Community Quilts: The lost email edition

As I was cleaning out my email I found some extra quilts that had been shared with me but not featured on the blog yet.  The first quilts are from Ray.

Ray writes:
“I received an email a few weeks ago from Paulette H. in WI. She is a blog reader and had a flannel quilt top to donate and wanted to know if I would like to long arm it and to donate it. I said yes and said we do use flannel in Florida, not a problem. Paulette mailed me this beautiful quilt along with a note on its history.

The quilt kit came to Paulette from Evelyn H. in CA via a connection with you. Evelyn won the kit and it is called “Diamonds in the Rough” by Bonnie Sullivan. The quilt is gorgeous with its dark earthy colors. Quite a contrast to the bright-colored fabrics typically found around here.

I dug in my stash and could not find anything that suited this quilt. I took the top with me to Kay’s Quilt Shop and asked if she had anything for backing. She said she did and found this striking fabric that was on sale.

Because of the earthy qualities in the quilt, I chose the trillium leaf pattern and used a dark brown thread.

WOW!! What a story and what a quilt! Thanks to you, Evelyn, and Paulette for your contributions to creating this quilt.”

This quilt was late in posting that it was already featured in Ray’s Airing of the quilts.  Paulette has gone on and finished another UFO I sent her.

You can read more about HERE on Paulette’s blog. You’re going to want to see the fun machine quilting Paulette did.

Now, here here is quilt #2 from Ray…

He writes:
“Patricia T. in Spokane, WA sent me this top several months ago. It is a beautiful top with rich, deep colors.

Reminds me of reproduction fabrics. I held off quilting it as I could not get comfortable with a motif to use. Baptist fan was foremost in my mind but I have never been able to perfect it. Then one day I found a double swirl pattern and tried it on some other quilts, I liked it and decided the double swirl would look good on this quilt.

I used an antique gold-colored thread on the front and white on the back. I am very pleased with how it turned out. Patricia also included the binding. I found the backing in the stash from Pat and Deb in FL.

The most unusual and intriguing thing about this quilt is that up close and working on it and looking at it, I have yet to see the diamond pattern in the quilt. However, every picture shows the diamond pattern very plainly. I am still stumped and amazed. Many thanks to you, Patricia, Deb, and Pat for providing the ingredients to make this beautiful quilt.”

The next quilts from Sandy K.  She writes:

“Quits tops were given to Rockford Memorial Hospital NICU. They were from  Marion in Tennessee and Mary the Sailor.  Sorry, the pictures are not very good Just learning my phone camera at the time.”

I also had emails from Janet O in Iowa.  She writes:

“Hi Jo!   Just wondered if you would mind giving a shout out to Kathi in Texas for me.   She read about my project of quilts for foster kids attending Royal Family Kids Camps.   She sent me 2 boxes stuffed to the brim with perfect items.   

Now I know how excited you are when opening fun boxes!”

Wow…what a lot of fun stuff.  In the email Janet said there were suppose to be 11 pictures so I’m guessing one email with pictures got lost somehow…probably on my end.  All I can say is WOW.  What an awesome donation!!

Elle sent the next quilts…

She writes:
“I received a package from you awhile back containing 4 finished tops and some parts.  2 were labeled “Carol in AZ”.  I am assuming all were from her?

The first quilt is bandana prints.  Super cute!  Size is 58*74 so super for a good snuggle.  I quilted it with a very loopy pantograph to give it texture.  The quilting really doesn’t show but it feels nice.  I provided the back.  I had a wide backing in my stash that took up residence many years ago.  Why not now?  I have enough left for another quilt this size.  The binding was provided and a mix of fabrics in the top.  I love the scrappy binding look it gives.

The second quilt is a medallion and an intricate embroidery is on one end of the first large border.  I quilted it with  a panto called Happy Times https://www.urbanelementz.com/quilting-designs/happy-times.html  It gives nice movement in a quilt.  I pulled a stash backing that I just love so much I bought a bolt…..and then another of this wide fabric.  (Yea, I do a lot of quilting).  For binding I pulled a light yellow on white print.

I wanted that “waterfall” look for this quilt where I usually put a darker binding on my quilts but it just wouldn’t do for this one.

In another email Elle sent these…

She writes:
“I have finished #3 and #4 from the package you sent.  These had tags for Carol from AZ.  I used a pieced wide backing for the first one with the Paris theme.  I quilted it with an all over panto and light pink thread to create texture but not visual quilting.  I made a binding with a darker pink to bring out those darker blocks.  

The 2nd was a BIG quilt at 86*102.  I used a Panto called Happy Times and a darker variegated thread.  I used the same darker pink for a binding on this one.  The backing is a favorite wide of mine. I thought the back required some interest to coordinate with the colored interest on the front!

All 4 of my finishes will go to our local shelter where women and children can escape from their abusers.  The program has a great deal of mental health focus in helping people of all ages begin their recovery and when ready, the family is placed in a new home for a new start.  They had 12 emergency family admissions in a single week earlier this year.   They do wonderful work in our community.

WOW…can you believe all of those quilts were at the bottom of my email?  It’s so embarrassing that I am not more current on my email.  I really do work on my email but obviously, I need more time.  I keep telling myself if I can just get to the bottom of it, it will be easier to maintain.  I keep trying!!  Thanks for being patient with me!!