CeCe's Sack Charity Quilt Challenge

A local quilt shop had a lovely challenge in the late spring of 2009. CeCe, one of their part time workers, created sacks of random fabric. The store owner wrote, "We challenged these quilters to make a quilt top (which will eventually be finished and donated to charity) using at least half of the 2 1/2" strips in a CeCe sak, plus their own fabric if desired." The results were 27 fabulous quilts. My donated creation is seen here and won Second Place by all who voted on-line and in person during the annual Shop Hop.

In reflection, the very first quilt I made during a blizzard in 1996 was a "Trip Around the World" pattern similar to this one. I guess, fundamentally, I haven't really journeyed far from my quilting roots. After all, with the exception of some fancy quilting, I still sew in mostly straight lines!

"Blumen"

Detail of raw-edge appliqué and free motion quilting.

“Blumen” is based on the design called “Das Blumen” by Fourth and Sixth Designs. The background “garden” is composed of various greens using strata technique, then the “flowers” are created using raw-edge appliqué and straight free-motion quilting stitches using variegated threads. This piece, measuring 15 by 18 inches, was created for a local preschool's silent auction fundraiser. The pattern, if followed completely, will lead to a finished piece measuring 48 by 64 inches.

Given in honor of childhood friendships cultivated at preschool, I hope “Blumen” will bring as much joy to the owner as the sounds my preschooler and her friends bring to my life and home. Come to find out an adult friend with whom I went to high school and whose child is friends with my daughter won "Blumen" and will be displaying it in her home locally!! I'm very excited!!!