What is the difference between “recycling” and “upcycling”? Both are good–but they are two very different methods of waste management. We are familiar with recycling–we automatically throw cereal boxes or soda cans in the recycle bin. . Recycled bottles, etc. are sorted and eventually broken down to their raw form for remanufacturing. I have tights made from recycled plastic bottles and our deck flooring is a composite of recycled wood and recycled plastic that required mass-processing. The aim of recycling is to keep the value by regenerating an old product.

So what is “Upcycling”? It is defined as the “reuse of discarded objects or materials in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original”. Usually upcycling is done by individuals with little processing and a lot of creativity. And by less processing, less energy is used. The aim of up cycling is to add value by repurposing an old product.

I have written quite a bit about using scraps to make quilts and that I am on a fabric diet. The quilters are planning on having a “galley” of quilts at the sale made entirely from our stash in our effort to keep fabric out of the landfill.

All these were made by from scraps or left overs. This is not new; most of the quilts made by our grandmothers and great grandmothers were from scraps.

But this week I worked on a different “up cycling” project. I cut or torn 2 or 1.5 inch strips from old sheets and out of style fabric; sewed them together and rolled them in to very tight balls.

I have several of these rugs in my home.

We have “upcycled’ rugs for sale–you may purchase one now or wait for the October Sale.

What do we have new to offer this week–new or upcycled?

Of course, there are new tea towels! $9 each

You cannot prepare for the winter holidays too early– these two table runners would be a great addition to your Christmas decorations.

Appliquéd trees grace both ends of the 13″ x 30″ table runner. This is a good size for a coffee table as well as the dining table. It is machine quilted “in the ditch”. $40

Various holiday prints in red and green were made into half square triangles to create this pattern. The white background is white on white snowflakes. It is machine quilted and hand bound. The backing would serve as a cheerful scene setter also. 14″ x 30″ $40

The block is “Bow Tie”. The darker 30’s and 40’s reproduction fabric were used to form the bow ties.

And we have two new quilts–

Coffee and teal? Chocolate and turquoise? Whatever, it is a winning combination in a multitude of prints. The quilt is machine quilted in a large swirling pattern. A good size for a child’s bed or for napping under-52″ x 62″. $125

I am fascinated how colors are combined; how various prints can be pulled together by adding just one focus fabric. The inner border stripe on this quilt is the focal point. The quilt is 62″ x 75″. The larger quilting pattern allows the quilt to drape well. The backing is a medium size floral print. $150

I will continue both to recycle and to upcycle–but in my opinion, it is much more interesting and creative to upcycle. I want to get into the habit of looking at something that has served its original purpose and come up with an entirely new reason for its being.

I used information from the EcoCation site.

Sometimes life gets in the way of quilting. Anniversary trips to Europe, graduations, family health and medical issues–we have had them all! And it is summer time-

Plus at times, quilts at the long arm quilters just have to wait their turn in the queue to be machine quilted. Not very many new finished projects to show you today. But I will be showing you behind the scenes of “soon to be finished” items.

We are “up cycling” bags–those you get if you send a donation or shop at certain stores. Perfectly great canvas bags–but with a logo or script on one side. How many bags does one person need? So Diane is creating “quilt” bags.

Pretty nifty! Strong enough to carry a load and they identify a quilt lover! $10 each.

Can you ever have too many table runners? No! Changing the table runner is a quick way to decorate for the season.

Flying geese in sweet pastel colors give off a spring feel. The table runner is approximately 16″ x 40″(guess who forgot to make notes) and is $40. It is machine quilted, machine washable and hand bound.

Remember this quilt?

Well, if you really enjoy making the pumpkin and maple leaf blocks and end up with three extra–you make a table runner.

Great idea!! The runner is machine piece, machine quilted and machine washable. The binding is hand sewn. The backing is the same as the border. $40

Want to see “behind the scenes”? Projects before they are polished and ready for you to purchase? The following is what we were working on last Wednesday.

