CHARITY PROJECTS Archives - Page 2 of 4

Pillowcases For Oncology Kids – FQ’s

October 15, 2013 by Nanny 2 Comments

Today I will be making a another pillowcase for the Pillowcase For Oncology Kids Sew Along.

When I went searching for fabrics, I could only get some in FQ’s so today I will show you what I did with the FQ.

Let’s Sew!

1. Take your fat quarter and 1m piece of co-ordinating print.

2. Cut the metre piece in half and from the two 1/2m cut a piece 94cms long – this will give you 2 pillowcase backs and 2 small pieces.

3. Stitch the two left over pieces to each end of the FQ, finish seam and topstitch.

4. Now hem and finish pillowcase as with the standard pillowcase. You can use the spare back piece on another!

If the FQ is printed so that the length goes along the length of the pillow, you only need to add one piece. I cut the striped piece by cutting a FQ in half.

In this one, using the fabric that was donated by Sue from Splash into Craft, I joined on each end, finished the seam, top stitched to keep the seam tidy and then covered the seam by sewing down both sides of bias binding.

I chose white to highlight the bumper bars!

I thought this fabric was the perfect match for the Flower Power Kombis…

Groovy ! Peace! Outa Sight! Far Out! Love!

I hope you will search your FQ’s now and think of what you can add to them to make some more pillowcases – don’t be afraid to mix and match – have fun!

Please share a photo with me of your finished pillowcases – I would love to put them in the album!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Nanny Squared!

October 9, 2013 by Nanny 2 Comments

I am a Chronic Pain sufferer!! This seems to fascinate some as they wonder how I do the things I do – the answer is easy – with great difficulty and a lot of frustration!!

Over the years I have had to come to terms with my losses – for example, gone are the days when I could decide to whip up a long dress to wear to the cabaret ball the next night – the sheer frustration of not being able to do things the way I always had, meant that I just stopped doing them for many years. I say many years as I have ‘celebrated’ my silver anniversary with chronic pain – I no longer remember what pain free is like.

Anyway, I needed to find something I could do, that didn’t require much brain power. Fibromyalgia which came along in later years , holding hands with Chronic Fatigue, means a lot of brain ‘fog’ and there are days when I can barely function – those days I have learnt to stay away from my sewing or be prepared to unpick everything the next day!!

One of my ‘strategies’ for managing my pain, is to not give it any extra power….. so, against all odds, when my pain levels increase, I still try to do something – something where I feel I am contributing to society and am not just a blob on it.

I saw a group on FB asking for squares to make into rugs for the ill and elderly and I thought what a great way to use up some of that wool – I swear, I have no idea where it all comes from!!

I decided on Granny Squares!! I had learnt to crochet many years ago but had never made a Granny Square – that’s how I was – straight to the doiley for me!! Now I am happy to have found the Granny Square – I can make one without thinking much, I only have to be able to count to 4 and like all crochet, it is extremely easy to pull undone when you make a mistake. I also decided, eventhough there are many lovely Granny Squares, mine would be the one colour – keep it simple remember.

So I gathered some wool, grabbed a hook and got started…

One round:

Two rounds:

Then 3:

Square all done 6″ x 6″

They look OK don’t they!!

I used to worry that I couldn’t do enough – that was until I realised that ‘enough’ isn’t measured in squares!!

So now I carry my squares with me when we go in the motorhome – travelling is not good for pain, but the friendship and adventure I enjoy make me feel victorious!! AND I get to make more squares!!!

I’ll get these packaged ready for the Post Office!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Sew Along – Make a Standard Pillowcase

October 6, 2013 by Nanny 6 Comments

Now that the Quilt Along for Charity has finished I decided to contact Pillowcases for Oncology Kids to ask how we could best help them. I was delighted to receive a reply from both Brittany and Neil (Brittany’s grandfather) and the response was a positive one for the suggestion of Christmas pillowcases. Brittany also suggested that they were in need of some that were suitable for teenage boys.

I’m sure we will be able to help out! I can’t make promises about how many we can make, but Neil told me about a lady who has supported them from the start. Just before I phoned Neil, this wonderful lady had dropped off 374 pillowcases!!!! Individually, the same lady has made a total of over 800 since Brittany started!!!!

So let’s see how many we can make over the next month – let me know when you finish one so we can add it to the overall tally – and happy sewing!!

What is Pillowcases for Oncology Kids?

“Set up by 17 year old Brittany, we create and donate pillowcases to oncology kids in

hospitals around Australia.

