Now that I am retired, I can sew all I want! Over the years I have made pillowcases, quilt blocks for Wrap a Smile, quilt tops for Doctors Beyond Borders, Christmas Stockings for our Deployed Troops, some QOV blocks. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a very needy place that welcomes various gifts from sewists and others. Most of my time is spent on Operation Quiet Comfort, making denim quilts for our Wounded. These OQC quilts are very specific because hospital and military specifications must be met. My Secret Santa person has received a Crazy Quilt from me for the past 4 years. Luckily, my friends donate fabric and jeans to me. I only need to buy batting and backing, usually.Google any of these topics to get more info.

I've made quilts for our Quilt Guild to donate to the Salvation Army Christmas tree. I have been making Quilts for Kids for 3 or 4 years now and I've made 1 Quilt of Valor (the request came to our Guild from QOV). I love making charity quilts!!

I belong to our local Project Linus group. It fills my heart with joy knowing that these quilts are going to children in need. Also, our chapter provided quilts for those who were hit by the tornadoes last May.

I do projects for Linus. We meet once a month and label the quilts we take in that month then our leader has projects for us to do. Wonderful organization.

I donate to Thank You Quilters:quilts for wounded soldiers and their families at Ft. Hood Army base in Texas. The second quilt is a for a teenager of a soldier.
The Linus Connection: quilts,yarn & fleece blankets for in-need children, it all stays in central Texas. We give to foster homes,hospitals,group homes, teen mothers and Dell Children's hospital. Since it began in 1999 we've donated over 53,000 blankets and quilts. I included a photo of one of my quilts; I was sewing the binding on with a Pfaff 60 treadle.
Sharon Weaver

I have been making Quilts of Valor for over six years. I try to make one quilt a week and am presently approaching #300. Although I do not get many acknowledgements, the most meaningful one I received was from the medical staff in Afghanistan stating that my quilt was draped over the soldier when he received his Purple Heart. (At first, I was disappointed that I did not hear very often from the soldier, but soon realized my job was to make the quilts, their job was to get well.)

When I make quilts for the Binky Patrol I focus my efforts on quilts for teenagers, especially for the boys who are the forgotten ones. Yes, they cost more to make but are sometimes easier to make because boys like the simpler patterns. Teen boys are also my focus for the knitted and/or crocheted lapghans.

I am trying to use up my 'non-quilting' fabric by sewing 18" doll clothes and shirts for teddy bears for the Salvation Army Christmas giveaway. Families that qualify are allowed to pick dolls for girls 5-10 years, and teddy bears for younger kids. I am also crocheting/knitting hat and scarf sets for these dolls.

There is also a "store" in town that collects items teachers can use in their classrooms. Teachers from qualifying schools can shop for free. They like to receive hats and scarfs that the teachers can give to their students, because many of these children come to school without appropriate outerwear. So I have made hats for them.

For our local fire department, I give pillowcases and a fleece throw for each one. People run out of the house with their arms full of prized possessions that can go in the pillowcase. Along the narrow border I write "Everywhere on earth I roam, where I lay my head is home". The fleece throw is to keep them warm at the time. I don't do the no sew tying, I sew a four inch hem around them and use my shapecut to make a curly fringe around the edge. Not quilts, but these seem more practical.

I don't go thru groups. I just hear about individuals in need thru my community and donate locally. I have, on occasion, donated when there has been a special request here on the board, but that is to help out a fellow board member with a project, not because of the large organization.

Donating locally keeps me plenty busy.