groups

We are a group that loves quilting of any kind,
any experience level, It's fun to share ideas,
tips, patterns etc. It is fascinating to see
the sameness and differences of quilters all
over the USA and the world. Pull up a chair and share!

There are a huge number of places that connect charity quilts with people in need. This list is only a beginning. My plan is to have QP quilters make lap sized machine stitched and pieced quilts for the charity of their choice. After the quilt is finished the member can post a photo for the group to see and get inspired. Add to the list of quilt links if you have places you know about. By the end of January I will compile places into a document for our FILES section. I thought it was important to start with a few examples.
1. Project Linus: As Charles Schulz’s Linus character from the PEANUTS® comic strip was comforted by his blanket, Project Linus strives to do the same and more for children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. The blankets our nearly 400 chapter coordinators collect from thousands of “blanketeers” (volunteers) across the United States and then distributed to these children provide love, a sense of security, warmth, and comfort. view link If you are in need of a pattern, project or inspirational “push” to get you started on a Project Linus quilt, afghan, or blanket then go to the link above! They have organized several resources you can use to get started. view link Make a Blanket Day (MABD) on the third Saturday in February each year. Our next event is set for Saturday, February 18, 2012.
2. Quilts for Kids Their mission statement discusses transforming discontinued, unwanted and other fabrics into patchwork quilts that comfort children with life-threatening illnesses and children of abuse. I put a link for the kit request view link The directions say before requesting a kit, have you checked to see if there is a local chapter in your area? When you work with your local chapter, the quilts that you make stay within your community. The quilts made from kits requested here must be sent back to headquarters to be distributed nationwide. You have 4-6 weeks to complete the kit and return it.
3. HIV/AIDS Ministry of the Mahoning Valley Sister Kathleen Minchin, director, was one of four Ursulines who founded the support group in 1992. The lap quilts are given for AIDS patients and children of AIDS. This is one of the two groups my local guild has been working with since 1995. If you make a quilt for them, I will post an address for you to mail the quilt(s). Our guild traditionally give about 100 quilts each year to local people fighting AIDS.
4. Hospice of the Valley view link The quilts go to anyone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness such as cancer, congestive heart failure, emphysema or any illness where a cure is not currently possible. One of our quilt guild members takes the quilts to the Hospice office and quilts are distributed. If you make a quilt for them, I will post an address for you to mail that quilt too.
5. RESCUE QUILTS: Building Trust, Giving Hope...One Quilt at a Time The opening page says "When I was 15, the evening news showed a small child wrapped in a policeman's jacket being carried away after a deadly tragedy.He had only a diaper and tee shirt on. The temperature was 22 degrees outside. At that moment, RESCUE QUILTS was born." view link

Patterns and sizes: Easy Quilt Patterns for Beginning Quilters at About.com view link When you make charity quilts, do ones that are quick, easy and machine quilted. This is a good time to practice you machine quilting because the quilts are smaller and easier to move about. view link Use lap size or smaller. Baby quilts for charity 38" x 45" (more or slightly less)

If you’re looking for a small project to boost your spirits and keep you connected with the group, this is for you. You’ll send a favorite fat quarter to a partner. The partner will make you a small gift that incorporates you fabric and will send it back to you. You will receive a fat quarter from your partner and make a gift to mail back, too.

Imaginary FAQs:
1) What should I make? Any small project would be fine.
Some possibilities are:
* a pincushion,
* a mug mat,
* a placemat,
* bookmark,
* small wall hanging,
* wallet

There are no rules on this.

2) Do I have to use the whole fat quarter? No. Just be sure that the fabric is featured, since it is a favorite of your partner.

3) Can I use other fabrics from my stash along with the fat quarter? Yes.

4) When does this swap begin and end? It will run for the year 2012. You can sign up any time. The pairing of partners will be ongoing. Once you receive your fat quarter from your partner, you will have 2 months to make your gift and send it back.

How to participate:
Send your first and last name and mailing address to Storystitcher (Ellen) in a private message.

You will be teamed up with a partner. Mail your fat quarter to your partner. Receive a fat quarter from your partner. Once you receive the fat quarter, you have 2 months to make the gift and send it off.

Please post a photo of the gift you receive. Everyone LOVES photos.

StoryStitcher (Ellen)

This year's Challenge UFO forum will be different. The beauty of this challenge is there will not be any imposed deadlines. You decide when you will complete your project and work it around your personal schedule. This is how it will work! It is quite easy as you will need to make 2 lists in one message post!

List # 1 will be your unfinished quilting projects - UFO/WIP

List #2 will be your projects that you have in mind to make in 2012

Lists are great - because when we create a list it helps us to succeed. It has been proven something written down gets done!

Make each of your lists in one message. So that means you need to plan and think about what you wish to accomplish in the upcoming year. Take care in how you title your project because you must inform me by the exact title given for your project when earning your point as posted in your message. Please give a complete description of the approximate size of the project.

In order to sweeten up the challenge a bit I will offer up two gifts one for the winner of the most UFOs/WIPS completed and one who completes the most planned projects. The number one rule is that you can only have credit toward what is initially on each list. You can not add to the list after January 31st. So think and plan!