Brittany was 6 months old when she was diagnosed with a rare GERM CELL tumour; she had treatment for 3 years, and was given a 0.01% survival rate. She is now a gorgeous 17 year old who still has a long way to go, but has decided to help put a smile on someone else’s face by creating “PILLOWCASES FOR ONCOLOGY KIDS”.

She knows how hard it is, and that sometimes you have a long road to travel. She also hopes that one day no one will have to go through what she has to.

Brittany used to have a particular pillow/pillowcase that she took to hospital all the time she was receiving treatment, hers was navy blue with tiny red cherries on it.

What started out as a small pillowcase drive to collect/create handmade pillowcases

that she could donate to Oncology Kids in Hospital, (she was able to donate approx.

120 pillowcases to Westmead just after her 15th birthday in September 2011) has now escalated to something she wishes to continue 365 days a year and donate pillowcases not only to Westmead Childrens Hospital, where she received and continues to receive her treatment, but to hospitals all around Australia and overseas.

We have delivered over 10,000 pillowcases to date.”

What sort of fabric do I use?

The pillowcases are to be made from 100% cotton.

Neil explained that when the pillowcases need washing, the 100% cotton ones can be washed at the extremely high temperatures required. They also become lovely and soft with use.

Is there a ‘theme’ for the pillowcases?

Any pillowcases are gratefully received but:

We will be concentrating mainly on Christmas themed pillowcases – let’s help make sure that all the children receive a pillowcase this Xmas!! and

I would also like to gather some pillowcases for teenage boys. Speaking with Neil earlier today, he suggested “anything macabre – skulls, coffins, real Halloween sort of stuff – that seems to be what they are ‘in to’!!”

What if I can’t sew or don’t have the time to sew – how can I help?

You can still help by donating 1m of 100% cotton fabric (1m will make 1 pillowcase) and someone else will make it up for you. I have already had offers of both fabric and sewing so thank you!! If you would like to help, please message me at Nannycraft4u or email me at nannycraft4u@gmail.com

Where do we send the pillowcases?

Please forward your washed, ironed pillowcases to:

SE Qld: PO BOx 250

Maleny Qld 4552

NSW : 22 Lacebark Grove

Worrigee NSW

SA: Teresa Lane

27 Bywaters Ave,

Willaston SA 5118,

__________________________________________________

So Let’s Sew!

We will start with the Standard pillowcase!

Note the Boo Designs pattern makes a pillowcase a bit larger than the required size so I have put the measurements suggested by Pillowcases for Oncology Kids.

1. Cut out 2 rectangles – one 50cm x 75cm and the other 50 cm x 94cm. Now is your fabric directional? Does it have a picture or writing that only has a right way up? Mine does –

so put the larger piece (the back) face down on the table making sure that the writing or picture is the right way up.

Place the smaller piece (the front) on top, making sure the writing is still the right way up.

2. Fold over 1cm on this short side of each piece and press. I just pressed it with my fingers – it doesn’t have to be exact!!

3. Fold again and sew close to the edge.

4. Now turn the back piece over,right side up, keeping pictures up the right way, putting the hem to the left. Matching the raw ends, place the front on top, up the right way and face down so they are right side to right side.

5. You are now going to fold the back OVER the front until it reaches the hem on the front.

6. Now sew around the 3 raw sides, starting and ending with some back stitches.

7. Finish the seam with an overlocker/serger or a zigzag and trim.

I told you it was easy!! You have now made a beautiful pillowcase that will delight a child spending Xmas in hospital – thank you!!

Make sure you give it a good press and please take a photograph to share with us.

If you are only able to make one pillowcase, that is wonderful, and it will be just as gratefully received as any other but, if you are able to continue helping out, that would be wonderful too!

We will look at some different ‘styles’ as we go to help use up the off-cuts.

Until next time

Nanny xx

Quilt-A-Long for Charity – Tutorial 10 – Binding – Part 2

September 16, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Good morning! Today will be the final tutorial for our Quilt-A-Long. We are going to take that binding and finish our quilt!!

Let’s sew!

1. Take your binding

2. Open the binding at one end and using the 45 degree mark on your rule, trim the end.

3. Starting about half way along one side of the quilt, using the end you just cut, pin the binding to the back of the quilt, ‘peeper’ fabric up.

4. Start about 8″-10″ from the end of the binding and sew along the side using a 1/4″ seam until you reach 1/4″ from the end. I have put a pin to show you where to stop. Finish by doing a couple of reverse stitches.

5. Take it from the machine

6. Take the binding and fold it up so that it runs as an extension of the side that you haven’t sewn yet. It will form a 45 degree angle.

7. Now fold it back down along the unsewn side until the fold is level with the side you have just sewn – I popped a pin in it to hold.

