Caring and Sharing

If you have ever had the impulse to share of your bounty with a mother who has barely the means to care for her children, you will want to see this new website. Amanda Soule has added one more beautiful creation to the world. This time it's a place for caring and sharing.

Thank you to Prato9x for making this photograph available on flickr.

One reason I want to live in a small home is because so many live in so much less than I. It is difficult for me to still my conscience when I live in a palace compared to most of the rest of my brothers and sisters in the world. It seems only right that I ought to live more simply, and by doing so have more means to share. Our home pulls so much cash, even at under 2,000 square feet.

I am so encouraged by the efforts of others to provide homes to those who have so very little. Here is one example. To read more click on this link.



Thank you to Tiny House Design for posting about this inspiring organization.

Shipping Container Homes for the Impoverished

There is a great article here today at the Tiny House Blog about recycling shipping containers into homes for those who would welcome them as an upgrade from their current dwellings. Read the whole article to catch a vision of the possibilities. I find the idea quite exciting.

Photograph by OR_U on Flickr.

Pink for Someone's Precious Baby

This quilt-of-a-million-hand-stitches needs to go to a hospital and be given to just the right parents of just the right baby. Any ideas?

Diane Marie Quilt

A departure from my usual color scheme for Sweet Diane Marie.

Shame on Me

Shame on me for neglecting to give credit to Hillary Lang for the inspiration for my last quilt. You will quickly see that mine is not original at all! I so appreciate the great quilters who so generously share their creations.

More Shots of Annie's Garden Quilt

I'm grateful for this fabric collection, supplemented by others, for making this quilt so lovely to look at. I hope it helps Ann to have peaceful naps and comfy movie-breaks.

Annie's Garden Quilt

Jake's Quilt Progressing

Wuzgonnabee

Here is the Wuzgonnabee Jake's Quilt, with the stack of squares for his new and improved quilt on top. The first quilt just didn't turn out well enough to leave the family, so I am remaking it: same fabrics, same design, more experienced quilter.

Strip of Squares for Jake's Quilt

Wall Hanging Revisited

I got the wall hanging back and quilted it with quilting thread. I am renaming it. It is now Ethan's Quilt. I feel much better about it.

The Texas Quilts are Finished

Three Shirt Quilts

This is where I have been lately. Whenever I have had a moment, I have been working on these three quilts, each pieced together with different shirts once belonging to FarmBoy's father, who just passed away. I made one for each of my husband's siblings, and hurried to get them finished in time for his sister's visit from Massachusetts. Tonight we all shared a meal at a brother's home, and I surprised the family with the quilts, which were tied and laundered in the knick of time, just this afternoon.
As shown in the close-up, I left labels on some of the shirt pieces, and used the buttons from the shirts to embellish the spots where the quilts were tied.

Having Enough Means Having Enough to Share

We have a practice in our church which I think is so simple and effective--and brilliant--that I want to share it. Once a month one day is set aside for all of us to stop eating for 24 hours. We then gather the money we would have spent on food for that day, and contribute it to help those in need.

We do not need to have abundance before we can assist others financially. The beauty of this practice is, we come to realize that simply having enough means having enough to share.

Pink Quilt and the Shibori Dragon

I finished hand-stitching this pink quilt in the wee hours this morning. While sewing, I watched a documentary about the importance of supporting local businesses over box stores. That being on my mind, I perused the yellow pages this morning and found that we do indeed have a local quilting supply store, The Shibori Dragon. The Artist and I headed over there and she and I had a great time browsing, as she helped me pick out four gorgeous fat quarters for an upcoming project. You can drool a little yourself over their selection here if you want to, although I highly recommend an in-person visit, if you can do it. It is a place full of beautiful things. As I have found with photographing my quilts, fabrics really need to be seen first-hand to be appreciated fully.

I'm especially excited about finishing this little quilt, because it is going to our church quilt drive, and I have for so long wanted to make and donate a quilt like this. I am amazed that I actually finished it. It is a triumph for me.

I hope some little girl loves this quilt until the fabric thins and wears away to nothing, as my little girls have loved the simple quilts I made so long ago for them.

Humanitarian Reminder

My husband and I helped out with packaging food orders for the needy on Wednesday, and I was able to purchase and bring home this bag of nonfat dry milk from the storehouse. As I cut it open today to begin a batch of yogurt, I was touched by the many languages on the bag. I was reminded of all of the good-hearted people who labor regularly to be sure that the hungry are fed throughout the world.

Can you identify the five different languages on this bag?

Atenolol Quilt

I've decided the Atenolol quilt is well-made enough to be shared. I will be giving it to our church quilt drive. I'm folding it up and putting it away with the Humanitarian Dolls. It's a good feeling to know I made a quilt to pass along. I hope it is just the first of many.

Carpet Upkeep Made Better

Here, on our carpet, are six Humanitarian Dolls I made recently.

After three years of weekly vacuuming, I was disappointed that the vacuum cleaner no longer left interesting patterns in the rug. I assumed it was because the carpet was no longer new. But, recently, the belt broke on the vacuum cleaner, so FarmBoy cleaned up the machinery and changed the belt. Now, I'm getting the patterns again, and vacuuming is almost a pleasure, as in the beginning.

It's sometimes just little things that make such a big difference.

Humanitarian Doll

Here is a photo of the Humanitarian Doll I made over the weekend. The pattern for these simple little dolls is most ingenious. You can see it for yourself here. And the address for one place where a person can contribute humanitarian aid items can be found here. On that page you will also find a link to patterns and instructions for many other things to make and share.