Elaine is working with half square triangles in bright complimentary colors. She needs to spend a lot of time at the ironing board with this pattern. A good iron is as important as a good sewing machine.

Quilters fall into two camps–they find hand binding an enjoyable task or they don’t like the time it takes and avoid it, finding other methods to finish the quilt edges. Susan is finishing a holiday quilt with a binding that matches the backing.

Vicki is using a design board to arrange all those 2.5″ squares for one block in the “huge” quilt she is making–36 blocks? Notice—piecing takes fuel. I took these photos during the afternoon coffee break.

Can you guess what this is going to be? Look closely at the pattern.

The blue and white combination is ageless–and works year round. Judy chose these fabrics from our stash. The seam ripper might give you a hint how things are going.

Janis — the appliqué expert–is making wall hanging for autumn. So much work to be done before the actual appliquéing. As you can tell, we have an assortment of paper napkins for our use…

Another blue and white table runner–Shirley is still searching for “bird eyes”…tiny black buttons she will sew on after she machine quilts it.

And folks, none of this gets done without fuel! We share with visitors, so if you are ever in the building, stop by and see what we are working on and enjoy a cup of coffee and a treat!

Remember when I wrote about my friend telling me I couldn’t spend all my time just quilting when I retired? Actually, it sounds like fun, but all the quilters I know–well, in our group at Quilters at First, have a variety of interests. Today I will introduce you to the Prairie Quilt Guild(PQG) Charity Team . The team is comprised of seven women; two of the team are also members of Quilters at First! The Team and members of PQG were responsible for 500 children’s quilts being donated last year. That took a lot of cutting, piecing, quilting and binding!

Shirley, a quilter with the Quilters at First and a team , makes a couple of trips north to the Kansas City area to buy a SUV full of batting on huge rolls which she hand cuts into the required sizes in her sewing studio.

Elaine, another member of Quilters at First, was recruited by Shirley to join the group after she had donated several completed quilts to the team. Both Elaine and Shirley machine quilt many of the quilts on their own machines, as well as coordinate the other steps in the process.

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Shirley often meets a Wichita City Policeman in the parking lot of the Church to deliver quilts. The police departments of Wichita and surrounding towns carry quilts in their patrol cars that are wrapped around a teddy bear to be given to children in crisis–a car wreck or domestic violence situation.

The Pediatric Cancer Groups and domestic violence shelters have also received quilts from the group.

I ask Shirley and Elaine independently why they were part of the PQG Charity Team. Why do they spent many hours each month on quilts that are given away. Both women answered simply “the satisfaction”. They may not be solving the crises that resulted in childhood traumas, but they are providing comfort to a child, one quilt at a time.

If you are interested in buying tickets for this lovely keepsake, they are $5 for 5. You do not need to be present to win when the winner is selected at the September meeting. Contact me or a member of the Prairie Quilt Guild; I can give you contact information.

New this week–

Blue on blue–A table runner made from various blue and white prints using the versatile half square block. It is machine quilted and bound. The backing is the blue and white polka dot fabric used for the binding. It is approximately 15″ x 30″ and is $40.

An another quilted bag with nifty mesh pockets on the inside. The zipper allows the bag to opened completely so that larger items may be placed inside. $40

Lovely in lavender–this 50″ x 50″ quilt is the perfect lap or nap quilt. The background is my favorite pattern–polka dots! The quilt is machine quilted, machine washable and hand bound. $50

We received an assortment of pieced quilts that would make great play mats, sofa protectors, mats—I am sure you could fine many uses for these sturdy pieced pieces made from flannel odds and ends.

A flannel rag quilt with matching throw pillow–both for $30. The quilt is 35″ x 49″

This quote from the All People Quilt sums up the work of the PQG and Quilters at First!

