Our daughter Kelli and I have been doing a great debate about starting a group who sews and donates quilts to people with a need or circumstance, or for fundraising needs. We both feel so blessed that we have been given a talent and want to use that talent to help people. After talking about it for a bit, we decided that we are going to do it! We don’t know if we’ll have more people join us and for the first while.. it might only be us, but we’re going for it!! The quilts won’t be super fancy designs but something that is nice and will bring comfort to someone in need be that financially, physically or emotionally.
Kelli sewed and I quilted our first quilt…..It needs a binding yet…
This one happens to be going to her farmer boy’s cousin. He’s a teen and had to have back surgery. He’ll be laid up all summer. He’s a HUGE Iowa Hawkeye fan so Kelli found some Hawkeye fabric in her stash and quickly sewed it up.
The pattern is our Disappearing Nine Patch quilt that sashes itself. It’s one of our favorite patterns for when we need a quick project. People tell us all the time that this isn’t a Disappearing Nine Patch, but it is. You can read all the directions and see the tutorial on how to make it here.
I used the Pajama Quilter’s “Dwirling” pattern for the quilting…I loved it.
Kelli was concerned about how we are going to afford all the fabric to make these quilts and I told her it’s one of those things….if we are truly suppose to do this, fabric will just find a way to us. We talked more and are hoping to expand so we’ll teach some classes to people too. If we teach classes, maybe some of the participants will help us make charity quilts…maybe some won’t. Either way we’re helping people by teaching them to sew….
We don’t have a huge goal….between the two of us, we just want to complete one quilt each month that is donated. We already do some now so this isn’t a huge stretch or even an inconvenience for us.
Then Kelli, who gets big ideas about everything, suggested we set up a charity sewing retreat weekend here and just invite any of you to come sew with us..she suggested September or October because it will be cooler here and because our farmer boys will be in the field. We’d have to look into the places for people to stay and food and such….We thought we could sew in our garage and rent a house in town for people to stay. Then she suggested booking a retreat place in the area….Then I told her SLOW DOWN!!! Then I told her I would ask all of you….SO…would anyone want to come and sew with us..maybe one of the sewing days could be for charity and two for us? Just leave a comment here or drop me an email, rogjok@iowatelecom.net, if you’re interested…oh what that daughter of mine…she gets me into some crazy things.
The giveaway winner of the “F is for Friendship: A Quilt Alphabet” written by Helen L. Wilbur donated by Sleeping Bear Press is
Jennifer who said “J is for Jigsaw”. You can sign up for the current giveaway of the book “Heart Felt Holidays” here.
I wouldn’t be able to come sew for a retreat. But I do have more scraps and crumbs than any one person could use in a lifetime. I would be willing to donate them to you, if you want them.
Oh Cathy…
We would LOVE scraps and crumbs!! Those are our favorite types of quilts to make so they would be perfect!! Here’s our address:
Jo Kramer
1077 County Road V 68
Waucoma, IA 52171
THANKS a million!!!
How fun! I would love to come and sew with you girls. I love your blog and I love hearing about all your adventures. My sisters and I have done quilting bees similar to this. We have donated them to the Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN. It does a heart good to give. We have a friend who works at Regions and delivers these quilts for us. He will often share stories about the kids and the blankets they pick and it just makes a person feel good inside. I say, ” You go girls!”
I was going to ask where you were located, but I see you replied to the first comment and included your address, so helpful! I’m too far away to come and quilt, but I know you will have a great time. I’d love to read stories about why people chose a quilt…perhaps there will be spinoffs!
I am probably too far away to come and quilt but this is something I also have wanted to do. I have about 12-15 tops waiting to be quilted but lack the funds to send them out to be quilted. I don’t have a machine set-up that is really ideal to quilt them myself. I have always wanted to have quilts ready to give to someone in need. Someday!
I’ve been doing this on my own for a few years- I make about 10 quilts a year and donate them when I hear of someone with cancer… or just in need of a quilted hug. I’m in Minnesota, but I might be willing to make it to a retreat.
Great idea and a wonderful quilt. Back surgery is hard on the whole body and has a long recovery. He will love it.
A retreat sound like fun, would love to meet online friends, but too far away. Have you thought about hosting a Charity Retreat online and having a reveal in a month? I’m even such a smarty pants that I am suggesting a name. Today is a New Moon; so, “New Moon Charity Quilters”. Reveal on July 19th, next new moon. A quilt for a new phase and beginning of the recipient’s life. It’s OK, you can ignore me with my name for your project and trying to run part of your life.
Hi Jo, I wish I was closer and could come and quilt with you. I appreciate your blog and free patterns etc and want to support your effort so if you are willing to do the quilting I would commit to sending you some tops {need to know what size before I say a number lol} by the end of September. Let me know if that would work for you and good luck with your efforts!
I have some quilt tops, orphan blocks and large cuts of fabric (for pieced backs?) if you’re interested. I’m way behind on machine quilting, so I couldn’t send completed quilts right now, but maybe in the future. I see your address in earlier post, but I’ll wait to send anything until I hear from you, either response here or via email. Thanks for sharing.
We would GLADLY accept anything! Orphan blocks, backing fabric or tops..any and all would be appreciated. We are planning to do things for a variety of charities and people. A foster child might need something single bed sized…a person recovering from a medical scare might appreciate a large throw…and if we donate something for fundraising something larger might be nice. We aren’t picky and for those of you who might wonder, we don’t care if it’s JoAnn’s fabric or quilt shop fabric….we love it all!! Thanks for the many generous offers!!
I had wondered if that was a Hawkeye quilt. We lived in Iowa for 13 years and one daughter is a Hawkeye fan, born in Cedar Rapids. We have so many fond memories of our time in Iowa and great friends.
Gloria
Jo, it is a wonderful idea and you will find it so rewarding. A group of girls I sew with here in our little town in East TN started doing just that about 8 or 9 years ago. We call our quilts “Comfort Quilts”. We have given so many way. I wish so I could come sew with you and Kelli, but I have my hands full here right now with an adult special needs daughter but I will be glad to go through my stash and see what I can send your way. And as another comment suggested, an “online sew along” might produce quite a few quilts to get you started. Our group tries to stay ahead with a few quilts already made up… because you never know what emergency or need is going to arise. Good luck.
Ugh! You live too far! :) And we’re shipping in Sept. and Oct., but I love y’all’s idea. I think quilters are some of the most generous people ever! I just finished my very first Quilt of Valor – I just lack the binding. Let me know as you figure out what you need. I can send blocks or fabric. I am excited to make a quilt using that pattern, but mine will have to be a Texas Aggie Quilt! :)
Jo,
Can you zoom in on one block? I am having a hard time seeing the detail when I zoom in.
Diannia
I would love to come! We live a couple hours south of you in Robins, Iowa :) Let me know when you make more plans.
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