Soy Amado No. 46

Back out with dog walking friend.

Her dogs, not mine.

We don't have any pets.

Not even a goldfish.

Much to the disappointment of the younger members of the family.

The dogs don't appear to be quilt lovers.

Some of the blocks are made up of incredibly tiny pieces.

And they've all come together to make Soy Amado No. 46

Soy Amado No. 45

Another low volume(ish) quilt.

With quite possibly a favourite back of mine.

And can I draw your attention to this block in particular.

I've seen this technique before where you draw on the fabric with coloured crayons and then set them with heat.

And I should also have drawn your attention to the block bottom left which has Soy Amado so beautifully embroidered into it but I forgot.

But possibly you can just make out the heart it is in, in this pic.

Another sunny day.

Soy Amado No. 44

Some purples, the same block in all four corners and No. 44 was decided.

Another fabulous 'Soy Amada' embroidered block from Sheila 

I'm beside a babbling brook in this one but I appreciate you probably can't see it but it is there and doesn't look much like it is babbling.

But it is.

And on this occasion I may be guilty of babbling too because I don't really know what else to say about this quilt other than I love it.

Soy Amado No. 43

It was supposed to rain today.

I put weed and feed down on the lawns, secure in the knowledge it was going to rain.

It didn't rain.

It hasn't rained for 16 days.

I thought I'd better put the sprinkler system on.

The sprinkler system is hidden in the buxus hedge surrounding the lawns.

The new gardener came.

He trimmed the buxus hedges.

He trimmed the sprinkler system.

The new gardener is not coming back.

First World problems.

I hope it rains.

Soy Amado No. 43 - for Developing World problems.

Soy Amado No: 42

Momentous moment.

Eldest daughter, spotted out in public, holding up a quilt.

But only because she bet me England would win their second game in the World Cup and I (with years of knowledge under my belt of how we under-perform on the big occasions) bet her they would lose. Her forfeit was to do the washing up for the week.

Of course they lost.
Negotiations were entered into.

"How about instead of me doing the washing up for a week, I hold some quilts up in public for you during the next seven days.

Game on.

As you can probably tell from the back, the vast majority of the blocks in this quilt came from one person - Helen - who blogs at Archie the Wonder Dog.

So I just popped in a few more blocks that matched the orange and purple theme she had.

Including this one which came in a batch from Leila who very kindly offered for US quilters to send blocks to her with $ towards postage and then she mailed me the one big box. I haven't counted but I think there are over a hundred blocks.

And that is Soy Amado No: 42

Soy Amado No. 41

And then as if by magic, just as I was coming to the end of blocks to choose from for No. 40, some more block-bearing parcels appeared.

Soy Amado No. 41, snapped outside a beach kiosk closed up for the day in the sinking evening sun.

Blocks that I felt were strong in colour and would all play nicely together.

As always, I love it when someone makes a Soy Amado block.

And a really random back. I love that world map fabric.

And an obligatory close-up for you.

And me breaking all the etiquette rules and standing on a picnic table.

Although technically I'm only standing on the chair bit.

And quilts are exempt from that rule.

So that's OK then.

Soy Amado No.40

Yes, 40 already.

Really, really, REALLY pleased.

Really.

And if you read my last blog post you'll know this is kind of a count down to 50 which (when added to the whole quilts made by others) will be enough for the home in Mexico City.

I know some of you have queried whether to continue to send me blocks. The answers is 'yes, if you want to but if you can think of better/other causes to give them to, please do'. I suppose the best analogy I can give you is when I started this project my door was wide open, now it's ajar. Once I've reached 50 (ish) quilts, any more I receive, I will assemble into quilts to go to other childrens' homes around the world, in particular one in Tanzania for deaf children but I won't be actively asking for blocks. I'm just here if you want somewhere to send unwanted 12 1/2" unfinished quilted blocks to.

Now by No. 40 I was getting towards the end of available blocks to choose from so this one is a bit mad and all over the place.

Just to add to the mad feel to it, I raw edge appliqued Soy Amada on it.

Little quilt holding up tip for you...

As you hold the quilt up, arms out stretched, bend away from the quilt, bottom in the air, wait for a waft of breeze to push the quilt away from you (check wind direction obviously before positioning yourself) and then you'll get yourself a quilt that levitates.

It's a little known art of quilt holding upping but one I am keen to share with you nonetheless.

Soy Amado Update

So another delivery went to the home in Mexico City earlier this week and there are photos and news to share.

First of all, it was a bumper delivery.

I think there were about 30 quilts - a mixture of the ones I have been putting together as well as whole quilts people have sent directly to the Netherlands.

I don't have any more photos of these most recent quilts being put on the beds so apologies if you were hoping to see them on beds this time. I will try for that on another visit.

What follows are snap shots of some of the earlier quilts on beds as well as the living conditions the children exist in. As a really, really small aside, it is interesting to note that all the quilts you'll see on the beds have been washed many times and have held their colour well and seem to have suffered no lasting effects from being constructed from all sorts of different types and thicknesses of batting!

As you're probably starting to get the picture, the surroundings are very basic.
Feedback has been the quilts have transformed the sleeping areas into a far more welcoming and homely environment for the children.

The 'bedrooms' are actually long, narrow corridors.

Clearly they preferred the back of this quilt!

I've also been asked by some quilters about making pillow cases. I'm not sure what to say as some of the children have no pillows at all and those that do, the pillows are all different sizes. I shall investigate some more on what to do.

Clearly someone else prefers the reverse side of their quilt too!

Meanwhile, they need to take in more children off the streets so are busy making more space for them.

So where does that leave Soy Amado?

The home has said they'd like about another ten quilts and then they have enough for all the children. I am AMAZED we got there so quickly. That means more whole quilts were sent than I realised and I have been sent more than enough blocks here to reach my goal.

So an enormous thanks from me to everyone who made whole quilts, blocks, sent pre-made binding and sashing, thread, fabric (if you knew how much I already have you'd never have sent more) the person who stopped by my house one day who was on holiday on our island and a quilting friend had asked her to take the blocks with her and deliver them to me (I was out at work so the neighbour took them)!

To the people who embroidered Soy Amado and Soy Amada blocks, the people who needlessly worried about sending me blocks 'with points not matching' and generally everyone who has helped me in any way to get this far so quickly, a massive THANK YOU.

As much as I have enjoyed doing this (and I have) it's been a complete time sucker the last six months and I really would like to get back to just making quilts for me, just because.

However, I am very proud of what we've done and it has made me realise what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. I know we only scratched the surface in Mexico City but we did something nonetheless. So, I'm going to leave the Soy Amado details in my heading bar and if and when anyone has any old blocks knocking around (12 1/2 please!) I'm happy to make them up into quilts as and when I feel the need.

Apparently there's a home for deaf children in Dar Es Salaam with 270 beds that would like some quilts...

Soy Amado No.39

So you spend your life telling children, tables are for sitting on and not standing on and then when it comes to mum's quilts, the rule book goes out the window and yes, do get up on the picnic table in your trainers,  if you wouldn't mind.

Soy Amado No. 39 was put together because I thought all the blocks were quite bright, primary colours with a predominance of blue.

End of thought process.

Another early morning, beautiful blue skies, no joggers or dog-walkers spotted this time.

Just cyclists.

Lots of them.

And clearly something on my camera lens pretending to be a bird in flight.

But it's not and I intend to get rid of it.

See that building on the far shore? The tides are so big here, sometimes you can walk from where I took this picture across to that building.

When the tide's out.

Obviously.

Even I can't walk on water.