My quilting hobby/passion/obsession is richer because I belong to a group. My group, Quilters at First, meets on Wednesday from 11ish to 4:30ish at First United Methodist Church on the third floor. I probably could get more quilting done if I stayed home in my dog walking clothes and sewed without distraction until 4 pm. But more important to me than the projects I would churn out, is sense of community I experience each week.

These women know more about me than my children! And we know more about each others’ children than those children would probably be comfortable sharing! We have a framed photo in our room that says “Sewing is Cheaper than Therapy-Mostly”. I am not sure we solve anyone’s problems, but we care about each other. I have people who will listen to my mostly first world problems. They know my foibles… repeatably searching for my glasses and phone in an afternoon or spilling my drink down the front of my blouse and they still care about me!

This group of women give me confidence to try a new pattern or help me choose the “just right” blue for a project. I am assured the mismatched seams I am zooming in on, isn’t that noticeable. When I am by myself, I am a champion “over-thinker”. No time for that when we a sharing our latest read or what we are watching on Netflix. We share fabric, patterns and skills. We have hand sewn bindings on each other’s quilts and machine quilted small projects for others.

Our stated mission is to raise money for the TV Ministry and for the Religious Nurture Center. Individually we contribute items for the annual three day sale in October. By combining our efforts, we have created an “event”. An event that is successful because of a community of people. This event would be much, much more difficult to pull off by an individual. Each person in our Quilters at First community pulls resources from their individual circles to make it happen.

To my list of “what I am Grateful for”, I have added community. I am lucky enough and have worked to have several communities in my life, which has made my life all the more richer.

One of the fun aspects of meeting together each Wednesday is to share our weekly finished projects. No one will appreciate your quilt/table runner/bag like we do!!! We acknowledge your points are sharp, your seams match and that it took hours to cut/sew/press flat 200 four square patches!

This seasonal table runner is still available–

Really, you are getting two table runners so if you spill the ice cream sundae , just flip it over –and you are still celebrating the Fourth! I especially liked the white on white print used–it could be a quilting design. Machine quilted and hand bound. The piece measures 14″ x 36″. $40

Remember this table runner from last week?–that I only had a fuzzy photo to share. The summer yellow would be a “fit” for the next three months. The runner is 15″ x 46″, machine quilted and hand bound. $40

Skipping ahead to Fall, this square table topper almost appears to be 3-D.

There is a hint of gold metallic in the leave prints. The topper measures approximately 21″ square. Machine quilted in the ditch and hand bound. $40.

Want a very practical gift for a new baby? Paulette has made over 50 flannel burp cloths. They are double thickness and just the right width for throwing over a shoulder.

Each cloth is quilted and the edges serged, allowing them to be laundered over and over. They are $3 each or 4 for $10.

The variety of projects offered on-line for sale now and at the Quilt Etc. Sale in October is possible because of the variety of quilters in our community. I found this drawing on Facebook –believe it applies to our community.

The uniqueness of each member in our community is our strength.

Have you watched the new documentary on Netflix –The Quilters?

It is a 30 minute film about a group of men in a Missouri prison who make quilts to donate to foster children and special needs persons. These men certainly do not match the stereotype of quilters–“little old women”. These men are doing long or life sentences for serious crimes. They are tattooed with long hair, beards and some are lacking teeth. The men earn the right to spend 6-7 hours each day making quilts from donated fabric that they give away. The men, who will admit that they wasted much of their lives or made bad choices, now have found a purpose.

Their fabric is donated, so they use what they have. Most of the quilts do not follow a traditional pattern. The majority quilts are “free form” or “improvisational”. Most of the quilts are not from the same “design line” Most traditional quilters would never combine the prints and colors used here. But the quilts speak. The random collection of butterfly prints is a message. The colors and piecing create motion.

The film shows a couple of foster children receiving their quilts. In just the few seconds of video, one can see how important the quilts are to children in a less than “Instagram” perfect homes.

