Making quilts for others

[Helen W.]

My students and I make quilts for the Children's Hospital in Westmead, NSW. When one of the girls wants to try a new technique, we use my scraps and try the technique in a block.
Eventually we hav enough blocks to put into a quilt.
We have made about 16 quilts this way, which go to http://jantsutopia.com.au/Galleries-...or-others.html - Quilts for Keeps project. 5,900 quilts have been given out in 8 years and the program will finish in April 2012.

[Hannelore N.]

Brilliant idea, and lovely quilts, Jan!

I collect my orphan blocks and ever so often turn them into fun quilts for Project Linus.

[Hannelore N.]

Thank you, Lorchen. When the Q4K project finshes, we will be looking at other projects. We have Project Linus here too.

[Hannelore N.]

I run a quilt group at my church. We have a meeting once a month and I present the pattern for a different block every time, trying to do different interesting techniques so it stays interesting. We agree on a basic color scheme and make it from our own scraps between meetings. Then once in a while we get together and put all the matching blocks together into quilt tops. Our biggest challenge is getting them quilted as I have only a regular machine and not all the time in the world to do the quilting. No one else seems able to quilt them either. When we do manage to get them quilted the smaller ones go to The Ronald McDonald Houses here in out area and the larger ones are donated, along with a matching pillow case or tote bag, to the foster care organization in our county. They like to have quilts to give the foster kids that BELONGS TO THEM that they can take with them if they have to move to give them a sense of place and ownership.
So any ideas for getting quilts quilted faster? I have recruited volunteer long armers from the local guild for two tops and the mother of a church member did a couple for us before she go t busy over the holiday but I hate to rely on the same people all the time. I would love to turn our tops out faster.

[DIANE K.]

Teach people to hand tie. You do t need a machine. To also help, show them how to put the quilt sandwich together using quilting safety pins.

[Hannelore N.]

Our guild sewing group bought the book STASH MAGIC because they had so many scraps donated to them and they wanted to have new ideas. They liked the book because they had scraps and big fabrics and wanted to make better looking quilts. The combination of large patches and string patches made prettier quilts.

I have since bought the book. I am making my own quilt then dontating the rest of the scraps to the groups. I figure I have enough scraps for 3-4 twin size quilts.

good luck with your endevors

[Hannelore N.]

I run a quilt group at my church. We have a meeting once a month and I present the pattern for a different block every time, trying to do different interesting techniques so it stays interesting. We agree on a basic color scheme and make it from our own scraps between meetings. Then once in a while we get together and put all the matching blocks together into quilt tops. Our biggest challenge is getting them quilted as I have only a regular machine and not all the time in the world to do the quilting. No one else seems able to quilt them either. When we do manage to get them quilted the smaller ones go to The Ronald McDonald Houses here in out area and the larger ones are donated, along with a matching pillow case or tote bag, to the foster care organization in our county. They like to have quilts to give the foster kids that BELONGS TO THEM that they can take with them if they have to move to give them a sense of place and ownership.
So any ideas for getting quilts quilted faster? I have recruited volunteer long armers from the local guild for two tops and the mother of a church member did a couple for us before she go t busy over the holiday but I hate to rely on the same people all the time. I would love to turn our tops out faster.

I am part of a similar church based ministry. We meet once a week, 9 months out of the year (so as to miss those busy holidays and ultra cold weather). We are prolific gifting about 200 quilts a year. *The key to our speed is using a non-bound "birthing" stitch and turn right-side out method and then tying our quilts. We probably actually quilt and bind about 10 quilts a year. Admittedly, *this type of finishing is not heirloom quality, however we truly expect our quilts to be used and consumed-used up and we are OK with that. What a blessing you are doing to provide quilts to those in need.

[Hannelore N.]

My small quilt group "Sew Little Timers" makes quilts for Foster Children when they are adopted. Working with the
Judge, she notifies us of upcoming adoptivees ages and or favorite things. We then make a quilt for that child to be given at the Adoption proceedings. On National Adoption Day in November, we are invited to see the children that will receive our quilts. Truly wonderful, and I thank my friends for helping me with this large truly rewarding project.

[Hannelore N.]

I am part of a similar church based ministry. We meet once a week, 9 months out of the year (so as to miss those busy holidays and ultra cold weather). We are prolific gifting about 200 quilts a year. *The key to our speed is using a non-bound "birthing" stitch and turn right-side out method and then tying our quilts. We probably actually quilt and bind about 10 quilts a year. Admittedly, *this type of finishing is not heirloom quality, however we truly expect our quilts to be used and consumed-used up and we are OK with that. What a blessing you are doing to provide quilts to those in need.

I fully agree that the birthing and tying method is the way to go. I have been involved in several "mission" ministries over the years where this was the method used. The one group also hand quilted for hire. These funds were used to supplement the missions ministry.
I think many quilters either miss or forget the point that the heirloom quilts we see are but a small fraction of all quilts ever made. Many of the quilts that are no longer around were the birthed and tied quilts that kept the family first and then perhaps the animals warm. what we see are the "Sunday" or company quilts that have spent their life in a chest.

[Jane C.]

Ask the longarm quilter who has helped you if there are others who would quilt a charity quilt. If enough long-arm quilters would agree to do some charity work, you could rotate among them so no one had to do all of it. Just a thought.

[Cath P.]

I'm participating in the Do Your Block for a Cause - being run by OzMaterialGirls... hoping to make some blocks to mail in this weekend..

http://www.facebook.com/groups/DoYourBlock/

Love feeling part of a community, because in my crazy world I don't get to any guilds or classes!

[Eileen K.]

If you're thinking about doing a Quilt of Valor, it can't be tied. It must be quilted. http://www.qovf.org