Hi Everyone

For those of you who make charity quilts, what pattern do you use most often and what size do you make? I will be making some but with all the differen't patterns (and being a newbie) I don't want to start one that may be a little more difficult then I realize and take too long, or get bored doing the same thing over and over. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Kristina

When I do charity quilts, I try to make a pattern that I haven't used before and that has at least 12" blocks so it doesn't take too many. This way I don't get bored making the same block over and over and I get to try something new. Most charity quilts I make are about 45" square. :D

I also use different patterns. An easy one would be rail fence tho.

Warm wishes, rail fence, Yellow Brick road, Turning 20 again, I like a pattern that I know I can whip up fast. My Guild does make kits with fabrics and a pattern for them so I will do up what the kit says (for the most part)

what does the turning 20 pattern look like? what are the cutting dimensions? :D :D :D

For me Charity means scrappy, simple, fast, yet fun and well made! Some of my favorites are disapearing nine patch, strip quilts, and the Amy Butler pattern, Amy's Lotus Brick Path Quilt (can be found for free on her website) which (for a child) looks super cute with a simple silhouette of anything, a cat, dog, car, truck, animal, plain, train, or whatever raw edge appliqued in the lower corner.

All of these can be made with a number of fun scraps in ANY size, these type of quilts are easy to make whatever size whether you are sewing for a preemie or a 6 foot teenager!

And my favorite part about these quilt, they do not take ANY type of thought process! lol

as far as what size to make, it really depends who you are donating to, if you are donating to a NICU they only need to be about 12-13 inch square, if you are making for CPS/foster kids think anything from newborn to 18 years, if you are donating to wounded soldiers, think adult/lap quilts that can be used while in a wheelchair or just hanging out in a military hospital away from home. If you are donating to a nursing home again think something that could cover ones legs while in a wheelchair.

You can only claim the cost of materials and only to those organizations that are considered charities. Schools and churches count too. The rules on charitable donations have gotten a little tighter and a little tricky the last few years. I wouldn't claim any deduction I couldn't back up with a receipt.

(tax lady for 7 years)

Years ago, I taught Faith Formation to 5th graders at my church. We made quilts for the unmarried mothers home in Raleigh. They were babay quilts of all different patterns and colors. No one said nothing to us about it being the wrong kind or anything like that. They were just glad to get them.

I make many quilts for the charity projects with my guild. I use many patterns, but I try to have the size no larger than 40 inches. With this width I can use one piece of fabric for the backing rather than piece the back.

Good questions! The size varies accordiing to who the quilts are made for. Baby quilts, youth quilts, andthrow quilts seem to be the most common size, but finished is better than perfect! :?

I make a lot of Linus quilts. THe kind I make the most are usually 1.5 yards long and the width of the fabric so that I can use a solid piece for the back. I like to use some kind of theme print when possible. There are a lot of carton character, racing, sports and baby prints and or panels available. I also like to use flannel on the back when possible. It also comes in various themes. I picked up three yards of Hanna Montana print lavender flannel today on sale. I will be able to make two Linus quilts from that. If I get a smaller panel or even a theme bandana I put borders on it to make it big enough. I am currently working with a huge roll of poly batting that is 60 inches wide. People donate fabric to the Linus project and they purchase the batting for those of us who are willing to use up the donated fabric in quilts for the project. I have already made 6 quilts using that batting in the past week. The measurements someone else mentioned for infants, toddlers, teens and adult lap robes are all good. If I am using say fatquarters I often make the disappearing nine patch and add borders as needed. I pillowcase the whole thing and then machine quilt them with a decorate stitch enough to hold them firmly together.
I don't bother with tax deductions etc. I probably could but I can't be bothered.

I use one focus fabric and several coordinating fabrics, and start cutting squares and strips for 8-1/2" (unfinished) blocks. I end up with blocks that are square, 2-rectangle, 4-rectangle, and 4-patch. I sew them in 4-block rows, 5 rows (or 20 blocks per quilt), then put a 3" border all around. Makes a 38" x 46" quilt.

The last ones I did, I found a puzzle piece print and had 8 different solids. Once I finished sewing pieces together, I had 100 blocks -- enough for 5 quilts. Now if I can ever get them quilted . . . .

I like 4/patch or 9/patch with an alternating print square.

i like to do diagonal strippy squares out of any scraps on hand. they can be different widths, too. but you can put the blocks together in all kinds of ways to change the quilt pattern, so it doesn't get boring. also, if you keep the foundations on hand, you can do it as soon as the pieces show up, then stack them up, ready to be put together.

The turning twenty is twenty fat quarters. These are not small quilts, they're pretty good sized(about a twin). We made the twisting turning twenty with 20 crazy fabrics. It's very cute, and what I would call a "comfort quilt." I won't make another one, however.

I think the 4 Patch is the easiest charity quilt I ever made. We made them for Kids Quilts. Also, I made the 'Just Can't Cut It' using only 9 blocks (5 of these blocks were 12 inches square). This was very easy too.

I am in charge of charity quilts for local nusing homes this year at my guild. We will get togather on National Quilt DAY to do up our quilts. I am collecting 5' charms so we can do the dissappearing 9 patch (the simple one). there is many things you can do with this block and I need quilts for lap size and wheel chair people. Older people in nursinghomes are always cold