What I’m Working On…

Saturday was my niece’s benefit.  It had been a busy week leading up to it and I was pressed to get everything done that I needed to.

At the beginning of the week I took an evening to fix pants for my neighbor family.  I fixed four pairs.  Three had button issues.  The rivet came loose and would pull out.  I didn’t know how to fix them so ended up taking the rivet out, putting a patch behind the rivet area and then sewing buttons on.  It wasn’t a hard fix…just took time.  The other pair needed a patch in the leg.

Then I worked on putting baskets together for the benefit.

Connie was a great help with the 18″ doll basket.  She had supplied the doll and a couple outfits.  I got a set of crutches and the puppy.  Connie also made her a doll blanket but didn’t have time to bind it.  I sewed the binding down and then stitched it down on the way to the benefit.

I am thrilled to say my little great niece had the winning bid on this.

Kelli did the jewelry with a little help from me.  That was a last minute scramble on Friday night.

I also got this cute little pincushion made.  Kelli and I had decided that we’d put together a basket for the silent auction for a quilter.  I thought a little pincushion would be cute.  The pattern is Crazy Mom Quilts pattern.  You can find the link for it here.  Isn’t it cute?

I gathered some thing from my sewing room to make the basket more fun looking.   Connie made a cute pop up mini garbage can for it…I would definitely bid on it had I been a quilter.  A couple of the things were gifted to me and although I would have loved to keep them, I can’t keep it all.  Right now, I felt it could do more good at the benefit.

Quilts were sent by Connie….

and from a blog reader, Jan R in Atascadero, CA.   The quilts were super cozy and comfy.

..and other from Jan.

The colors were fun and the backings were fun too.  They were totally scrappy and whimsical.  I loved them!!

I didn’t get any final prices on the goodies….if you’ve ever been to a silent auction, you how it goes.  I knew what they were going for at one time, then they announced that bidding would be closing.  Then I looked and prices had jumped.  Then they announced five minutes and the prices flew up.  I was off bidding on my own things and didn’t get back to see the final prices on things.

I do know that my family members bought most if not all of the quilts.  It was VERY chaotic at the nights’ end and and I don’t know who got which ones.  I know my sister in law and niece were in a big bidding war.  I am pretty sure my sister got one too.

Thanks to Anne D who sent me a check for the benefit and all of you who sent money via Go Fund My Jody Sloan account.  Thanks to Connie and to Jan too.  You all mean so much to me!!

I talked to Jody yesterday and the original goal was $10, 000.  Happily they beat it by a lot.  This was so needed by her family.  Jody needs to concentrate on getting well.  With the bulk of medical bills behind her, she can focus on other things.

I thought I’d add a picture of my kiddos from the benefit.  Left to right…Kelli holding Carver, Kalissa, Buck, Kayla and Karl.  I am so proud of them for coming out and supporting their cousin and her family.  It means the world to me!

Kayla snapped a picture of my siblings and me. We are left to right…Jim, Jay, Me, Jule and Judy.  Kayla came over and grabbed me.  She said. “Hey, your siblings are all sitting at the table.  Go sit down so we can snap a picture.”  Well the middle seat was the seat open.  I sat and she snapped the picture. Typically we stand for pictures in birth order. My sister Judy the oldest and me at the end the youngest. The girls always flank the boys. This time I sat in the middle. I hardly knew how to.  I am so blessed to have family I enjoy.

So the benefit was on my mind and in my heart last week.  Most of my free time was wrapped up in getting the baskets found and together…this week sadly, quilting is on the WAY back burner.  I have my tax appointment on Thursday and I don’t have anything entered into the computer from July of last year on.  UGH.  What did I do to myself?  I honestly don’t even know if I can have it all done.    I’m off to give it a good try.  Hey Hubby…I need a little help!!

To see what others are working on, check out Patchwork Times.