Quilts for fire victims and some Halloween cuties

In California, fire season is lasting longer than ever with warmer and drier conditions persisting. Since the beginning of 2020, over 4 million acres have burned in California. As of this morning, nearly 4,100 firefighters continue to battle 22 wildfires across the state. I’ve had many people ask about donating quilts for fire victims and today I’ve got some suggestions for you. On a lighter note, I just returned from visiting our grandchildren in Austin so I’ve got some cute Halloween pictures at the end of this blog post.

Wildfires in California and how to donate Quilts for fire victims are listed here @ The Crafty Quilter.
Image Source: CTV News

WE CARE

In 2018, WE CARE was formed as a way for the quilting community to support the victims of the Paradise Fires of Northern California. This group, led by Kathy Biggi, has expanded and grown in numbers and in outreach. Many of you who follow my blog were quick to offer help when I posted about WE CARE in 2018, and it was greatly appreciated. Currently they have over 55 guilds and numerous individuals working with them.

I was glad to receive an email from Kathy last week telling me that they continue to provide quilts and pillowcases to displaced school children from the recent fires all across California. Here is an excerpt from that email:

Thank you to everyone working so hard getting quilts ready for the 2020 fire victims.  What a year!  We currently have between 900-1000 quilts ready to go (stored in my guest house). Sounds like a lot, but one school district can require half of those in a flash.  Berry Creek Elementary alone will need close to 100 when they are ready to receive them.
Like everything else in 2020, delivering quilts is a real challenge.  I have contacted schools in almost all of the burned communities in Northern California.  But with fires still smoldering, power outages, and schools closed due to COVID, the response has been slow.  Unlike Paradise, where we worked with one school district, there are numerous districts and schools within those districts that need to be contacted.  We have to show patience on our end.  We want to help….not become part of their chaos.

To answer the question, “What size?”  40-ish x 52-ish is a good size, but anything works.  “What age?”  We could use 2nd to 4th grade, both boy and girl.  It is very helpful to have the quilts pre-measured with the size pinned or taped to the quilt.

WE CARE contact information: For more information and where to send quilts and supplies, contact Kathy Biggi at kabrabit@yahoo.com. Right now there is no formal website but Kathy says she is toying with creating a Facebook group. She has given me permission to share her email and that is the best way to contact her.

Sew Creative – Oregon

Oregon and Washington have also been battling wildfires. Sew Creative, a quilt shop in Ashland Oregon, is accepting large lap-size or bed-size quilts. They will distribute the quilts to fire victims in their area. You can ship a new or mint-condition quilt to them at 115 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520. They greatly appreciate your help!

I had heard that Bear Creek Quilting Company in Oregon was accepting quilt donations, but the need has been filled thanks to many generous quilters.

Happiness is a Warm Quilt

The Facebook group, Happiness is a Warm Quilt, is gifting quilts to wine country fire survivors and others throughout California. You can find more information below:

Happiness-is-a-warm-quilt-instructionsDownload

Other ways to donate

Even more important than quilts (who would have thought?) are basic needs that can be supported with monetary donations. Below are a few ways you can help.

The Red Cross continues to help wildfire victims by setting up safe refuges and providing financial support. You can help people specifically affected by the California, Oregon or Washington wildfires. Write “California Wildfires,” or “Oregon Wildfires” in the memo line of a check and mail it to your local Red Cross chapter with the completed donation form. For California Wildfires you can also text the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The California Community Foundation has set up a Wildfire Relief Fund to support both mid-term to long-term recovery efforts for those affected by California wildfires.

The California Fire Foundation’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program brings immediate, short-term relief to victims of fire and other natural disasters throughout California.

I feel like this list could go on and on. I wish I had the time to investigate further, but I’m thankful that you’re still reading! Your thoughts and prayers to all victims are always welcome and appreciated.

Halloween Cuties

Switching gears – I am still recovering from our trip to Austin. By that I mean my legs are sore and I’m still tired! It was so worth it and we had a blast. It amazes me how excited our grandkids are when we come to town. I think it’s because we give them 100% of our attention and we play with them nonstop. And maybe spoil them just a little!

Benjamin, Clara and Amelia are three little pumpkins in my eyes!
Ben, Clara & Amelia

My daughter, Kelly, made butterfly costumes for the girls and a bumble bee costume for Ben. She is so creative and let the girls help with placing their colorful spots on their wings. They were the cutest family of pollinators ever!

Halloween pollinators. Costumes made by Kelly Cutbirth.

For many children this year, trick or treating wasn’t an option. I can remember Halloween being my favorite day of the year as a kid. I would have been devastated if it was cancelled. My grandchildren are at a magical age where they didn’t miss a beat! Each adult hid behind a bedroom door and handed out candy as the kids knocked on each door. Then we had a scavenger hunt for goody bags (that grandma made) in the backyard. Best Halloween ever in my opinion!

