10.26.2011

Details for the Heroes Helping Heroes Quilt


Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
In two short days I have met my goal of 40 volunteers to help make this incredible quilt. 
(If any others would like to join in, it's not too late.  I would LOVE it!)
I sincerely am blown away by the response that I have received from all of you. 

I wanted to let you know that I met with the Founders of The Heroes Foundation tonight and they were thrilled (we're talkin' goosebumps) to hear about this quilt!  They are thinking about putting it up as The single raffle item at the Gala.  This will bring in much much more money than just putting it up as an item at the silent auction. 

I would like to bring more of this quilt's story to life at the Gala.  Would it be too much to ask each of you to send a 4"x6" card with your name/city/state/country on one side and on the other side write a note about who you are making the block in honor of?  Even a little note about that person if you wouldn't mind.  It seems like so many of you have been affected by this disease and I think these notecards will make the quilt that much more special.  You could even put a picture of the person on your card if you'd like!  The cards can be created out of pretty scrapbook paper or on just a regular old notecard.  Not a big deal, since it is what you write on the card that matters most!

Ok, now let's talk about the quilt block.

The blocks are to be 10" x 10" finished.  It may be a good idea to cut your original paper a little larger (like 10 1/4" x 10 1/4") and then trim it down to 10"x10" after it is all sewn together. 

Please use bright, modern fabric scraps like I used in my sample block.  The blocks should not be monochromatic, just full of color and life.  If you need ideas of fabrics that I lean towards, I love all things from these designers: Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Denyse Schmidt, echino, Erin McMorris, heather bailey, heather ross, Joel Dewberry, Laurie Wisbrun, Lizzy House, Mo Bedell, momo, Ann Kelle, Patty Young, Sandi Henderson, Tula Pink, Valori Wells.  Feel free to avoid plaids and pastels. 

Just like in the tutorial, I ask that you cut the middle white strip to 1".  Please just use a solid white piece for the middle (not white on white).  Gluestick it onto your paper and then start sewing strips onto it that vary from 1" x 2.5".  No particular order in which size you sew where.  I ask that these strips not be wonky but the same width all the way across.

Please leave the paper on the back of the block when you mail it to me.  This will keep the strips from coming apart and makes sewing the blocks together easier (so I've been told) :).

A few extra tips:  I used a piece of wax paper to sew my strips onto.  This tears away easily when the time comes to remove the paper. I've used other paper before and it was really hard to tear away and tended to take the stitching out when I tore the paper away.  You don't have to use wax paper, it just worked for me.  I also backstitched at the beginning and ending of each strip to lock them into place.  If you don't do this, they have a tendency to come apart when you tear away the paper from the back.

After you make your first block, if you are feeling frisky and would like to make another, I will not turn it away.  It will just allow me to make a larger quilt.  The one I had originally planned was a lap quilt, but I'd love to make a larger one if I receive more blocks.

Tammy Lawson has generously offered to donate her quilting services.  Thank you, Tammy!  She asks that I get her the quilt by mid-January
.
If you could please have blocks shipped to me by January 1, 2012, I will have enough time to piece the quilt together.  (Also, Tammy finished her block already and she said it only took her 30 minutes from start to finish, so if you've neve made this block, no need to be intimidated!  It is a piece of cake.)
If you didn't get an email from me with my mailing info, please send me an email with a request for this.  My email is val dot campbell dot 4320 @ gmail.com.
I will be posting pictures of the blocks as they come in.  If you'd like to upload a picture of your block to my PinkPlease! Flickr group so everyone can see them before you ship them, please feel free to join my group and add the pictures there.

Thank you so much for being amazing, ladies!  Your efforts have not gone unnoticed!
xoxo,
Val

10.24.2011

Heroes Helping Heroes!

I am just blown away by the response I received from my post yesterday asking for volunteers to help make a quilt for the Heroes Foundation silent auction to raise money for cancer!  My heart is definitely feeling warm and fuzzy right now! 



In less than 24 hours, 30 amazing women stepped up to help with this quilt.  Every one of these people have been touched by cancer in one way or another.  Many have family/friends who have had cancer, some are survivors themselves, and one is currently battling (and kicking it's butt) right now.

If you know anyone who would like to help, please have them send me a note in the comment section below.  Also if anyone has something they'd like to donate to the silent auction, please let me know that as well.

Thanks again ladies!  You are truly incredible!

My heroes:
1.  Rachael
2.  Jess
3.  Kelly
4.  Debra
5.  Kati
6.  Angela aka WandaFish (in NW England)
7.  Julie
8.  Ella
9.  Charlotte (in London)
10.  Charlotte
11.  Jessica
12.  Terri
13.  CrimsonTate
14.  SuperSara (2)
15.  Michelle
16.  Linz
17.  Amanda
18.  Elizabeth
19.  Esther
20.  Tammy
21.  Katie
22.  Beezus
23.  Shaylynn
24.  Kelsey
25.  Lindsay
26.  Tracy
27.  Ellesquare
28.  Wendi
29.  Dayna
30.  Oh, Jenny Mae
update:
31.  Becky
32.  Mary Claire
33.  Kristy
34.  Aline
35.  Juli Ann
36.  Greencheek
37.  Susannah
38.  Cindy
39.  Traci H.
40.  Betsy
41.  Lotti
42.  Julia
43.  Alison (Melbourne, Australia!)
44. Charlotte
45.  Deborah

~Val

10.23.2011

Anyone feeling charitable today???

