Thursday, April 23, 2020

Smooches 2

I dunno, these heart blocks are definitely addicting, and, like Smarties, you can't have/make just one. I knew I was going to make my next Smooches quilt in rainbow colours, with all cream backgrounds, and that it would go to a healthcare worker. I started making it when I was the guest blogger at Sarah's blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, as one of the tutorials she offers as potential comfort quilts for her Hands2Help comfort quilt drive.

Well, I made a few blocks when I was writing the tutorial for Smooches. They were easy to do, chain-piecing-wise when I was piecing Storm at Sea.



I'd make one or two when taking a break from quilting Storm at Sea, and once SaS was quilted and blogged, I had just two blocks left to make.

From there it was insert sashing, add top and bottom borders, with a quick iMessage back and forth with Dayna (who still wants a pink and red Smooches like the original, so I'll be making a third one) to confirm the top and bottom borders choice of fabric.


I think pulling a rainbow of fabrics for the backing took nearly as long as constructing the top! I looked through my stash to see if I had an appropriate backing, but couldn't find any, partly because my stash is somewhat inaccessible due to not having cabinets in my sewing room yet, and partly because nothing said, 'pick me!' When I found the cool zigzag stripe in my half-yard or under plastic drawers organization system, it was the 'pick me!' piece. From there I dug for the ROYGBIV colours of the rainbow, and put together the backing, which just makes me smile for some reason. It seems homey doesn't it?

I loaded it onto Avril and in two oh, half-hour sessions if that, it was off Avril.

Why oh why do I not do more quilts with these fun, meditative, watching goldfish type meanders? They give such lovely texture.

And! I cannot say enough good stuff about this thread. I picked it up at a quilt shop in Florida a few years ago. It looks very much like Isacord polyester, but it is about half the price. I first quilted with it in my Bernina, and then tried it on the longarm, both with fantastic results. The best part? No lint. Now I love love my cottons, Gütermann and Aurifil, but they are both the same for lint: rather a lot of it. And I do love the sheen of this thread. I chose a pale yellow and it blends in with everything perfectly.
Somebody is photo-bombing again...nope; he's intrigued because Bella is under the quilt!

Yay! for a few rainbow stripe binding choices, and yay that I finally can use this cool one. I had just enough; all that is left is a 2.5" strip. This time I stitched it to the front, but instead of ditch-stitching and catching it on the back, I top-stitched it on the back, which leaves a line of stitching on the front. However, I did the top-stitching with the Exquisite polyester thread in top and bottom, so it matches the quilting thread and really blends in nicely.
The Bottom Line is in the bobbin, another thread I love, and that I use almost exclusively as bobbin thread.

Yay for remembering to sew in my satin label. Here is the cotton label with information on it:


I also quilted Kyra's name into her quilt:
That is a Sandi Gervais hearts print I got a few years ago in Florida. The wheat fabric is a Benartex one from a few years ago, and the cream a Maywood Studio Magret and Slusser fabric. How I love scrap and stash quilts!

Here is Kyra.

Just who is Kyra? She is my boss's daughter. I've never met her; I didn't know she was an RN until this pandemic, when he mentioned that she works at DMC, Detroit Medical Centre, a hospital in Midtown, Detroit. She is one of over a thousand healthcare workers who live in Windsor, Ontario, and work in Detroit, Michigan, crossing the border for every shift. Yes, they still cross, because they are essential services. Yes, the cases in Michigan, as I mentioned in a previous post, are about the same as those in all of Canada, so it is very bad there, and we worry about them on many levels, as we worry about those nurses and doctors who work in hospitals everywhere during this pandemic. Her dad told me Kyra worked four 12-hour shifts this past week... All we need to do is continue staying home, so that one day soon she and her colleagues do not have to work such exhausting long hours.

As I made it, I thought of her, thought of the tragic things she has had to witness, the lives lost, and lost alone, to this terrible virus. I hope it brings her some comfort and warmth when she gets home from long days at the hospital. I hope she feels the gratitude and respect I feel for her and her colleagues, doctors and nurses both.