In addition to seeing how important this project is to the children and to the inmates, I was reminded again of the importance of using up or donating fabric.

The EPA estimates that 11.3 million tons of textile waste is sent to landfills each year. The dyes and chemicals used to manufacture fabric are polluting our world, especially the water we use. Using donated or scrap fabric may not have much of an impact, but it is a start.

The Quilters at First are on a crusade to “use up” fabric. Because we have had so much good fabric donated to us-and we gladly take it- we challenged each quilter to make something for the Quilts Etc Sale solely from fabric in our stash. We are planning on a “Stash Gallery” at the sale. Here are some of the quilts/projects already finished that are 100% stash!

For a quilter who donates several projects to the Quilters at First for our sale, it makes so much sense financially to use “free” fabric. According to Jittery Wings Quilt Co.based in Newberry, South Carolina, the material cost of a 60″ x 72″ quilt is —-

Fabric for Top (7 yds x $12.95): $90

Fabric for Back (5 yds x $12.95): $65

Fabric for Binding (.5 yds x $12.95): $7

Batting: $35

Thread: $18

TOTAL MATERIALS: $208

This does not include the cost of machine quilting – approximately two cents per square inch for side to side. For that 60″ x 72″ quilt, the professional quilting cost would be approximately $86.

Quilters love quilting–so the 20-35 hours spent creating a quilt doesn’t even go into the formula. So that 60″ x 72″ quilt donated to the sale, cost the quilter approximately $290, not counting their time. I am afraid if we had to pay out of pocket for all the fabric, most of use could not contribute many quilts.

Not only does using donated or scrap fabric save money and keeps textile wastes out of the landfill, but quilters have a long history of using what is at hand, it is in our blood. Our pioneer mothers used worn out clothing and scraps from making garments to create masterpieces and/or quilts to keep their families warm.

One outstanding and well known example is the Quilters of Gees Bend, Alabama who have become famous worldwide for their “improvisational” quilts made from feed sacks, worn clothing and scraps from a Sears Roebuck homeware factory. The women from what is called the “black belt of the South” lived in poverty and were isolated. But it did not stop them from making quilts to keep their families warm and to express their creativity.

The quilts of Gees Bend are seen “as some of the most significant artistic contributions to American art history”. Click on this site to learn more and to see quilts that have been exhibited all over the world. https://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/gees-bend-quiltmakers.

Not all quilts made from scraps are “folk” pieces. Current quilters are championing “zero waste” quilting that are very contemporary.

This is one of those weeks most of the Quilters at First were in the middle of projects. We only had a couple of new items.

Judy finished her holiday table runner in traditional colors. The feathers machine quilted in the white setting points add a festive touch. The backing is the same dark red fabric as the border. It is 16 inches by 49 inches. $45

There is so much amazing fabric — some lovely, some interesting–but fabric is meant to be used! This web site offers some great ideas- https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/organization/where-to-donate-unwanted-fabric or contact me if you have fabric to donate!

Just like everything else in life, our new quilt introductions go in cycles. Sometimes we have nothing to show you and other times we have a treasure trove! This week we had several finished projects come to Wednesday Quilting. Soooo, here they are!

This is my MaggiePearl! I love the name and as I mentioned on Facebook, if I ever brought a kitten home, I would name it MaggiePearl. It is 40″ x 66″. If you look closely on the photo of the back you can see the small floral “side to side” machine quilting. The fabrics are from my daughter’s scraps–they didn’t end up in a landfill but in this lap/nap quilt with the fun name. $125

I named this quilt “Sea Glass”. The batiks remind me of a handful of glass pebbles collected from a beach. It is 52″ x 72″. The pattern is the “Three, Six, Nine” .

Some of the large craft stores already have their Halloween craft/decor items out. Yes, really! So, I guess it isn’t too early for us to show you our two fall quilts.

This 41″ x 41″ quilt would add a real spooky vibe to your home if it was draped over a sofa or recliner. The machine quilting is huge spider webs! The stripes remind me of a witches’ stockings.

