten quite a few more no-reply comments, so I haven't been able to send you my address...if you haven't heard from me please send me an e-mail at goodhomequiltco@aol.com and I'll get right back to you I promise.

Again, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You truly are making my dream come true...I am so grateful!

UPDATE...I'm heading out soon to see Jami...I have 87 pillowcases in my car...THANK YOU!

My Sewing Room

Well, really not my whole sewing room, because it's a mess...but this new addition to my sewing room. Isn't that banner just wonderful? And it's brown...Brown Quilts...I don't think it gets any better than that. Thank you Darlene!

Just a quick note about the pillowcase project...I got a few comments today that I can't respond to, they are no reply comments and I don't have an e-mail address...just send me an e-mail if you haven't heard back from me goodhomequiltco@aol.com and I'll send you my address. Again thank you all so much...you all are AMAZING!

A very Happy Mother's Day to you!

Life is GOOD!

It sure is!!!!!!!!!! And you all have made it so. I am overwhelmed! I am speechless! You all are amazing! I can't even begin to thank you enough for all of your notes, e-mails and commitments to the pillowcase project. Blogland is the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for helping me make my friend's dream come true.

One housekeeping detail, I've responded to every single comment that I can...there were several no reply comments and a couple of comments that gave me e-mail address that came back to me...so if you haven't heard from me would you please send me an e-mail at
goodhomequiltco@aol.com and I'll send you my snail mail address.

I wish we had smell enabled computers...so you could smell these gardenias...these are our first ones of the season...soon the bushes will be full of blooms and will smell amazing.

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!

I Always Say...

I get by with a little help from my friends...well, I really, really need some help.  I have a good friend who has dedicated almost all of her sewing to making patriotic pillowcases and quilts for our servicemen and women.  She has made it her project to make sure that every member of the service that she comes in contact with gets a pillowcase to remember home.  Whenever she goes to an airport, she has her carry on bag full of pillowcases...she goes to the USO room at whatever airport she's in and hands out pillowcases or if she saw a service person at a gate waiting to get on a plane, she would give them a pillowcase.  Now that's not all, she organized her friends for the past several years to make pillowcases, she taught ladies at some area churches how to make pillowcases, she held workshops...she was tireless in reaching her goal. The first year she took what she had to Walter Reed Hospital, the she heard about Ft. Gordon in Georgia. She's gone there for the past 2 years.  Last year she had 300+ pillowcases and if I remember correctly almost 50 quilts that she and her husband delivered to the wounded soldiers in the hospital and the rehab center there. She's an amazing, dedicated, giving woman and I am so honored that she allows me to help.

OK, well you're probably thinking, Where in the world is she going with this?  I had breakfast with her last Friday, we had a wonderful visit, got all caught up, ate our breakfast and she said "I have something to tell you."  My heart skipped several beats, because I just knew it wasn't going to be good.  She told me she had just found out that she had cancer.  She's had some trouble with her hip and it's gotten very painful.  Her doctor ordered and MRI, didn't like what he saw and ordered a PET scan...her hip lit up as did her lung and an area in her abdomen.    She was so positive, her faith is so strong.  She said "Carol, there's a reason for this,  maybe my work is done here and there's other work for me to do."  Then she went on to tell me that the pillowcase project would go on, she'd already made arrangements to go back to Ft. Gordon and they'd be counting on them.  She went on to say that she may need some help making the delivery, if she can't go she asked if Andy and I would make the delivery...she promised she'd have it all arranged...all we had to do was drive up there.  OMG!  What a woman...she has to take care of this.  So I assured her that we would do it.  She called today and had the report from the doctor, it is confirmed in her hip, pelvis and Stage 4 in her lung...he said 12-18 months. 

Here's where I need help...I'd really, really like to be able to have tons of pillowcases for her this year.  The trip will be probably after the summer...so I'm asking you all, if you have a bit of extra time and could make a red, white and blue pillowcase or two for her project, I'll get them all delivered to her.  I know it would mean so much to her and to the soldiers.

Thank you, my friends.  If you would like to help out, just leave me a comment with an e-mail address connected to it.  I'll send you my address.  Thank you!  Thank you!