Tag Archives: turkeys

Attics, Shirts, and Turkeys

For over a week now, my husband and I have been spending our nights in the attic. I haven’t done much sewing since we sleep during the day, like Mo. (Remember Mo?) We’re installing the heat and air conditioning in our house. It’s much more complicated than just a change-out (replacing equipment) because this place never had air conditioning. Since it never did, we can’t use any of the old spots for duct work because they’re too small. Plus we’re moving the furnace from a closet to the attic. So it has been quite the project.

The good news is that there are four very small things left to do: two fittings, install the thermostat, and prime the compressor. Then we can turn it on! Woooo! Another piece of good news is that even though I’m quite accomplished at duct work now, I won’t have to touch another piece of that devilish fiberglass insulation for a very long time, if ever. Sweet relief. I’ve already showered so here’s the shot you get of the attic from the access hole.

I’ll get to focus more on my quilting now that this job will be finished today. I’m excited to begin the T-shirt quilt for a customer. The box of shirts arrived, complete with a chart of where each shirt was going…. which is super helpful. This customer decided to use both sides of some shirts and just one side of others. We’ll also alternate lights and darks in a grid pattern. Fun! I’ll also be finishing up the tops for the two twin-sized quilts for the Turkey Clan room at Crystal Lake Camps. I have one done and the other needs a few borders before it’s large enough for the bed. Photos coming soon! Here’s one way I keep projects all together. I have plastic containers with drawers and can keep both blocks and fabrics together for easy access. And, you know, so I don’t use the fabrics for something else in the meantime. It’s happened. Don’t laugh. 🙂

Expect a post soon with photos of pretty quilts! Until then, a friendly reminder. Please take care of yourselves. Self-care is something that needs to be practiced and paid attention to. I have a few friends who had some health scares this past week. I’m both grateful that they got immediate help and reminded how important it is for me to pay attention to my thoughts and body.

Like a Herd of Turtles

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The turtles have arrived! And they’re so darned cute I’ve got to share some photos with you all. The first is of the blocks in one layout option. They haven’t been sewn together yet and may not stay in this arrangement, but it’ll give you an idea of what we’ve got. I’ll be adding a few small turtle blocks and a border or two to expand it into the size it needs to be.

There’s a great variety of artists and methods used to create these turtles. Here’s one that’s appliqued and embroidered.

embroidered edges turtle

This gorgeous scene is painted onto the fabric.

The last block I’m showing you today is drawn. Look at all the textures the marker lines create!

I’ll post more updates as I go on this quilt as well as the turkeys’ two quilts.

For more on the quilts I’m helping with for my childhood summer camp, check out these posts.

https://quiltartbymegan.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/the-turkeys-are-here/

https://quiltartbymegan.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/turtles-turkeys-wolves-and-bears-oh-my/

The Turkeys Are Here!

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Here’s an update on this post I wrote about making quilts for my childhood summer camp. The turkey blocks have arrived! I sent blocks to camp to be decorated and they’ve flown back to me. I photographed them in sets for detail’s sake. I sent two different sizes. ‘Cause I’m cool like that. Here are the smaller, rectangular ones.

As you can see from the last photo, I got some extras back that were not decorated. Which is completely fine! When making a signature quilt or collaborative project I ALWAYS make more blocks than I think are needed. They can always go on the back or be made into something else. I’d much rather have this problem than the uncomfortable one of not having enough for everyone who wanted to participate.

Okay, here are the next set of turkeys. These blocks are larger and (as you can tell if you passed kindergarten) square shaped.

Look! I even got some of those hand-turkeys I was talking about in my last post. Also some really intricate Zentangle-like blocks that are so artistic and awesome! Lots of feathers and tracks.

The final photo is of the maker’s block. I sent this one off to camp with the request that all of the artists identify themselves so I can give them credit. Didn’t expect anything this beautiful in return. Preeeeetty.

Also, the Bears’ quilt is completely finished! Pieced by Betsy Huffman and quilted by Nancy Dewire.

That’s all for now folks! I’ll post another update on the clan quilts as we get further along in this process.

Turtles, Turkeys, Wolves and Bears Oh My!

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I love collaborative projects. They’re always such an adventure. This one is for the lodge at my childhood summer sleep-away camp, Crystal Lake Camps. I have such awesome memories of this place and the people I met there. So when the idea was pitched on the alumni Facebook page to make clan animal themed quilts for four rooms I was eager to help.

There many ways campers are grouped together at CLC. One is by age, which determines your cabin assignment. Another is girls’ camp and boys’ camp. Also your skill level in classes like swimming and horseback riding. Clans are something different and special. Boys, girls, and counselors of all ages are split into four groups: turtles, turkeys, wolves and bears. These clan groups compete in events like blueberry picking and tug-of-war, make their own cheers, and sit together at council fire. It’s another opportunity for bonding and though I haven’t been to camp since 2001 I’m still a proud turtle.

So here’s what we’ve done so far for these four clans… starting with the turtles ’cause, well… I’m a turtle. I’m collecting blocks that have a light blue background and one or more turtles on them. The blocks’ measurements must be divisible by 3, so they’re not the same size but I can puzzle them all together. So with seam allowances, you can have 3.5″ x 3.5″ all the way up to 15.5″ by 15.5″ and anything in-between. Here are some of the blocks that have been made.

I’m the maker behind this one. Can you tell? Its shell is crumb-pieced then reverse appliqued under the blue fabric and the rest is hand-embroidered.

Okay. Onto the turkeys quilts. This lodge room gets two because it has a set of twin beds. I’m also coordinating this project. I sent off some quilt blocks to the alumni reunion weekend along with fabric markers. I haven’t gotten them back yet but am so excited to see what everybody wrote/drew on them for the turkeys quilt! I’m kind of hoping I get a hand print turkey or two back. Do you remember making those in elementary school for Thanksgiving? Anyway, alumni weekend was populated with several generations of alumni and their children so I’m sure the quilts will be awesome. Here’s what some of the blocks looked like before decorations.

The next two quilt tops are for the wolves and bears. Their very talented maker Betsy Huffman gave me permission to share them with you guys. Another volunteer will quilt and finish them. So all four quilts are technically still UFOs (unfinished objects)…. with a lot of love put into them. See?

Yes, that bear quilt has a cat on it. My cats are also quilt-inspectors. I love how Betsy included the traditional “bear paw” block as one of her borders.

I love the howling wolf in the corner of this quilt. Did you notice that Betsy also made matching pillowcases? She said she made them with the leftovers from making these quilts. What a good idea.