Clara and Amelia at their scavenger hunt for Halloween 2020.

Now I’m back home and missing them as I always do. But the business of life kicks in and I find that there are so many wonderful things to enjoy at home. We just planted our winter vegetable garden, I finished my last block for the Stitch Pink Sew Along, and I am wrapping up a BOM project this week. I’m working behind the scenes on a new Christmas tutorial for you guys that will be a quick and easy project. There’s always something to be thankful for and this Sunday I’ll have a new list of Sew Thankful’s for you! Thanks for taking the time to follow along and happy quilting!

Kelly, Amelia, Julie and Clara - October 2020

How to square up a quilt block

After every quilt block I make, I check to make sure it’s the correct size – usually with a square ruler that is the same size I want the quilt block to be. But how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler? We don’t all have a square ruler in every size available (wouldn’t that be nice). I have a simple solution to share with you, plus another option that works well too.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. I have two great methods to share that work for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

You’re going to need some freezer paper and a square ruler that is at least half the size of your desired block size. I’ve been making lots of 12 1/2″ square blocks lately, so I’m going to use a 6 1/2″ square ruler in this example.

  • Cut a piece of freezer paper that is larger than your desired quilt block. Note: Some freezer paper can shrink slightly. You can iron it flat (always iron the paper side) to “preshrink” it before going on to the next step.
  • Fold the freezer paper in half and then in half again.
  • Place the square ruler so that the 6 1/4″ lines of the ruler are on the two folded sides of the freezer paper. To calculate where to place the ruler for any size quilt block, you divide the desired square size by 2, so 12 1/2 divided by 2 = 6 1/4.
  • Using a rotary cutter, cut on the two sides of the ruler. Unfold the freezer paper and you have created a 12 1/2″ square.
  • Fold this square diagonally, from corner to corner, twice. This creates additional centering guidelines.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. I have two great methods to share that work for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

Iron the freezer paper (shiny side down) onto the right side of the quilt block, using the folded guidelines of the freezer paper as a centering guide. You could also fold your quilt block on both diagonals, press it, and match the creases of the fabric to the paper. Check to make sure everything looks straight and lined up.

Transfer the quilt block to a cutting mat. Place a long ruler even with one side of the freezer paper and trim. Repeat for the remaining sides.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. I have two great methods to share that work for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

Peel off the freezer paper and admire your beautiful block! You can re-use the freezer paper many times, so don’t throw it away.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. This freezer paper method works for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter
Basket block made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter. Pattern design by Moda Fabrics for their Stitch Pink Sew Along.

The second method of squaring up a quilt block that is bigger than your ruler, is to use two rulers and a cutting mat. Within this method there are several ways to go about it. I typically don’t like to use the lines on a cutting mat to measure and/or place my rulers, but it works in a pinch.

Place your block on the cutting mat. If you have a long ruler that is at least 6 1/2″ wide, you can place the 6 1/4″ line of the ruler down the center of your quilt block. Depending on the construction of the block, you might have some seams or points that would be considered the center of your block and will subsequently guide the placement of the 6 1/4″ line of the ruler. If not, then you can fold the block in half in both directions and make a crease to use as the placement guide.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. I have two great methods to share that work for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

If you don’t have a ruler that is wide enough, you could use two rulers. In my example below, I have a 6″ x 12″ wide ruler, so I placed the 1/4″ line of my 6 1/2″ square ruler at the center of my block and butted my larger ruler next to it to give me the full 6 1/4″ (from center) width.

At this point you can trim that one side, but I would first place another ruler next to the one already there and make sure there is enough width so the opposite side can be trimmed without losing any points, etc.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. Using two rulers will work for most any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

For an additional “safety net”, you could draw the cutting lines with chalk on all four sides before cutting anything. Once it looks okay, then trim inside those lines (my chalk is thick and cutting on the line would make my block too big).

Since I have a 12 1/2″ square ruler, I decided to check my chalk lines and they were accurate.

Now I have a nicely trimmed “Groovy Granny” square. This pattern is free and available at Moda Fabrics here for their October Stitch Pink Sew Along to raise breast cancer awareness. The basket block at the beginning of this blog post is also from the Stitch Pink Sew Along. The full archive of free Stitch Pink patterns can be found here.

Groovy Granny block made by Julie Cefalu for the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda Fabrics.

Just remember, that both of these methods can be used to square up most any size quilt block. I’ve used it on a 16 1/2″ quilt block that needed trimming, and it was really easy with the freezer paper method. I hope you give this a try next time you need to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler.

Check out how to square up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler. I have two great methods to share that work for any size block. @ The Crafty Quilter

WIP’s and more

I feel like I should call this blog post “WIP’s and more WIP’s” or “The Battle of the WIP’s”. I have a growing number of works in process, but I’m enjoying myself immensely. So it’s not really a battle of WIP’s but a battle of time. I know we can all relate!

