A sweet little girl, age 4, died this morning here in Upstate NY. I don't know her personally but her family and I have a mutual friend. She's been on my prayer list all week since she fell ill last Saturday with a really high fever. She's been hospitalized since Monday and passed this morning from the EEE virus which is contracted from mosquito bites.

Friends of the family are hosting a benefit this Saturday, (in 6 days) and are looking for donations to be raffled off and for food for the benefit. Most everyone has offered up enough food but only one other person has offered something to be raffled by making a Tastefully Simple basket so I volunteered to make stuff for the benefit. I already have two baby blankets that I made and were just sitting around but now I'm looking for some really fast sewing projects to put together as well. I have a pattern for a 10 minute Tablerunner but not a lot of other patterns. Any thoughts?

Maybe place mats and matching coasters.
Sorry to read of the loss of the little one.

tote bags, snap bags, humbug bags, mug rug with a mug with some candy in it, grocery totes, pot holders

I pieced a Double Irish Chain lap quilt in one day, and I love the pattern. You could do a log cabin quickly too.

Placemats with coordinating napkins, especially if you own a serger that can do a rolled hem on the napkins.

The 6-Hour Quilt, by Kaye Wood, would be appropriate, too, if you have ~6 hours to make it. It's machine-pieced using quilt-as-you-go (aka flip and sew) method. It can accommodate any number of themes and variations. (My favorite is a rainbow because it can easily be divided into 7 fabrics, which I assemble in opposite directions on the two sides.) On the other hand, I've made lovely quilts using only two fabrics.

Over the years, I've come to know a number of parents who were comforted by the image of the dragonfly when they lost a child. As you may know, it is one symbol of life, death/metamorphosis, and rebirth. (A dragonfly larvae hatches in water. Once it metamorphoses into a winged adult, however, it must fly away and is unable to return to inform the other larvae of their airborne future.)

So I'm thinking you might look for some dragonfly fabric to make whatever project you choose.

Just a thought. You're a wonderful friend-of-a-friend to help in this tragic circumstance!!!

Something using the rail fence. It can be strip pieced pretty fast.

http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts...ross_coas.html

This pattern for coasters is fast and very useful...Naomi


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these are very fast http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-144848-1.htm

If you cook, you could raffle off "homemade dinner for 4" or something of that nature. You could also take a picture of a t-shirt quilt and raffle off making one. The winner would have to provide the t-shirts. You could also do a quick table runner and add some cookies or something to make it a basket.

Hope these ideas help.

My favorite quilt pattern is the "Speedy Baby II" made with 5" charm squares and borders with the sizes already listed. It could be pre-cut ahead of time if you would have any helpers or want to make a quilt kit for someone else to make.

You could make the kit and include lessons to make it later!

http://schoolgirlsamplers.com/pdftut...peedyBaby2.pdf

Rail fence is really quick or a rag quilt, both can be completed in a day.

A nice casserole carrier would be nice. The french braid tablerunner is quick and looks nice. The bun warmer/wrap pattern from the QB in a nice basket with cookies in a clear pastic bag or nice home made buns.

How about the microwave potato bags?

Get some cute coffee cups at thrift store and make mug rugs. Add cocoa mix.

So sad for family. I know how hard it is to lose a child.

Iron cozys -(iron slippers) I can make two within 40 minutes. Great for taking irons to retreats or quilt nites.

How about placemats, coasters, mug rugs.

Quillows are easy to make.

All the above sound good. It's very good of you to volunteer your time and efforts, I'm sure they are appreciated beyond words. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of the child. I know only too well how much that hurts.

How about a quilt made with the 10 minute block? It would go together fast and easy, but looks nice. Good luck with your efforts! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbTHlGGKMPM

How about aprons? and table ruinners and placemants

Pillow cases.

So sorry for the family. You are so sweet to help with raffle items.
A 9patch in two colors, lap size can be put together very quickly. Can quilt with a grid in a couple of hours or tie with yarns.

How about a no-pill fleece blanket...only takes 2 fabrics, and only takes 1 1/2 yards of each fabric. Put wrong sides together, sew 3 to 4 inches from the outside edge all the way around then take sharp scissors and cut frindge to your sewing line being careful NOT to cut through your sewing line, all the way around. You can tie the back and front fringe together in a knot or just leave the frindge as is. I like the tied in a knot look the best. This is a project you can drag along in the car when on a car trip or on your way to church with the family...just tie off or cut the fringe as time permits. Quicik, easy and a very nice inexpensive gift.

The speedy baby 2 is wonderful and could use up alot of my stash squares. Great to have around for emergencies like the one you mention. Many thanks for the pattern.

You can use this same pattern but change the size of the squares to 8 1/2 inches and use insul brite to make pot holders. Easy and they come out great!

What a sad time for the family. A rail fence baby quilt can be done in one day.

If you make these, make note that they can also be used to cook corn on the cob.

So sorry to hear of their loss. Bless you for contributing to the raffles!

Pillowcase.

Yesterday someone posted a pattern from Martha Stewart for a pencil case. It sounded quick and easy ... uses only a placemat abd a shoelace. If you are interested, I'll try to locate the post.

Sorry about the tiny tot, it is always harder when they are so young. Will pray for her.
Why not use a Stack and Whack for table runners or table topper? they are nice and quick.

Would LOVE to see this one, please....

Thanks for a great idea Feathers!

This is the informatioin so generously posted by waterside yesterday: http://www.marthastewart.com/269312/...BORmhzB8V7Uqlc

Diappearing 9 Patch with only 3 colors of fabrics or the 1600 yard quilt made with a jelly roll (this one is definitely the fastest) or the Strip Search pattern made with a jelly roll.

wow really sorry to hear of the loss of the young child.you are very kind and generous to help them out.
God Bless

Sorry to hear of their loss. Its so nice of you to volunteer to make gifts.

Log cabin, rail fence, lovers knot all go pretty quick
bags pincushions, aprons, potholders are also fast

You could make a quilt pretty fast using the snowball block for every other block.

http://www.straw.com/quilting/articles/snowball3.html

Thanks so much for the ideas! I was planning to start on these projects yesterday but an oversized delivery truck ripped out our electrical lines so I was out of power for most of yesterday. Soooo, I'm going to start this afternoon. We homeschool our daughters so I'm going to get them started and then I'm going to get started.