Charity Quilt from Cheryl

My blog reader has come up with something VERY different for this charity quilt.  Amy Davis made this quilt top.  Amy used all solids — black, navy, forest green, and maroon.  The color selection and the solid fabrics remind me of Amish quilts.  Amy’s top has 12 quilt blocks using only those four fabrics.

Amy sent this quilt top directly to Cheryl in Dallas, and that saved a bit of money because I didn’t have to forward it to the volunteer quilter.  Here’s the quilt top just as it came out of the shipping box.  Ooohh, a sampler quilt.

 

The quilt top is loaded on the longarm for the next step on the journey.

This is only part of one block; the block has four of these flower baskets.

Flying Geese units form a fancy pinwheel.

Cheryl added another color to Amy’s four color quilt:  bright yellow.  She is getting started with the quilting pattern called “Curly Feathers.”  The digital design is by Jessica Schick.  The yellow quilting thread is a bold statement.

Below, you can see how the quilting pattern adds a whole new dimension to the top.

 

The last row.  Calling it close on that batting, only a few inches extra.

While the computer was quilting out the pattern, Cheryl worked on the binding.  Here she is ironing the bias strips in half.

After the binding is sewed to the front side, Cheryl presses it out so it will be easier to fold it to the back of the quilt.

Cheryl uses this flat fell foot to do the quilt binding.

Here, the binding is folded over to the back and the final stitching goes through all layers.  The flat fell foot lines up the final row of stitching so it goes through all layers at a uniform distance from the edge.

About every six inches, the threads are clipped so they won’t peek out of the finished binding.

Viola!  This lovey is displayed on the fence.  You’re right, it’s big, about 92″ x 110″.  That is a generous queen-size quilt.  This one will go to the House of Hope in Gainesville, Florida.  At the House, the gals have twin-size beds, but when they leave, they could have a larger bed and if that is the case, this one will be just the ticket.

Hmmm, there really is a bit of breeze in Dallas once in a while.  Cheryl picked up on the bright yellow color from the thread when she added an insert in the middle backing.

The backing is pieced because Cheryl didn’t have fabric large enough for this queen-size lovey.  What do you think of the bright yellow addition to this quilt?

 

This bear claws block appears in the second row of the quilt.  Each block is 15″ square.

Amy surrounded each of her sampler blocks with these hexagonal units.  The hexagonal units increase the 15″ blocks to 27″ blocks!

The backing and binding are looking good.  The quilting motif shows up real well even on the patterned backing fabric.

Amy’s quilt will get a handmade label and a turn in the washing machine.  When it is soft and crinkly, a new resident at the House of Hope in Gainesville, Florida, will be able to use it immediately.

 

Thanks Amy and Cheryl for your work.  We enjoyed seeing the results of your efforts.

Cheryl sent me this note along with the quilt photos:  Jo, Sad news from the House of Hope.  “J” is a resident who just graduated from the 6-month program, but instead of moving out into her own apartment and getting started with a job, “J” is staying at the House of Hope.  She is terminally ill with cancer.  Hospice workers and the House of Hope gals are providing round-the-clock care for her.  That is the type of real world experience the residents cannot get from a text book or lecture.  “J” has a sweet attitude as she says she is ready to “go” and wants to see her Lord face to face.  The other gals are pouring out lots of love on their friend during her last days.  Cheryl

So, readers, if you have ever made a charity quilt, I hope you can imagine that your donation is wrapped around someone similar to “J.”  While she is spending many hours in bed, her quilt is keeping her warm and loved.