I’m co-teaching a block of the month class (via Zoom) and it’s getting towards the end of the year. This means I need to get all of my blocks sewn together, finish up the applique borders and… you know the drill. Here is the center of the quilt so far. I have a lot of work to do!

WIP's and more include this Timeless Tradition BOM.

I just finished teaching a 6-week Zoom class through my local quilt shop, The Granary. I led 35 awesome students on a mystery quilt journey. Now I need to finish up my sample so I’m ready for our reunion class where we show our finished projects. I’m making mine into a table runner. I still need to add the borders (waiting on fabric), but it should be quilted by Thanksgiving! That’s the nice thing about table runners. They are a fairly quick project to make.

Harvest table runner made and designed by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

And finally, I’m keeping up with the Stitch Pink blocks from Moda Fabrics. Every day for the month of October, Moda has been releasing the instructions to make one quilt block to raise breast cancer awareness. These have been so fun to make. I’m in my sweet spot as I piece these blocks together. I have twenty so far. This is a group photo of all of them, but not necessarily how I will have them arranged in the final quilt.

Stitch Pink 2020 blocks made by Julie Cefalu. From the Moda Fabrics Stitch Pink sew along.

I’ve been making these blocks with blue and white fabric and then adding in the occasional cheddar orange block. I like it, but it would be so pretty just all blue and white. What do you think? There’s few enough that I could re-make the cheddar blocks but that would probably push this WIP into the UFO category. We don’t want that.

My WIP's and more include these Stitch Pink 2020 blocks made by me, Julie Cefalu. From the Moda Fabrics Stitch Pink sew along.

I’m really enjoying the Zoom platform for teaching and for taking classes. I was able to take one class at Pacific International Quilt Festival with Julia Larina (Quiltoff) on Quilting a Dream Big panel. I learned so much in this class! It was more of a lecture, but Julia broke down the FMQ designs she uses and then demonstrated the actual quilting at the end.

Last night I was able to catch up with Karen Miller from Redbird Quilt Co. at her Fall lecture series on Zoom. This was very last minute for me, but it worked out perfectly with my schedule. It was all about how she free motion quilted the Bicycle Quilt that her sister, Janet Nykiel, made. I love Karen’s style and her tips are wonderful. It ended with a demonstration of how to FMQ a curled feather. I’ve got some practicing to do, but this is what I managed on my iPad:

Curled feather made by Julie Cefalu on iPad.

October is flying by and I feel the holidays breathing down my neck. I was out of town last weekend, and we’re flying to Austin for Halloween weekend. That makes for a packed month with lots to do, which lead to my recent and unplanned blogging break (anything over 10 days is a break to me).

My plans for The Crafty Quilter are to share a technique for squaring up a quilt block that is larger than your ruler and a round up of Christmas sewing projects that you can make (quick and easy). I might even get a new project tutorial designed by December, but I don’t want to promise anything yet. If you need some ideas (like yesterday) for Christmas projects, check out my Gift ideas to make and give for the holidays from 2017.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I’m always excited to share new things with you and to show you what I’ve been up to. Thank goodness for this virtual community that keeps me sane and happy during this pandemic. I will be glad when the dust settles and we can enjoy some normalcy, but for now I’ll have to rely on Zoom.

Stitch Pink and Sew Along for fire victims

Hi everyone. I want to update you on my progress for the Stitch Pink Sew Along and tell you about a new sew along for fire victims of the CZU Lightening Complex fires in California.

Sew Along for Fire Victims

I’m going to start with the new sew along, Jumpstart on Christmas 5-day Sew Along at Modern Handmade in Scotts Valley, CA. Sarah, the owner of Modern Handmade, knows first hand of the devastation the CZU Complex Lightening fires have brought to her customers. Her shop is located in the vicinity of these fires (it remains undamaged), and she wanted to do something to help. I think she came up with a fabulous idea!

The Jumpstart on Christmas 5-day Sew Along includes three downloadable patterns and video tutorials for a tote bag, a table runner and a quilt. The cost is only $10 for everything and 100% of your purchase will go towards getting a new, handmade quilt into the hands of these fire victims. The sew along starts today, October 8, but you can still join in the fun! It’s a win/win deal, and I hope you are able to take advantage of it.

Jumpstart on Christmas 5-day sew along from Modern Handmade is a sew along for fire victims of the CZU Lightening Complex in California. 100% of proceeds go towards getting a new handmade quilt into the hands of a fire victim.
Jumpstart on Christmas Sew Along

This has been a really tough fire season for so many. I have not heard of any other fundraisers or quilt donations for the many fires that have been plaguing California, Oregon and Washington. If you want to find more ways to help, I think the best thing to do is to reach out to local quilt guilds in the areas affected. I’ll pass along anything I hear about, too.

