TQS/AAQI Challenge 2012

[Lotti D.]

OK quilters! This quilter is issuing a challenge!

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) is a national charity that sells small donated quilts to fund Alzheimer's research. We’ve seen Alex, Ricky, Libby, Sue, Hollis, Caryl, John, and other fabulous quilters do it. We can do it too! Let’s jump in and do some serious damage. I mean quilting.

Make them, buy them, or both. Every quilt donation, every quilt sale counts. I think the TQS community could really shake things up! (In a good way!)


What are we making?

Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts are 9" x 12" in size or smaller. That’s a tiny bit bigger than a regular sheet of paper! Read the rules here: http://www.alzquilts.org/paq.html. This could be a scrappers paradise or a way to use those extra bits from a project you cut too many pieces for, or a way to try out a new technique you learned on TQS. You could easily create a series of little quilts. (Keep in mind they won't be sold as a series, but it sure is fun making them that way. I've got 12 in the works right now.) Make 1 or make 100, it is up to you.


What are we buying?

Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts, of course. Don't buy your own quilts back, silly. Buy somebody else's! Collect art! The AAQI sells quilts 24/7 on their website and the best of the best are auctioned online during the first day days of every month. Check it out: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltsforsale.html and http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html


Who the heck am I?

I’m Clara Lawrence, the Sorting Queen from the Half-Square Triangle Exchange. (Hey, there's an idea: build your mini-quilts from half-square triangles and strips!)


Why am I interested in AAQI?

My family was affected by Alzheimer’s. Not just one family member, but two. I personally love Ami Simms' idea and it’s simplicity and want to help. This year I want to make quilts that make a difference. Don't you? Will you join me?


How to get involved?

1. Make a Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt (http://www.alzquilts.org/paq.html)

a. Register the quilt yourself and send me (through TQS) the registration number the AAQI assigns to it.

OR

b. Ship me the quilt and I'll register it and ship it to AAQI for you. (Contact me first so I can have you fill out and sign a special form and give you my mailing address.)

2. Buy a Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt or bid and win one during a monthly auction. Use TQS to send me the registration number of the quilt you purchased and the amount purchased for.

3. Share your quilts, the ones you make and the ones you buy! TQS has a Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilt Show and Tell section already on their site. Share your completed quilts there and on the forum.


How do we get to 1,000?

I'll submit the quilt numbers to the AAQI for quilts you make. They will publish them on our own special page: http://www.alzquilts.org/tqs.html

I'll also keep track of how much the TQS community raises by purchasing quilts. When you buy a quilt, give me the number and the amount you paid for it (less shipping and insurance).

Whether you buy or make a quilt. Send me the following through our TQS email. My screen name is ClaraLawrence. Click on my profile name and you will see where to send an email. I will need...

- Screen Name

- Real Name

- AAQI’s registration number

- Date of purchase or registration

- If bought, send me the final price of quilt purchased

I will track these monthly and yearly and posts these results around the 16th of each month. I will list screen names and number amounts for all TQS to see. Yearly totals will be updated from time to time.


Time to talk and share

Get on this forum and share your quilts, stories, new techniques you tried, OOOhs and AAAAhs over the quilts, please please have fun sharing and just being the quilters we are. Time for some more fun getting together on the forum.

Join me on the forum and let me know if you have any questions.

Clara Lawrence


Additional Important info.

TQS and I are doing the challenge for AAQI. This way whatever rules or surprises we do, we just do them. Ami has a lot of regulations she has to follow, so it is much easier for me to coordinate on my own (WITH TQS's WONDERFUL HELP OF COURSE!). If there are any questions, post on the forum or send me an email through TQS.

Come and join the fun.

[Lotti D.]

This one I will keep for posting monthly and yearly totals.

Quilts registered: 9265, 9266, 9267, 9298, 9371, 9408, 9452, 9453, 9464. 9537, 9538, 9539, 9540, 9541, 9542, 9543, 9544
Number of quilters signed up in almost a month 19
January quilts created - 9 registered
February quilts created - 8 registered

Total Quilters buying/winning quilts $170
Total Quilts created - 17 registered


We are on our way!