Hi my fellow kick ass quilting friends.

I am writing today to see if anyone would like to help pitch in with me to make a quilt for a great cause?  It won't take much time (or fabric) and will hopefully bring in some nice $$$ for cancer treatment!!! 
Here's the lowdown: 
I have become involved with the Heroes Foundation which serves the cancer community by raising money to support the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center's Complete Life Program & the Susan J Patrick Clinical Fellowship.   The Complete Life Program is a holistic treatment program designed to aid cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones by treating the disease on all fronts.  The Susan J Patrick Clinical Fellowship at the IUSCC is where fellows not only focus their training on the treatment of specific groups of deseases but also learn to translate lab research so that patients benefit from innovative approaches to treatment and care.

On  February 25, 2012, An Evening With Heroes Gala will be held to raise money by featuring a live and silent auction.  I would love to make a quilt (with your help, hopefully) to submit to the silent auction. 

Turning our scraps into cash:

Here is what I am thinking. 

Everyone has a few nice modern scraps lying around.  Right?  Wouldn't it make you feel so good to turn just a few of those scraps into $$$ by making a block to add to this quilt that someone will pay big bucks for to go towards a great cause?  

I'm thinking we can't go wrong with a string quilt.  I have always wanted to make one, but don't have the energy/time to make it by myself.  If lots of amazing, generous, talented, did I say amazing people pitch in...it will be done in no time! 

I'm thinking something like this or this...

Here is my sample block.  It took me longer to find the white fabric for the middle than to make the entire block.  Seriously!

I was hoping to recruit 40, yes 40 people to help me.  Each person will make one 10" string block with their modern fabric scraps using this tutorial from Film in the Fridge

If you're interested, please leave me a comment with your email address.  I will then send you all the details.  I'm even thinking about having you send a little scrap with your city/state/country written on it that I can put on the back so that everyone can be represented.
Thank you so much for helping me. I will include a note at the auction explaining how this was a joint effort and list all those who were included!  I'll also post pictures of the quilt hanging at the auction.  I think it will be the coolest thing there!!!

Fingers crossed that one or two or 40 of you will want to be help out!! :)  Please don't make me beg!! Because I will.

~Val

10.17.2011

And the winner is....

I wanted to try the Random Number Generator that I've seen around blogland to choose the winner of my Accuquilt Go! Baby Giveaway.

So....here we go....


And when I read this comment on Saturday, I actually had this feeling deep down that I hoped WandaFish would in.  Maybe it was the superhero capes that tugged on my heartstrings or maybe it is just that fact that she has been trying so long to win one.  Either way, Congrats!!!! 


Now, WandaFish please send your email to me at val dot campbell dot 4320 @ gmail.com so that you can let me know which three dies that you'd like and I can get your Accuquilt Go! Baby to you.  Thanks so much everyone for participating in my Giveaway! 
Have a super week!

~Val

10.14.2011

AccuQuilt Go! Baby Giveaway!!! -- NOW CLOSED!


It's giveaway time!  If you love to quilt or craft and do not have an AccuQuilt Go! Baby, you owe it to yourself to try to win one for free today!  This little (easy to fold up and travel with) miracle machine will save you an incredible amount of time and energy cutting fabric,
which equal more time to sew!!!


Here's the lowdown on how to earn three chances to win a new Accuquilt Go! Baby and 3 dies of your choice:
  1. Leave a comment letting me know what you are working on these days.  Include a link to a post if you would like.  This will give others inspiration as well.
  2. Follow my blog and leave another comment letting me know.  If you already do, just leave a comment saying so.
  3. Leave a comment letting me know that you Tweeted or blogged about this giveaway.

The giveaway will run until this Sunday night 10/16/11 at midnight EST. 

Good luck!!!

~Val

10.10.2011

Wedding Quilt for Kara & Matt

I have friends from High School that dated for over 15 years and FINALLY got married!  I wanted to make them something special for their wedding and offered to make them a quilt.  I had them choose their fabric and pattern and then I took creative license with the back.



(this is the back)

Now, those of you who are perceptive will look at the date and say, "Dang Val, it has almost been a year!  You.better get this gift to them before the 1 year deadline."  That is exactly what I was thinking as well.  I started free motion quilting it about 6 months ago and totally messed it all up.  The thread kept breaking and everytime I re-threaded the needle and started over, I never brought the bobbin thread up, so there were all kind of nesting knots on the back of the quilt, which I didn't realize until I was about 1/4 of the way done. I really wish I could figure out how to FMQ!  So, what did I do?  I stuck the quilt in a bag in the corner, (aka: time out) and ignored it for a long long time.



Fortunately, my friend's Mom has a free motion quilting machine in her home and offered to share it with me!!!  Let me just say, it was amazing!  I can not wait to go back and use it again.    Now that I've (or should I say, Sally's machine) quilted this quilt, it should be finished in no time.  Hooray!!!

Oh...and now Kara is pregnant so I need to start on a baby quilt!  Ahhh!

Have a great Monday!

~Val


I'm linking up over at Freshly Pieced.