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Through a casual conversation at church, I mentioned teaching someone to quilt a cancer comfort quilt. Within minutes, I had several other women in the conversation, and interest in doing quilts for hospice, and hospitals, safe houses, Christmas stockings for soldiers, etc. Now what do I do to get started? Thanks in advance.
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- Arrange with the church to have a charity day event in a room that has enough outlets for machines
-Set and announce the date and time (I ran one recently 9 am to 4 pm) - ask the Rector/Pastor to put an announcement in the church bulletin - Have some volunteers come eary to do set-up, e.g. tables for machines, chairs at tables, etc - Have everyone bring their machines and lots of fabric - Get donations of fabric even from church members that aren't participating - cotton or cotton-poly only - Find (and make a few duplicates of each) some easy, quick patterns for quilts and stockings - on the charity day, put all fabric into a large (hope large) pile from which each person can take what they need - If you think they'll get that far (unlikely for the quilts, maybe for the stockings) bring batt and large pieces for lining. Otherwise, get some volunteers to take home and finish the quilts. |
From 9 to 4 is a long stretch, perhaps some of the non-quilters could bring in some snacks for breaks? Sandwiches and coffee/tea?
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Originally Posted by Ramona Byrd
From 9 to 4 is a long stretch, perhaps some of the non-quilters could bring in some snacks for breaks? Sandwiches and coffee/tea?
Everyone brought her own lunch. Some left after a few hours, others stayed all the way Lots and lots of quilt tops for the local Women's Shelter - for the women and kids, babies and teens, boys and girls. And, they were fabulous - mainly D9Ps All the tops were taken home to be sandwiched, quilted and bound. We decided to hold them for distribution til mid-fall/early winter when they'd be more useful. |
I only chime in cause this is how my weekly group started 3 years ago and they still come. Just a few words of caution. The church made the announcement and what started as 3 women became 8. The problems I encountered the first year were - women with no sewing machines but still came expecting me to provide one. Women who had never used a machine so much of the first few months most of my time each meeting was devoted to that. Women who assumed I would supply fabrics, tools, mats, cutters, etc. Women who assumed if their machine broke I could repair it. And the ones that tried and didn't like it so my donated fabric was either wasted or I had to finish it. Don't misunderstand I loved the group which is why 3 years later they still meet one night a week in my home. However first starting out many women assumed a lot and the pastor did not want to discourage them as well as the fact that I have a hard time saying no so the group costs me a considerable amount of money donating fabrics, buying extra cutters and mats and even purchasing one a inexpensive sewing machine which she used twice in group and never came back or returned.
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if you get it started then add:
Little Dresses for africa and Little shorts for Afria or Hati or anywhere else these are needed The warning above is right on Be sure you at least publish the rules so no one will come and say they didn't know. these projects are most worthwhile and needed but require a lot of work and effort on your part Elist some on site hepers so you won't have all the responsibiity. And be sure and announce that it is NOT a qulting class to learn. |
We meet once a week at church and make quilts.We also make stockings for soldiers to be filled by the congregation. We start at 10, some of us go in earlier. Break for lunch. Work til about 4 or 5. We precut the fronts and the strips to piece flip and fold style. Someone will trim the stockings, hen they are sewn to a block of fabric, fitting as many on as we can. They are trimmed again. We then turn them right side out, sew a narrow ribbon hanger and a top of wide ribbon, lace or whatever we want. We've made close to a thousand over the last 4 or 5 years. Some people had no skills, some were very talented. But it takes co ordination to do it. Sometimes we have to meet 3 or 4 times to do it but it is very worthwhile!
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Originally Posted by Zhillslady
I only chime in cause this is how my weekly group started 3 years ago and they still come. Just a few words of caution. The church made the announcement and what started as 3 women became 8. The problems I encountered the first year were - women with no sewing machines but still came expecting me to provide one. Women who had never used a machine so much of the first few months most of my time each meeting was devoted to that. Women who assumed I would supply fabrics, tools, mats, cutters, etc. Women who assumed if their machine broke I could repair it. And the ones that tried and didn't like it so my donated fabric was either wasted or I had to finish it. Don't misunderstand I loved the group which is why 3 years later they still meet one night a week in my home. However first starting out many women assumed a lot and the pastor did not want to discourage them as well as the fact that I have a hard time saying no so the group costs me a considerable amount of money donating fabrics, buying extra cutters and mats and even purchasing one a inexpensive sewing machine which she used twice in group and never came back or returned.
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