[Lotti D.]

Check back to this spot for helpful links.

I will update them with any new links that will help with the challenge. Please send me a TQS email with a link that you find helpful and I'll add it here.

AAQI’s rules and regulations on these quilts
http://www.alzquilts.org/paq.html

AAQI’s special TQS page
http://www.alzquilts.org/tqs1.html

Instructions for Fast Finish Triangles (preferred hanging method by AAQI) Did I mention easy too!
http://www.alzquilts.org/paqdisplay.html

TQS Show & Tell Section.
Post pictures of your Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts here also. You can also share the story you wrote with your quilt. Remember that whatever you post in the Show & Tell section will be attached to your TQS profile and other quilters will see them there as well. Quilters LOVE seeing other quilts so share on the forum and on the Show & Tell section.
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/showandtell.php

Shop at Amazon?
Check this link out to get the direct link to Amazon. T When you enter Amazon.com through the links on this page anything you purchase there helps the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative —and it doesn't cost you a penny more.
http://www.alzquilts.org/styoamshexhe.html

[Lotti D.]

fantastic idea clara, i'm definitely in :P

[Lotti D.]

fantastic idea clara, i'm definitely in :P

Cool. Glad to have you on board buddy. Clara

[Lotti D.]

Just to let you on board with what I'm working on.

This batch I am trying out trapunto for the first time. I learned this in episode 606 with Philippa Naylor.

Clara

[Lotti D.]

Here is another batch. This is my traveling project. You know while waiting on munchkins to do their thing, I do my thing.

Both, I am using some techniques I learned from Pam Holland (one of my favorite teachers, she's a lot of fun).

Clara

[Lotti D.]

WOW - please be sure to let us know when they're heading for the sale - DO NOT WANT TO MISS BIDDING ON ONE OF THESE !!!

[Lotti D.]

:lol: Wow, thanks. Will do.

[Nancy R.]

A friend and I were already planning on making quilts for this, but not until later this spring since we both have a lot to finish for the early part of this year. We'll share them here, too. No idea what they'll look like, yet.

Nancy

[Nancy R.]

This challenge will be ongoing for one year. You can work all year long, do some in spring, do just one or a bunch of different combos. Could you imagine getting one quilt from every member of TQS? Woof. Join us along the way until your ready. The fun is in the journey, right.

Clara

[Rita C.]

I did a couple last year but never sent them because I didn't think they were good enough. But when I went to look at the website I was relieved to see that they are not all as amazingly creative as your Clara. I am definitely going to do some more and actually send them this time. I will let you know when I have them done. I have to just finish a quilt for my daughter's friend who has just had surgery which may have saved her life but has left her with lifelong problems. It's a great idea Clara and thanks for the reminder. Rita.

[Rita C.]

You are very welcome. Something interesting I saw at their booth this last fall in Houston. When people were buying, they were going toward their interest or those they were buying for. Some choices were theme (pets, flowers, etc.). Some were for color, to be used to connect with a color theme. There was a huge variety from funny, stars, strips, applique, painted, abstract, pictorial, traditional, funny, animals. You name it, there is someone interested in it. Don't worry, just have fun. It's a great way to practice new techniques too. Clara

[Robin G.]

Great idea, Clara!! I have two that I started more than a year ago, but haven't finished. One is a completed top, so it just needs quilting and binding, and the other is an almost completed top. You're giving me the nudge to finish them, so I will definitely do that this year. Thank you! Robin

[Robin G.]

Great idea, Clara!! I have two that I started more than a year ago, but haven't finished. One is a completed top, so it just needs quilting and binding, and the other is an almost completed top. You're giving me the nudge to finish them, so I will definitely do that this year. Thank you! Robin

That's fantastic. I know what you mean. I've been wanting to get my grouping of 9 done and now that I've gone public (Hee Hee), the pressure is on. At least we can have fun in the process. Clara