Community Quilts from Jazz

I am a huge embroidery fan. That’s why I am always extra excited when I see an email from Jazz.

Hey there! It’s been another while since I have updated you with the finished projects I finished for the newborn nursery at Ben Taub Hospital in the Houston Medical Center.

So many of your generous readers have made it possible for me to be productive! I am very appreciative to them all.

Mary P. sent me these cute, already embroidered squares from Wisconsin, where it’s wild berry picking season. It’s also been humid and hot there, so the smart people get up early to go collect their bounty in the cooler mornings.

I bordered and bound them with colorful strips from Sarah W. (Texas), except for the elephant, whose turquoise is from Jeanne M. (Arizona). Sarah W. also donated the batting. Since it’s too big for an infant I backed it with lavender popelin. It is about the right size for a small child.

Mary P. also sent me these State Flowers squares. Some were started, and I am really enjoyed finishing them. I had to look up some of them to get pictures to use the right colors. There are only about 40, though, not enough for all the states to be represented. That would result in a bed-sized cover, and the hospital needs baby-sized quilts to send the newborns home in. I’m inclined to collect ones that coordinate and make several smaller quilts from them.  What do you think?

Mary P. also sent a package of iron-on state flowers, and all the states are included in it. The designs are much bigger on this kit, and not in the same style, so I can’t substitute, but I will assemble it entirely and give it to someone who needs a large quilt.

All these embroidered pieces have been made possible by the donations of embroidery threads by Jo, Mary P.,Hedy H.,Bonnie H., and Holly M. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Jo, you sent me these cute Sunbonnet Baby squares some time ago, and I worked them immediately. I’ve done this kit many times, it’s always been one of my favorites. I was stuck without a back, and although I have been using popelin in lieu of cotton (as I did for the sashing), the variety of that is very limited here. It’s only available in solids, and not very many choices of colors.

When Sarah W. gave me some pink fleece it was a wonderful gift! Soft, warm backing with no need for batting! 

Jo also sent me this cute Peek-a-Boo panel already stitched. All I had to do was bat it (thanks again to Sarah W.) and bind and back it with a light brown flannel back I already had. I love ‘em both! And I bet a couple of new babies will, too.

Jo, this was also already embroidered when you sent it to me. I batted it with some white flannel (Sarah W. is my batting shero!) and backed it with a yellow sheet. Y’all have seen this sparkly turquoise fabric from Jeanne M. on many other quilts. I try to “save” it by using it sparingly. Jeanne knows why.

And, one more already embroidered panel from Jo. I used up the rest of Sarah W’s. white flannel for a light-weight batting and backed it with a yellow sheet I bought for it. The green borders are more popalina. I don’t mind using it in small pieces, but it’s not as soft as cotton, so I try not to use it much for backs for new babies.

Sara W. gave me several bags of scraps last time I was in Houston, and this is the first quilt I made with them. I just love scrappies, especially when they’re as whimsical and colorful as this one. 

I backed it with the same maroon as the front squares and tied the squares in the corners.

So, there you have it, Friends! I have several other quilts in progress, like the Noah’s Ark that Bonnie H. sent. I hope to be able to show it off next time, along with what I’m doing with the bags of scraps from Sarah W. We will bring all these to Houston in January, and I will hand them off to the lady in charge of donations at Ben Taub Hospital.

I am so, so grateful to all of you for making it possible! 

WOW Jazz. Amazing work. You really made those quilts shine. I’m sure the hospital and the babies will be happy with the quilts you put together. Thanks to everyone who donated…It makes my heart happy to hear how supportive you all have been to Jazz.