This seasonal quilt is a more sophisticated nod to Autumn. The modified “Churn Dash” blocks have pieced pumpkins and maple leaves in the center of each. The subtle colors compliment each other. It is 50″ x 64″…a large wall piece, a quilt for the end of the bed or a table covering. You decide. It is machine quilted and hand bound. $150

This “Rail Fence” quilt is made more interesting by putting the blocks on point. The assortment of blue fabrics tie this scrappy quilt together to create a very calm feeling. It measures 61″ X 61″ making it perfect for a child’s bed. The machine quilting is side to side. The scrappy binding is hand sewn. $125

Ready for the Red, White and Blue season–Memorial Day to the Fourth of July? This table runner is 12″ x 60″–super long for your picnic table, in or outside. It is machine quilted, bound and washable. $35

Several of us are finishing up projects we started during Covid. The “Little Drummer Boy” blocks were hand appliquéd while watching hours of Netflix!

One of my favorite parts of meeting each Wednesday at church to quilt is “Show and Tell”. It is humbling to see what creative projects my friends created –often from scraps or left overs! I hope you enjoyed seeing the newest additions to our “store” of quilts. They will be for display and sale at the Quilts Etc. Sale, October 16-18 at First United Methodist Church–if someone hasn’t already purchased it!

Did you get a pop-up on your computer reminding you this Sunday is Mothers’ Day? Yup, it is the second Sunday in May, officially Mothers’ Day. Do you know how and why this special day shows up on our calendar?

I have been preparing for a Church class presentation on Methodist women, past and present and have discovered many fascinating women. These courageous women, on whose shoulders we stand, deserve to be celebrated.

A life long Methodist, she and her mother worked for the improvement of women’s lives, especially in West Virginia and Philadelphia. Anna’s mother had often expressed a wish for a day to honor mothers. After her mother’s death in 1905 until 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed an declaration naming the second Sunday in May as “Mothers’ Day”, Anna held religious services honoring mothers and started the tradition of giving white carnations.

Most of us do not assign Victorian symbolism to our gifts of flowers, but it is interesting to know how it all got started!

Anna Jarvis became so upset with the commercialism of Mothers’ Day that she worked until her death trying to have the official declaration rescinded.

So in honor of Miss Jarvis, honor a woman or women that made your world better–in your own words!

Mothers’ Day opens the door to so many mixed feelings. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother whom she had cherished–a woman who had been a great role model and who had encouraged her to learn, to grow and to serve. Many of us were so privileged, but there are persons who did not had good experiences. Have you noticed that several on-line businesses give persons the option to opt out of Mothers’ Day ads, acknowledging that Mothers’ Day can be painful for some? I am grateful for my mother, grandmothers and my children who helped shape the person I became. But I am also grateful for the women who “mothered” children in a classroom, who took foster children into their homes, who loved their husband’s children as their own, who gave their child up for adoption– and all those who worked to make this world better for all children.

How did the women in your past influence the person you are today? Do you read because you were read to as a child? Did you choose your career due to a particular woman’s influence? Are your special recipes passed down from family? Are your acts of kindness mirroring what you witnessed?

My love of sewing/quilting is from my grandmothers, my mom and some patient home economics teachers. Their encouragement allowed me to do “my sewing thing”. For me, sewing has become another way to make connections between generations of women.

Mothers’ Day is a reminder to me to appreciate the generations of women in my personal and collective past. Due to the work and sacrifices of these women, I can vote, hold positions of leadership in my church, receive an education, manage my finances and make my own choices about my health, career, and family. I was shown love and how to love. I am grateful!

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What do we have new to share with you? It is the season of graduations, soccer games, track meets, conferences, recognition banquets and anniversaries–so we don’t have a lot this week but stay tuned–next week we should have finished several.