The second rule is if you are planning to make many small projects such as mug rugs, place mats, book markers and etc. please indicate the number you are planning to create. An example would be if I am planning to make 12 mug rugs for Christmas gifts then on my list I will state on 1 line 12 mug rugs for 1 point. Keep very small projects to a minimum of 4 different items on your list! Also, included in the small projects list should be bindings, labels and etc. or anything else that has a very minimal amount of work needed in order to be considered completed. They should also be grouped to 2-3 per line item. Another 1 line item worth 1 point will be BOMs or other monthly challenges. I for instance will be participating in the Free Motion Quilting Challenge which is a monthly project and the Crafsty BOM. Each of these are worth 1 point. Please feel free to share pictures as you progress. The point earned will occur once you have completed the challenge by year end. A picture of the completed monthly project will be required to earn your point.

The third rule is pictures are required for each project completed!

This Challenge begins today January 3 - December 31. You have until the 31st of January to post your lists! That should give you plenty of time to plan and decide what you hope to complete in 2012. If you know you are planning to participate please indicate you are interested by sending me a private message immediately. You do have until January 31 to post your list.

Any questions that you might have or another thought of how to make the challenge fair please send me a private message.

Let's have fun and encourage one another!

Joanie

Happy Winter Weekend Quilting Friends



It is cold outside in Charlotte, but no sign of snow! How about where you are at?

For me the cold is an invitation to sew and cook. I have had a great time sewing even though I have been suffering with a head cold and excruciating headaches. I have refused to being derailed from working on my UFOs/WIPs.

One of the things on my list was to finish a duffel bag. It is now finished! When I dug into the box I had forgotten that I had cut out two tote bags. So I have completed both of the bags accept one needs the lining sewn and it will be done too! I have been thinking about how long they have been waiting to be finished. It has to be close to 8 years. Where did the 8 years go? The bright side of this is it feels so good to seeing them almost completed.

I have been watching Downton Abbey while stitching away. If you are fortunate enough to have a laptop or a computer in your sewing room you can watch them while you sew too. Check out this website and see if it is something you might enjoy. I have noticed many of the blogging quilters are really in to it. So I decided to see what it is all about. I have not been disappointed.
view link and click to the tab that says Watch Shows.

So what are you doing this weekend?

Fun! Fun! Fun! Got my itty bitty swap. Love them all. The little bag is closed by putting the long handle through the short handle. No more tissues floating around loose in my purse and the hand braided key chain is really nice. I got her fat quarter in the same envelope so it is under construction today and will be in the mail soon I hope. Thanks to Quirkee Quilter.

While searching through my craft walk-in closet looking for batting to stuff a pillow, I came across a black trashbag that felt heavy but fabric-ish. Lo and behold, it was a quilt I made a bunch of years ago for the ex. It was a tied quilt. I have no idea how I ended up with it, but he had stopped using it and it was in a closet in my other house.

So here's the beauty part: I cut off the backing all around the binding. And then I snipped all the ties. I can use the backing for other projects (it is plain natural muslin), I harvested all that nice puffy batting, (some for that pillow), and now I have a quilt top. It is somewhat faded but I can pick out some blocks if I want and make placemats and potholders, and/or I can just cut it in long narrow strips to make those rope bowls and urns that I have been wanting to do. Or use the strips to make a rag rug.

Recycling at its finest.

Sunday night at 1 am we got a call, our daughter was found on bathroom floor and they had her in hospital, found bleeding on the brain and were taking her to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Fear was she would not make the trip. Well after a very long week we had good news. The surgery went well and 95% of tumor was removed. Her speech has slowly returned and the use of her right side. Monday noon she did not know me, this morning she called me. (I am staying at her home taking care of children, though I go up almost every day). She has lost a lot of memory, but that should slowly return. Her surgeon and nurses come into her room often to see her, he calls her 'his blessing'. He said that he gets the cases that don't have happy ending, and she is. He said she will need radiation to kill what was left. He said going in he did not hold a lot of hope, yet here she is. Praise the Lord. Though my daughter has a well stocked sewing room, yes a stash, very large stash, very very large stash (she did NOT learn that from me, lol) but I could not sew, I have been cleaning, scrubbing anything but thinking. Now today, I can breath and maybe go turn her machine on.

I have to tell you, I have peaked in a couple of times, I needed that feeling of friends, as I had not shared with anyone, I just couldn't do all the calls. Things changed so fast so often. But my quilter friends were here, letting me pop in to see what you were doing without me having to talk or share yet. It gave me a place to rest for a few minutes.

I have to say, I miss working outside!! My cows and chickens. I could have used that skid loader of mine to move that pile of cloths this children produce! LOL

Hugs from Iowa, Kathy

I'm lookig at a small long Arm - made by Tin Lizzie. There is one with a 18" or 26" throat. Not sure if I would be sorry not getting the 26 or is 18 enough?
Being a newbie in this area and just wanting to finish my own quilts twin to lap size- I need some directions from others that purchased.

Any advice? Thanks
Kim

Kyra now 2 1/2 needed a big girl bed. So Saturday we converted her Crib to a toddler bed. She already had the quilt and a bottom sheet but no top sheet or blanket that wasn't way too big. I took a twin sheet cut in half- made the perfect top sheet. Then had leftover fleece that trimmed to right size and serged it all. Then needed to make a couple of pillowcases to match. - quite the Saturday project!.

With new bed needed to rearranged furniture - which cause the bigger problem.
I walked into a cd stand in the hallway that caused the most beautiful blue and purple colors on my toes & foot!. Oh well - we have a big girl bed!!!