Community Quilts from Jazz

It was great to hear from Jazz.  Can you believe she had hip surgery and is already up and at ’em?  Impressive. She has quilts to share with us today.

Jazz writes:
“Hi, Jo! I got a little behind in my quilting after my hip replacement surgery, but I’m catching up now.

If you have a strong memory, you might remember when you send me two of these cute tops of jungle animals. You showed the first one on March 27^th.  I stitched it with variegated thread. Here is the second one. I tied this one with a bright “jungle green” DMC Cotton Perle thread (from a large box donated by Carlena D. of El Cajon, California) at every corner and plumped it up with a very fluffy batting that Missy R. of Gainesville, Florida contributed. The light blue back is from you, Jo. The gold binding is from my collection. I really appreciate all the gifts that went into this collaborative baby quilt that finished at 36” x 36”.

My next quilt in this submission is a 38” square of playful farm animal prints. They were given to me by a neighbor who is a wholesale fabric dealer. She knows that I make these quilts for the newborns at Ben Taub Hospital, and she offered me several sample kits. You’ve seen examples of her generosity before. This one also includes pieces from my stash and the ivory sashing is from Becky M., the wanderlust lady.

Jo, you provided the maroon for the borders around each square, and I batted it with a length of white flannel. (When the temperature tops 100+ degrees we tend not to use heavy quilts to swaddle our babes.) Becky M. also provided the beautiful, woven buffalo check binding and back. I tied it with more of the DMC Cotton Perle thread donated by Carlena D. of El Cajon, California. You can see from all these creations that they are the result of many of our friends’ charitable bequests. Nowhere else but from your blog, Jo, would so many strangers coordinate to benefit new babies born at Ben Taub Hospital in the Texas Medical Center!

Knowing that I particularly enjoy… embroidering stamped cross-stitch kits Holly M. from Brazil, Indiana sent me this kit last December to fashion into this gorgeous lap quilt. She included shades of purple to stitch the flowers, but they resembled poinsettias to me, so I finished it as a Christmas quilt. The Christmas sashing is from my stash. I added gold beads to the inside of the blossoms so this one is tagged as an adult-only item. The rich maroon back and binding is from you, Jo, as is the battings. Thank you! I machine-bind most of the baby quilts I make since they are going to be washed every time they get pooped, spit up, or chewed on. I don’t expect an adult wheelchair/lap quilt to be subject to such strenuous use so I hand-sewed the binding on it. It measures about 45” x 45”.

In March Donna G., of Rogers, Arizona asked me if I was interested in some more stamped cross stitch kits (Yes! Always yes!) and she sent me four packages of six stars each. The pattern suggested that they be done in red, white, and blue, and I will definitely make at least one quilt from them in these patriotic colors, but the first one I’ve started in “dusty” pastels. My kitchen is not conducive to amateur photography, but perhaps you can discern the lavender, mauve, pewter, green, yellow, blue, peach, and teal in each section.

I’m loving stitching it and will send another picture once it’s all finished.

The Cresco ladies also spoiled me with this darling quilt kit that just needs some more cross-stiches to make a take-home wrap for a new baby. Ladies, thank you very, very much!

Thank you all for your love and gifts, you are heroes! I’m dropping off another load of quilts to Ben Taub Hospital this week. They are always gratefully accepted and each one goes to a patient who takes it home when they are discharged.”

I just love hearing Jazz’s enthusiasm for quilting and donating to charity.  I wish we all had a little of Jazz’s zest.  I think many more quilts would get finished.  Many thanks to the people who support and send things her way.  I just sent her another roll of batting thanks to recent donations to the postage/charity quilt fund.  Many thanks to those who sent money.