8. Now back to the machine and starting with some reverse stitches, do the same thing down this side, stopping 1/4″ from the corner.

9. Repeat the process until you are back to the side where you started. Stop with a couple of reverse stitches when you are about 8″-10″ from the end of the binding that you pinned at the start. You now have two unsewn ends of binding.

Now all we have to do is make that binding fit together!! It looks complicated but it really isn’t. There are many different ways to do this but this one works for me 🙂

1. From the point you just stopped sewing, open the binding and continue to pin the binding fabric only (my stripe) to the quilt until you meet up with the cut off end that we started with.

2. Place the opened binding on the left under the precut end, making sure it is all lying flat. I have my finger under the precut edge to show you

3. Mark where that precut edge meets the bottom one- I have moved the top away to show you my blue mark

4. You can take the pins out now and open the binding, using your rule, continue the mark you made across the binding

5. Now we have to add 1/2″ seam allowance – so on the side closest to the end of the binding, add 1’2″. The new line is the one on the right.

6. Cut the binding off at that line – you know you have the right line if the first line is still there too!

7. Now we are going to join the ends just like we did when we joined our strips! We need to take care here that we join carefully so the ‘peeper’ continues across the join. The easiest way is to put your pin through the top piece on the seam line

and make sure that it also passes through the seam line on the bottom one

8. Using a 1/4″ seam, sew the seam ( I couldn’t match the stripes here but you can see that the seam is matched perfectly!)

9. Press the seam open and fold the binding back in half.

10. Take it back to the machine and starting and finishing with a couple of reverse stitches, complete sewing the binding!! (and rejoice that it fits perfectly)

How are we doing? I hope you are still with me!!

Now all we have to do is press the binding away from the back of the quilt and then turn it to the front. We are going to sew ‘in the ditch’ along the seam line of the ‘peeper’. I suggest you pin it to the front with the pins just missing the seam line on the back.

You will be sewing on the front of the quilt so choose a thread to match the colour of your ‘peeper’ fabric.

You will see the thread on the back so I suggest filling your bobbin with a colour to match the back of the quilt. In my case I had a blue on the top and a light green in the bobbin.

When you reach a corner, treat it the same way as before – sew up to the seam line of the next side

Fold the corner and keep sewing!

Congratulations!!!!! You have reached the end of our little adventure and you have a lovely quilt for your efforts. I am so excited I could almost burst!! 🙂

I want to thank you for allowing me to guide you in the making of your first quilt – it has been a huge experience for both of us. The whole process evolved while I was in a place of real emotional turmoil – facing the reality of necessary Aged Care for my darling Dad. Quilting along with you provided me with a place of calm and comfort amid all of that turmoil – it is my wish that our quilts provide the same feelings of calm and comfort for the children. Thank You from the bottom of my heart!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Quilt-A-Long for Charity – Tutorial 9 – Binding – Part 1

September 13, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Here we are at the final stage of our quilt making and if you are up to here with me, I am very proud of your efforts and you should be too!

To bind the quilt, I have decided to try a technique that I found on Pinterest some time ago. I haven’t tried it yet so I will be ‘learning’ along with you. It is a technique that combines the binding and a small ‘peeper’ border at the same time and is all done on the machine ie no hand stitching.

So let’s give it a try!!

Preparation:

1. Trim the quilt: It is important to check that your corners are still square as you trim the excess backing and batting away.

2. Cut the Binding fabrics.

a) Take the fabric for the ‘peeper’, folded selvedge to selvedge and square the edge.

b) Cut six strips across the width of the fabric (wof), each 1 and 3/4″ wide (NOTE: After following these directions, I think it would be better, if you have enough fabric, to cut them at 2″)

c) Square off the main binding fabric

d) Cut six strips across the wof, each 1 and 1/2″ wide

3. Join the strips

a) Take 2 of the ‘peeper’ strips and overlap the ends as in the photo below (that will get rid of the selvedges when it is cut). The strips are at right angles to each other.

b) Rule a line across as shown in the photo below – that will be a 45 degree angle (you can check it if you want to)

c) Stitch along that line (you will be able to ‘eye’ it once you know what you are doing)

d) When you open it you now have a great join!

e) Trim to 1/4″ and press it open (to reduce bulk).

f) Continue to join all of the ‘peeper’ strips.

If you are using a stripe like me, it is nice if you match the stripes. If you are not using a stripe, just continue as you did above.

4. To match the stripes:

a) Place the strips so that the stripes line up and choose a stripe – I have put a pin to show you I have chosen the left side of the blue stripe.

b) Place the strips together at right angles as before, so that the two edges where the pins are, meet – so if you look closely, the blue stripe meets at a right angle.