So this is another of my H2H quilts checked off, and ready to deliver!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: Original design
Size: 51" x 51"
Fabric: Stash and scraps
Backing: Stash
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 bleached cotton/polyester
Quilted: on Avril my Avanté;  51 068 stitches
Threads: pieced with Aurifil on Tillie my 1947 Featherweight; quilted with Exquisite polyester, The Bottom Line in the bobbin

Linking up
Quilty Girl
TGIFF at Kathleen McMusing

I'll see you tomorrow for the first sewing instructions of my Centred QAL!

17 comments:

  1. I know that the deep gratitude you put into making this quilt will be felt and be comforting to Kyra. I'll offer mine up as well. I think the colorful binding is the perfect finish for this quilt!

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  2. Thank you,Sandra! I love reading your posts because they're filled with tons of quilting details and information. But even more I love how your passion and love come alive in each quilt that you make. Each quilt is not only a work of art but has a story and a piece of your heart sewn into it.

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  3. I love everything about this quilt! The hearts, the colours and most especially the love sewn into for a hero.

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  4. Big, gorgeous hearts with sweet heart quilting - Kyra will love it!

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  5. Such a touching tribute for one of our most valuable resources. Kyra deserves this and you do make such loving gifts for people who face such trying times. Thank you for sharing your pattern with us and for sharing the stories behind your quilts.

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  6. Thanks, understanding, and gratitude to so many who work long hours in that stifling PPE gear, seeing so many in dire situations, this will be a treasure for Kyra in so many ways. I hope all our thoughts go with the quilt,

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  7. What a lovely gift for someone who is so essential at the moment. I'm sure it will be much appreciated. Hearing about the cotton you use for quilting was interesting. I must admit to sticking to my Signature thread which I do like & never really want to play with tension too much. Bit of a woos, am I. Take care, stay safe & hugs.

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  8. Four 12-hour shifts. Just think about that and how exhausting that must be, not to mention a bit scary dealing with all that. What a lovely thing to do for her, Sandra. I hope some day soon she can enjoy long, lovely naps beneath that quilt!

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  9. It's beautiful! I loved your reference to the "watching goldfish type meander" :) That's a great description!

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  10. A great quilt for a great person. I live the heart quilting motif.

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  11. Hi Sandra! Oh, Kyra! Four 12-hour shifts . . . Andrea just did that last week and they are killers. Michigan - OMG they have had it really bad, especially Detroit. What a blessing she is - I hope there isn't a toll or anything to cross over and back each time. Does she express a concern about the relaxing of the stay-at-home orders? We are still having increasing numbers of cases so I don't think we could have possibly peaked. Anyway - back to the topic at hand and Smooches 2. Look, look, LOOK at that texture. Oooh-la-la. And our favorite photobomber - I love it. That does it - it was already a clinch but just seeing version #2 ensures that I need to make it. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  12. That quilt is wonderful and I believe you have found the right person for it to offer a little healing to!! I love it!!!

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  13. What a beautiful tribute to show support to someone on the front lines. We are all so connected right now, even though we have never met.

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  14. I love your Smoochies #2 just as much as the original. I know Kyra will treasure it! Our daughter is a RN, not currently employed due to a move. I know how hard their work is, now more than ever.
    Ps: I have some of that Sandi Gervais heart print....

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  15. I'm so, so glad that you know a healthcare caregiver to gift with a beautiful quilt! I know Sarah picked that for H2H long before the pandemic, and it seems scarily prescient now. Kyra is a hero, hands down! She needs not only a wonderful quilt, but a cape and about a 500% raise!

    And oh, yeah, simple meandering for quilting is such a great alternative. Especially in times like this where our minds and hearts may not have the extra OOMPH to do fancy-schmancy quilting. Fast, cuddly and DONE is a Good Thing (tm)

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  16. How wonderful! So sweet to make another one of these great quilts for someone sho is doing so much!

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  17. Have I told you how much I love this quilt? Thanks for being part of Hands2Help 2020!

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