#opgivewarmth {october 2014}

Seeing as more than half my social media faves these days tend to be indigo-inspired (think all that shibori dyed goodness), this month's #opgivewarmth palette should come as no surprise...

And because it also happens to be my month as quilter for my do.good circle (believe), I've asked my bee-mates to make simple geometric patterns of their choosing in an inky blue monochromatic colorway for an eclectic mixed-print design that's been brewing in my head for too long (read:  long enough for me to recognize that its best chance of coming to fruition is with the help of some friends).

So last night I had fun with some stripes, half-rectangle triangles and a teensy 1/2" checkerboard.  So much so, that I hope to carry over the print-mixing theme into this month's batch of #opgivewarmth blocks.  Indigo plaid, pluses, and plenty more to follow!

For those of you who missed the announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc., so add a ½" to each of those to allow for seam allowance), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette:

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

background | FAQs

source

#opgivewarmth {september 2014}

Every month I flip through my favorites (on bloglovin and flickr) to find palette inspiration for #opgivewarmth.  Evidently I'm somewhat predictable, as—more often than not—subdued and mostly-monochromatic color stories beat out the more erratically vibrant (and often multicolored) ones.  And that's just based on what makes it into my favorites to begin with, so I know there's a world of color combinations that I'm passing by!

In an effort to avoid becoming totally redundant—and while I take inventory of the hues we've used thus far—, I'm going with a neutral, plume-inspired collection of earthy taupes and smokey grays for September.  Mostly because I love it, but also because I'm certain this one is entirely unlike any other month's. ;o)  Plus I have just the right fabric stack in mind...

So there's that. ;o)  And as a PSA for anyone who doesn't yet subscribe to Michael's newsletter:  Oakshott is currently holding its summer clearance sale (with free shipping on large orders) through September 8!  Some of my favorites (including Lyon, Summer Stripe and Impressions) are available for $7-$10 per meter, which, I have to say, is a *steal* for this ethically-produced, dreamily iridescent goodness.  A s-t-e-a-l.  So go on now, have a look.  And if you happen to make something inspired by this palette, too, I'd love to see it pop up in the #opgivewarmth pool on IG!

For those of you who missed the announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc., so add a ½" to each of those to allow for seam allowance), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette.

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

background | FAQs

source

AMH feathers à la #opgivewarmth

After working basically every day the past month, I decided it was time for some time to myself.

Well, me, some fabric and the sewing machine, that is. ;o)  So yesterday morning started off with an assortment of strips leftover from previous projects, my new AMH feather templates (courtesy of Customplastic), and my zippy Janome 1600P-QC ("Bertha," i.e., the great-grandmother for whom I was not named).

By midmorning I had strip-pieced and cut all the feather sections...

By midday I had pieced all the feather blocks...

And by midnight I had a quilt top.  (...Not entirely unrelated to the two Diet Cokes I'd downed with dinner.)

In retrospect, I don't believe my indecisive self has ever churned out a top quite as quickly as this one.  Especially considering that as of yesterday morning I was set out to use those same strips to make fabric braids (à la Purl Bee) as Rachel of Stitched in Color did for a post in her "Purge" series earlier this month.

But I think I just needed another finish.

That, and I was relatively caffeinated for someone who's gone largely without this summer. :o)

Either way, it's a step in the right direction!

...Though I still might have to add a gradient border fading from blue to pink to tie it all together.  Maybe.  We'll see.  In the meantime, I'm linking up with "the Purge" over at Stitched in Color.  Are you purging along?

#opgivewarmth {august 2014}

After a month off track, we're back in business!  And I even whipped up a couple blocks with some gypsy wife leftovers just to show you that uncomplicated little blocks spread warmth just as well as the intricate ones :o)  

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!  And if anyone's itching to get their hands on some liberty of their own, I know that Massdrop has two FQ bundle options ending in the next day or so, and I also just saw on IG that Queen Bee Fabrics (a U.S.-based etsy shop) is closing ;(  So grab her liberty—scrap bundles, yardage or FQs—while you still can!  (Plus shipping is free through August 4th, so there's that.)

