HURRICANE SANDY EFFORT QUILT EFFORT

You might remember a few months back, when I made a few blocks for the Hurricane Sandy Relief Quilt Effort, organized by Erin Hutchinson.  When I mailed the blocks off to Erin, I thought that was the end of it. 

I was surprised to get this postcard in the mail today.  It's a thank you for participating.  In the photo is a woman wrapped in one of the quilts holding a thank you sign.  What a nice surprise!

Erin was surprised to receive blocks from over 200 quilters.  To date over 35 quilts have been delivered, and there are over 10 more in various stages of completion.

Here is a link to Erin's blog:
http://vesuviusmama.blogspot.com/

HURRICANE SANDY DONATION BLOCKS

Here are my six Disappearing 4-Patch blocks that will go in the mail tomorrow on their way to Erin of My Patchwork Life.  She's collecting blocks to be made into quilts for the victims.  As Carol, over at Brown Quilts, said, it's nice to be able to actually DO something to provide a little comfort, and to let people know we care. 

Click on over to Erin's blog for details on how you can get invovled, and a tutorial for the block pattern.

KICKS

Finally put the last stitches in this Downy quilt yesterday.  Now 'Kicks', as I named it, is all packed up ready to go to the post on Monday.  I shared photos of this kit from Quilts for Kids, back in July.  Here's the finished quilt.  Quilts for Kids is a very worthwhile organization.  They send you all the fabric, pattern, etc., and you make the quilt.  It comes complete with a label for the first name of the maker and a space for you to name the quilt.  There were moments of angst making this quilt, like when I accidentally cut into the back fabric while trimming the batting, etc., but it's all fixed and ready to go.  I doubt the seriously ill child who will receive it, or the parents will notice the minor oopses which are now fixed (unless the mom is a member of the quilt police).

If you are interested in sewing for Downy Quilts for Kids, or just want to read more about this organization, click here.

DOWNY QUILT COMPLETED

This morning I finished my Downy Quilt. In the end I decided to name it "Hugs" because I have huge writing, and it's a relatively small label, LOL! I used a simple grid quilting with a walking foot, and stitched the binding down with a swirly flower stitch that goes with the focal print. This has been a fun donation project.

DOWNY QUILT PROGRESS

Yesterday I took my Downy Quilt to the flimsy stage.

Here's a close up of the fabrics together. The bright lime green really is the same color as the swirling stems and leaves.

Now I need a name for the quilt label. I'm thinking, 'Oh, Happy Day' or 'Swirls of Hugs' or ............ or...............

The print focus fabric has birdhouses, birds, flowers, fruits, butterflies, ladybugs, etc. It's a happy print, for sure.

Please leave any suggestions for a unique name for this quilt in comments. Thanks!

DOWNY QUILT KIT ARRIVES

My first Downy Quilts for Kids kit just arrived. The fabric is beautiful -- so bright and cheery -- just what an ill child would love! The pattern is simple to make, yet very cute.

To make a quilt for this charitable group, they send you the fabric, pattern, and even the label. You provide the batting, the work, and the return postage. They even ask you to return the pattern so they can reuse it, as well as the baggie it all comes in. Very green and thrifty!

Of course they welcome you to send a quilt from your own fabric too, if you can.

So, I'm off to my "one-day-a-month (at least) patchwork for donation" resolution.