A bright baby quilt with a Minky backing is perfect for that new baby in your life. The quilt is 41″ x 48″. The machine quilting has butterflies just like the print! There is batting in the quilt giving it a bit more body. The quilt is very washable. $50

If you like cats, here is one for you!

Every one of these pastel cats are smiling! This “quilt” is more of a blanket because there was no batting used making it very foldable. The backing is Minky– textured polyester, that is so soft. It measures 48″ x 54″ and is $50.

We were given this fun quilt previously purchased at a quilt auction, but never used.

These different Halloween prints were set on point and framed. The triangles on the sides use the same print — a collage of holiday symbols. Look at the corners-I like that idea! It is machine quilted. 62″ X 62″ $75.

(We hang the larger quilts over a railing in a stairwell–that is why you see fingers or other body parts in these photos!!)

Can you believe this lovely quilt was made entirely from donated fabric in our stash!

Sorry for the blurry photo–the one below shows off the fabric prints and colors better.

My wish to all my “Quilty” friends is that you have some time this special week end to do what you love best!

Have you ever found a quote or saying that sums up what you have been thinking or pondering but that person said it better than you could? This is a simple quote I have lived by but couldn’t put in words –“A Home is a Portrait of a Person” by Alessandra Branch. If you walked into my house, what would you know about me and my husband? What do our furnishings and decor reflect about us? I can’t think of many items in our home that don’t tell you something about us–from the framed print of “Baseball at Night” hanging over our bed to the vintage dishes or the quilts adding color and a story.

My husband’s personality and his career is a “function over form” sort. Most things need to have a purpose. I am child of depression era parents; I really do hate to waste money! These two traits have combined to be our vibe. Almost everything in our home reflects this. We seldom just buy something because it is “in” or a fad but we do collect items that reflect our passions…..framed baseball quotes, large glass canisters to contain dozens of found used baseballs, a windmill weight from his grandparent’s farm. And what have I added? Books, lots of plants and of course quilts!

I use quilts to cover up tops of furniture, at the end of the bed during this transitional season and to fill a pie safe of my grandmother—everything needs a function!

All these uses are rather traditional, but quilts may be used in less conventional ways also. Quilts are often used for tables.

I pull this pastel Grandmothers Flower Garden out every spring to use as a spring table cloth. I found this beauty at a farm sale in western Kansas. The owner knew it wasn’t from his family; just one his wife found and bought. Every hexagon is hand quilted! The binding follows the shape of the hexagons (not easy to do!) The fabric is consistent with fabrics of the 1930’s—but this isn’t a scrap quilt. Fabric was carefully selected and purchased for the quilt. Was it a wedding gift or made for a hope chest?

I have a table quilt featuring holly leaves I made for a Christmas dinner. Give your quilts another look and decide which ones might be used as a table quilt.

And shower curtains–with a liner of course. This isn’t my style, but another use of quilts.

And of course quilts can be made into something else–

Jackets and coats made from quilts are very popular now.

If a quilt is beyond repair, it is often referred to as a “cutter” quilt. Using the parts of the quilt that are salvageable, all sorts of items are made.

Christmas stockings, tree ornaments, placemats, stuffed animals and many other items have been made from cutters–giving new life to much loved quilts.

Quilts are a major part of my life and home. Walk into my home and you will know I believe quilts should be shown off, used and used up.

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Quilters at First are busy on projects, but very few have been finished for me to share with you this week.

We had one set of placemats

The reversible placemats are the same print in two different colorways. They are machine quilted and hand bound in a rust print to match the tiny floral design. Measuring 12″ x 18″, the set of 4 is $40.

Heather contributed a spring table topper.

Easter eggs are the feature fabric and the frame fabrics are in colors pulled from the print. It also could be reversible. 18″ x 20″, it is $30.

A quilt is made from yards of fabric, hours of time and learned skills. All, much too valuable to waste. So look at those quilts again and think up new ways to incorporate them into your home.