For those of you who missed the announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc., so add a ½" to each of those to allow for seam allowance), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette.

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

background | FAQs

source

#opgivewarmth {june 2014}

Another month gone by means another palette for #opgivewarmth!  I've been a bit absent from the IG hashtag this month but I'll be packing for Camp StitchALot tomorrow night and I can tell you one thing that will definitely be in tow... our April and May blocks!

And for those of you who missed the announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc.), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette.

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

background | FAQs

June 2014 Palette | #opgivewarmth
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#opgivewarmth {may 2014}

Thanks to everyone who's shown such interest and support in this new endeavor—#opgivewarmth—over the past month.  It's truly been so rewarding to see your designs pop up on IG and flickr (and in the P.O. Box!)  I'm working on a few tops using April's blocks and can't wait to show you more.

And for those of you who missed out on last month's announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc.), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette.

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

background | FAQs

May 2014 Palette | #opgivewarmth
source

a mascot and a flag {#opgivewarmth}

As promised, I've updated the #opgivewarmth page with a few more (necessary) details, so please pop on over there for shipping information and other logistical musings.  

One thing I'd like to emphasize here is that I've changed my mind on the 12.5" block size.  Instead, feel free to send any block whose finished size is a multiple of 3.  Whether you feel like making 3" or 36" (finished) blocks, so long as you remember to include an extra 1/2" for seam allowance I'll take whatever suits your fancy!  (I think I can hear Alison audibly gasping from halfway across the world about how I've just multiplied the work for myself, but in the abstract I like the design flexibility that having a variety of sizes will afford, so let's just hope this new plan pans out in practice!)  

And while I have your attention, I wanted to share some of the designs brewing around this month's palette...

The coyote you've seen (though he's been tweaked thanks to some IG friends who pointed out a, um, sneaky detail that I'd embarrassingly overlooked).  So, moving right along, how happy am I that there's already something in the flickr group from one of you?!  Erica made the beautiful AMH feather (it's long been on my own wish list, so I can't wait to incorporate hers into one of this month's MVOB quilts!)  Extra bonus?  I've seen snippets of another block in the works from Aoife of thREDhead (also, I love that she provides a clip of how to pronounce her name over on her blog; I was totally saying it wrong in my head).  

And because I was in a bit of a pink-y mood after strip-piecing stripes and testing out those geese for my friend Amanda of Material Girl Quilts, I decided some little HSTs featuring my all-time favorite AMH print were in order (field study sundials in glow, for those who are wondering).  A little inadvertent scattering on my desk (the present holding cell for this project) ultimately led to this pseudo-patriotic affair...

Ironically, my motto as a little girl was "Say no to pink."  Suffice it to say, I'm sort of smitten that this little flag stands for just the opposite.  I can only hope it finds its way to a little kid who's more openminded to the color than I was at that age.  ;o)

Linking up with Lee.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sarah

welcome! {also, beware of dog-like creature}

Hello (again)!

Just wanted to welcome any newcomers popping over from Freshly Pieced today :)  I'm Sarah (as I hope you've figured out by now), and {no} hats in the house—yep, all lowercase, grammatically incorrect, and ostensibly entirely unrelated to quilting (or is it?!)—is my little corner of the interwebs.  That, along with my nooks on bloglovin', craftsy, etsy, flickr, and instagram, but it all started right here, so there.  :o)

Seeing as it is W(ip)ednesday around these parts, I figured I'd share a bit of my most recent progress.  As you might've guessed, it's #opgivewarmth-inspired...

And as affable as it looks.  Because blankets aside, every kid deserves a 2' furry friend, right?

Even if it is a coyote.*  (!)

;o)

*Pattern by Violet Craft, for whom I pattern-tested this spry little animal and fellow four-footed behemoth, Sir Sunset Stag, both of which are part of her upcoming Forest Abstractions design.