Stitch Pink Sew Along

I have truly been enjoying Moda’s Stitch Pink Sew Along. Every day for the month of October, Moda releases a quilt block pattern (for free) that will become a beautiful sampler quilt. A portion of Moda’s proceeds from the Stitch Pink Grunge collection will go to the National Breast Cancer Organization –  perfectly timed for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.

Stitch Pink 2020 from Moda Fabrics

I have been staying “in the game” so far with my quilt blocks. There are eight now! I’m following Said With Love for their daily email notifications for the block patterns and any tips they have. The bonus of Said With Love is they’re based in Australia, so the patterns arrive one day early for the Northern Hemisphere!

The first block is called Underdog and I could not decide if I wanted to use a navy background or a natural background. So, I made both! I’ve since decided to stick with the navy background.

Block 1 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

Block 2, On The Rise, has a classic look and it was easy to make. I used the color, cheddar, for this one and it worked out well.

Block 2 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

Block 3 is called Monkeying Around, and I changed it up a bit. The original pattern had two long, narrow strips on two sides. I just recalculated the main “monkey wrench” block so that it measured 12 1/2″ unfinished.

Block 3 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

I love Block 4, Flower Power, but I had to keep my seam ripper handy. I had a hard time keeping my light and dark fabrics positioned correctly since mine are opposite the pattern. I made some spare parts along the way on this one.

Block 4 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

I don’t have a picture of Block 5, Baby Boom, so I’ll show you the original pattern photo from Moda.

Block 5 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda.

My favorite so far is Block 6, Best Friends. This one had a lot of points to match and seam allowances to wrangle, so when it turned out close to perfect, I was happily surprised (as in heart skipping, jump up and down happy). My tip is to over-size everything including the corner and side triangles. And press well.

Block 6 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.
Block 6 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

With Block 7, Jersey Girl, it was time to add some more cheddar for this sunny Dresden block. I used my EZ Dresden ruler to cut the blades and made them slightly smaller (4″) than the pattern called for. The center circle is the perfect opportunity to fussy cut a favorite print.

Block 7 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

Here are what four of the blocks look like together. It’s very traditional, and I’m loving it.

Blocks 1-4 of the Stitch Pink Sew Along from Moda, made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter.

I’m working on Block 8 today, and I am in “piecing heaven” with all of these blocks so far. This is my sweet spot for quilting. I’m also going to start my Market Tote Bag which is the first pattern released in the Jumpstart on Christmas Sew Along. Another fun project to look forward to and a great opportunity to sew along for fire victims!

Thanks for visiting and happy quilting!

Sew Thankful Sunday, October 2020

{I love the idea of “paying it forward”. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}

Sew Thankful Sunday October 2020 is full of fall inspiration, decorating and new finds!

Even though it’s hot and smoky here in Northern California, I am able to enjoy October and all of its pumpkin glory – indoors. Plus, I’ve found some wonderful online ways to enjoy this month and I’m sew happy to share them with you today!

Note:  If you use Pinterest, please pin from the original source and not this blog post. Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link.

  1. I’m happy to introduce you to a new blogger, Sharon at Quiltish Corner. Sharon has been sewing for over 40 years and has some wonderful tips and tutorials on her blog. The one that caught my attention was all about sewing machine needles. I’m sure she would love for you to visit her!
  1. There’s still time for some Fall decorating. Find out How to Decorate Your Home with Fall Quilts with Sherri at A Quilting Life. She has some beautiful ideas to inspire you!
How to Decorate Your Home with Fall Quilts @ A Quilting Life
  1. I am so excited to sew Fall things starting with this cute Maple Leaf Mini Quilt from Fat Quarter Shop. This is a free pattern and they have a video tutorial for you!
  1. Fast and easy wins the race and this Free Reusable Market Bag Tutorial from Suzy Quilts gets the job done. It would make a great gift or just keep it for yourself!
  1. Join Jacquelynne Steves for another quick sew along with her free Fa La La Sew Along. At the end of this 6-week project, you’ll have a table runner to decorate your house for the holidays with.
  1. Check out this tutorial from Sharon at Color Girl Quilts on How to Spray Baste Your Quilt. This is one of my favorite methods to baste quilt!
  1. If you’re still looking for that perfect October sewing project, check out this roundup of 12+ Fabric Pumpkin Sewing Projects from Melissa at Polka Dot Chair. There’s something for everyone here!
  1. I have always been intrigued by double gauze fabric. I was so happy to learn more about 4-layer gauze and how to use it to make a whole cloth quilt at Quilter’s Candy. Elizabeth shows you every step of the process and exactly what materials she used.

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you’re feeling the October vibe and perhaps you’ve found something to inspire you for Fall and beyond. Thanks to everyone featured today!