My name is Becky and I am an American living in Poland. I started doing basic patchwork a few years ago when some people sent me their extra fabric and some of it was quite ugly. I didn't know what to do with it, but had read somewhere that there is no fabric that is too ugly if you cut it into small enough pieces! So, I did that. I cut the fabric up, and make patchwork quilts of out if. It started me on something rather fun.

I've sewn since I was a teenager but have little need for more clothes. Mostly I do charity quilts and give them away to the poor here in our area. It is cold a good part of the year here and many live in substandard housing. I have actually quilted only a few, though--maybe 30 quilts in my lifetime as the charity ones I "tie".

Since the idea of quilting/patchwork is not really Polish, people here are fascinated with the quilts that we give away.

They are mostly poor people and I know from personal experience that often the women don't have many pretty things in their house--sometimes you just need something pretty to brighten up your day. That is kind of what started the whole thing. That, and the fact that people sent me ugly fabric. :)

I have been the blessed recipient of many already cut out squares, etc, so it has sped up the process of the quilt making. One church group gave me about 8 finished quilt tops and I'm finishing them up. A few people have sent me unfinished things (like 12 blocks, for example), and I try to finish them up and make them into quilts.

But I've just recently purchased a Janome 7700 and I can't wait. It should arrive today. I've never had a 'high end' machine before--since the most expensive machine I've had was a $300 Pfaff. Before that was yard sale finds in the states.

I wanted to find a place where I could ask questions and continue to learn and improve my own skills--both in patchwork piecing and in the actual quilting, which I have done, but not so much as it was incredibly difficult to fit the quilts under my other machine.

These are my quilts I'm working on for charity for 2010.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...7&l=c064ede77f

Hello Becky, welcome from Idaho!

You are perfect! You already have your quilt inspector, in the first picture! Welcome to the board. This is a great place for help and advice! Just ask away! No question too foolish!

WoW!!! Where in Poland are you? I have relatives near Warsaw and Krakow. I have never been there, but used to help my Gramma get packages ready to send over there back in the day. Bundles actually. We were not allowed to send things in boxes, so everything was wrapped in some kind of heavy muslin. Things were always gone through by the authorities there.
You are amazing doing these quilts....do you need any more donations? I have a lot of fabrics that are cut into squares if this would help. Let me know by PM and we'll see if we can work something out.

Hello and welcome from Germany!

Welcome from Arkansas! What a mountain of quilts-love what you are doing!

Hello Becky and welcome from Germany! Wow, what a whole lot of love you put into your quilts. This is so kind of you. Please let me know if I can help in any way, just send PM.
Enjoy your new SM, it will make quilting so much easier.

Wow what a very kind person you are, I bet those quilts will be really well loved!!!

Hello and Welcome to the board :D:D:D

You are so sweet to make and donate all of those beautiful quilts!!

Welcome from Virginia USA

What great work you are doing! Hi from Ohio!

Hello Becky and welcome from Australia.
Where in Poland do you live? I have friends who live in Gdansk.

What a pile of colorful quilts! You are doing a wonderful thing. Enjoy your new machine and crank out even more quilts!! Welcome to the board.

Wowww, such a wonderful work you're doing!! You're a warm-hearted woman.
Welcome from Argentina! :D

Hello and welcome for New York. What great pic of all your quilts!!!

Welcome from Kansas!

Hello and welcome from Ontario, Canada. Your quilts are beautiful and going to such a worthwhile cause.

Welcome from Iowa. These are wonderful quilts and cherished by many I can see. Nice job.

Welcome Becky from Portland, Oregon!!

What a wonderful job! Welcome from Denver!

Welcome from Washington. USA

Welcome from Ireland. Beautiful quilts.

Welcome from Vermont.
What a great thing you are doing for these ladies! have a pretty quilt sure must be a lift for them! Plus just knowing someone cared enough to give them one. May God bless you!

Hello and welcome from Pennsylvania! :) Your quilts are beautiful.

Welcome from Washington DC. Love your quilts and their purpose. Maybe we can help out with fabric.

Welcome from Montana. That is an awesome pile of quilts and what a wonderful thing to do with them. You are right - sometimes we just need something pretty to brighten up our day!

Greetings from New Hampshire.
I sure am impressed with the volume of your output

Welcome from California!

Hello from Idaho!! My dream is to visit Poland one day!! My grandparents immigrated in the early 1900's from there to Chicago. My Mom visited several years ago and I asked her to bring back some fabric and she could hardly find anything and the quality wasn't like what we have here at our LQS. Bless you for bringing warmth and love to the people living there!!

Welcome from Idaho. What a wonderful thing you are going. Great Quilts.

Re: Poland.

I'm near Warsaw, which is about a 4-5 drive from Gdansk.

Fabric in Poland. What a joke. Most of my fabric is NOT from the fabric store. I haunt the used clothing store and look for curtains and sheets/bedding. I also cut up anything woven that resembles cotton or a cotton blend and is reasonably stable. :)

Also, since we are missionaries, I do have several churches who help out here. They are the ones who have sent fabric squares and misc. fabrics to me, at times. I had one double knit top sent to me which was soo ugly (well, I don't like double knit, okay). However, one lady took it! she was so happy about it. They aren't very picky in this regard.

Plus, my sister has an on line business and she asked any of them if they had unfinished quilt tops sitting around giving them guilt feelings. :) They could send them to me and I'd finish them and give them away. It was great. I think one lady sent her 10 or so. I think they were actually made by that ladies' mom or grandma. :)

So, I've not made them all. Plus I have kids who help me tie.

I don't do very detailed quilts as charity quilts, but I've done some more complicated ones for ourselves. At that, I've not had the patience to make something like a huge star or even paper piecing. I have soo much to learn. However, first I'm trying to finish up the 2010 charity quilts that are sitting downstairs.

Have to admit that in July someone came from Holland to visit someone else and I was in the right place at the right time. I was given 100 meters of red and green fabric since they didn't know anyone who sewed and I said I'd take anything they wanted to get rid of. It isn't ideal for quilts, but I'm using it anyway, since it was a gift. It is more a bottom weight (like pants and skirts) but in bright red and green? ?? I'm using a lot of it for backing.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm so happy to find a very active quilting group. I do have questions and haven't had a clue who I could ask.

Oh yes....My machine came today!

What a wonderful thing you're doing. Welcome from Tennessee.

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!

What a wonderful thing you are doing there!!!!

Hello and welcome from central Alabama. What a great project you have going, God bless you.

Hi Becky and welcome from Connecticut. You make beautiful quilts and I am glad you are here with us! :-D :-D :-D

Hi Becky and welcome from Australia. You are doing a wonderful thing.

My parents came from Poland and migrated to Australia in 1949. Like Trisha I remember my mother sending parcels to her sisters in Poland and they were wrapped in fabric and stitched up to keep them together. I'm know some of the goods 'disappeared' before the parcels reached their destination but at least they got something.

Becky please PM me as I would love to send you some fabric as I have a large stash.

Happy quilting.

Welcome from Michigan.

What a nice and caring thing to do.Welcome from Florida.

Bless you Becky, and all the people who give you fabrics to work with. Your quilts are so pretty, and I am sure they bring sunshine to everyone who is fortunate enough to receive one.