My sweet friend Miss Pat of Muddy Boot Prints educates youngsters in her outdoor learning program full days, outsidemostly. Rain or shine, they do have warm up spots for wet little ones out of the rain for brief times.
This is where my two new quilts almost finished will go.
These are reused moving blanket from U-Haul, are onto a new life, giving warmth and comfort to red nosed children and two sweet ladies, Miss Pat and Miss Velma.
This began as a way to reintroduce myself to being able to plan out my projects and realizing that I had way too many quilts that need desparately to be completed. But while completing those quilts which need my attention in my sewing womb.
I began with an idea.
I began with reusing moving blankets for new quilts that can take the abuse of outdoor use. I pictured my friend and her business partner getting a wee bit chilly at times, I wanted to jump in and get busy on this project.
When you have the means to buy fabric it is a luxury.
As a sidebar, I have been thinking about climate change. I reckon that if I use more upcycled materials to make my quilts this can only equal no more fuel used in its manufacturing and distribution.
In Canada, the price of new fabric does instill a feeling that its only those well off folks who can afford make a quilt. Buying new fabric is expensive today and only those with enough 'extra money' on hand actually can afford to buy new fabric.
BUT, if you take thrifting as a viable alternative, you can make just about anything you'd ever want to sew or craft.
Thrifting fabric is a practice that thousands of smart sewist's male and female take to heart and make do with many fabulous fabrics found at thrift shops, found at garage sales or given to them by those who support their art or handmade crafting business.
Kantha stitching is stitching seen all over the web at Pinterest, Facebook and bloggers who are champions of reusing, repurposing and upcycling. Its the same kind of tight running stitch of quilting used in my Modern Makeover.
Since I first began writing this blog, "Recycling became upcycling" and its downright exciting!
Onto the second moving blanket quilt, I got smarter for time constraints and used 1 m. flannel chunk and filled in the bottom edge with other scraps. This close show the simple running stitch.
On the seam edges, I did a fast whip stitch.
Its a hodge podge approach, but it works for this fast and durable project.
Now, I just need to bind these two quilts, then they are ready for shipping to Muddy Boot Prints in Vancouver.
I know my friend will delight in these two quilts.
The organization Earthand.com in Vancouver, gleans useful natural and ignored wild things and holds workshops to teach using naturally gleaned materials.
I took very little time deliberating which chunks of my scraps and orphaned blocks found a new purpose by hanging out on one corner or spot of these two Kantha Stiched Outdoor Quilts.
This the back side of one of them. More on these two quilts in my next post.
I have also begun to continue piecing on my Happiness Quilt. I like it on our bed and my hubby says its really "A Carli Quilt" and I was surprised. He said "You have your own style sweetie. I can tell a Carli quilt a mile away." It was so funny. I didn't realize he'd actually been paying attention.
Then I was really surprised when he stood back and said "Carli, you have a way of blending generations of fabric. Your quilts are always bright and bold, you use up fabric like nobody else"
Well, I'll take that encouragement. I'm sure your hubby has expressed his thought on your quilts and encouraging thoughts are to be shared here. Leave me a comment of your most special encouragement that you've recieved from your spouse.
Its another weekend, and I thank you all for reading and commenting. I'm piecing and binding this weekend. Happy Quilting!