#opgivewarmth {april 2014}

After yesterday's wordy post, I figured I should be brief today.  So without further ado, I give you "color scooped," the inaugural #opgivewarmth palette.  Read up, and dig in.* :)

Source

*And while you're off getting started on your 12.5" blocks, I'll be putting the finishing touches on shipping logistics and an FAQ section for the #opgivewarmth page.  Have something to add?  Ask about it here so I can include it over there :)

#opgivewarmth {their very own blankets}

I'm continually awestruck and inspired not only by the innovative, thought-provoking and often just downright beautiful quilts that come out of our community, but also by our shared commitment to using our talents for good when we identify a group or a cause in need of just that.

Last spring, Amy of During Quiet Time and Berene of Happy Sew Lucky helped send love to (my native) Boston when an unthinkable scenario evolved into an inescapable reality.  Just the other month, my friend Alison of Little Island Quilting returned home from a trip to Mexico City forever changed and downright determined to gather quilts for children who could use more warmth in their lives.  Lynne of Lily's Quilts is an inspiration for no shortage of reasons, one of which includes her unwavering commitment to Siblings Together (in Lynne's words, "an initiative dedicated towards promoting positive contact between siblings separated by care").  And of course, Rachel of Stitched in Color is an obvious example with her 250-deep arsenal of individuals banded together in the name of do(ing) Good for charities near and far. 

In fact, it was Rachel's do. Good Stitches that led me to Jessica, the founder of My Very Own Blanket.  MVOB is an Ohio-based non-profit committed to making children in foster care feel valued and comforted.  Its main initiative—as the name suggests—is to provide them with handmade blankets (often the only personal items these children will take with them to their new homes).  So last winter, when the time came for me to send my first quilt on behalf of our circle, I began to question just why I was shipping a quilt from my home in Indiana to a foster care child in Ohio, when there are without doubt—simply by virtue of the society in which we live—children in need much closer to home.*

After of few months of idle thinking, I wrote to Jessica and asked if there was anything she could do to help me lay the groundwork for MVOB in Indy.  After a few emails, several games of phone tag and a nice long chat, I had a plan.  A small part of that plan includes monthly block callouts.  A big part of that plan includes you.

I know many people view charity quilting as an opportunity to clear out unwanted fabrics or produce items they wouldn't necessarily keep in their own home.  Personally, I have two points of contention with that philosophy.  First, to borrow the recent words of Victoria Findlay Wolfe, "Give your best work[.]  People who have nothing deserve the very best, more than anyone else."  Second, I cherish whatever little time I can spare at my machine, and much prefer spending that time with fabrics and designs that are near and dear to my heart.

So in the spirit of sewing somewhat more intentionally, my one "condition" on these callouts will be color-coordination:  each month from here on out, I'm going to post a color palette to the blog, flickr group, and instagram (@nohatsquilts) and call out for 12.5" (unfinished, unquilted) blocks.**  And no, they will *not* all be monochromatic (though you're welcome to sew your block(s) in a single color way if you so choose).  All I ask is that your blocks fall somewhere on that (or any previous month's) color scheme.  Use one color, use them all—your call.  Likewise, the design is 100% up to you.

As a working mother I am well aware of the myriad of constraints on our time these days, so I don't expect (but would welcome) intricate patterns and/or regular participation.  It's just that if you do ever have the time and feel inspired to give back, please keep #opgivewarmth in mind.  

And if you can't sew, for whatever reason, please consider spreading the word.  In our county alone (one of 92 in the state), the Department of Child Services moves 60-80 children each week.  Each week.  We will never be able to work fast enough.  But I pledge to turn all of our #opgivewarmth blocks into beautiful quilts and make every ounce of creativity count.  Because every child deserves some warmth and comfort.  Will you help me give that warmth?

flickr group | #opgivewarmth page | IG

*For those of you struck by the same sense of irony here, I encourage you to reach out to Jessica.  She's hoping to grow her regional platform into a national one and I'm sure she would welcome any discussions if you're inspired to assist with similarly-aimed efforts in your area.

**P.O. Box address and logistics soon to follow can now be found here.