Very UNGREATFUL group, the majority or not.....please find another...and say good-bye to the old group.

Charity quilts
 

I make at least 10-15 quilts and tops a year for the Quilts of Valor and The Linus Connection(a local group). I am currently unemployed and am enjoying the time I spend sewing charity quilts. I'm working on 4 tops right now, they're in various stages. I just finished 4 last month.
The quilt picture I'm showing is this year's Linus Connection challenge quilt. Every year we get a kit of fabrics to use in a quilt that we design. This year we received a kit with 4 fabrics. We have to use at least 80% of the fabrics we get in the quilt and we could add 3 more solid fabrics to our quilts. I really had fun trying to figure out how to use the white robot fabric, so that I wouldn't have to cut it up too much. I named the quilt,"Mr. Roboto", the blocks are 16".
Sharon W.

Each year, as one of my New Year's resolutions, I set an amount of square inches that I want to achieve in charity quilts. This is my third year with this resolution. My first goal was 12,000 sq. inches. Second year was 15,000 and this year it was 20,000. I have already made more than 24,000 this year--I was off for the summer!! And, I do not count overages for next year as that would defeat my purpose. The reason for setting an inch requirement is that I am not limited to one size. If I set # of quilts, say 20, I could get away with 20 small quilts. So, instead, I make all size quilts, from double bed to baby. I typically donate to my local Project Linus because they donate to various recipients--not just babies. They include the local hospitals who treat rape victims, babies, children, shelters, and so on. I also love that my quilts stay within my community as it is an economically deprived area in some parts (Sullivan County, NY). I have a huge stash so I pull the quilts from there. The fabrics are all LQS quality as I was taught to give what I would want to receive. Luckily, I can do that with these fabrics. If I didn't use up my stash (which likely will not occur in my lifetime if I live to be 175), what good would it be? I fully believe that I must give back to honor what I was given in this life.

Laurie

Laurie,
You are my kind of generous quilter and I love your approach! I piece tops for my guild's Project Linus group and just turned in 50 tops made from spring to last month. I just make "covers" using my stash and I target boys who are aged in double digits. So few PL quilts work for this group. My fabric acquisitions are now directed to that group and fabric shopping has taken on a whole new (and fun!) dimension. Fortunately, my guild isn't picky about requirements and I piece until the top looks done! Like Laurie, I will not live long enough to sew up my stash but I am trying!!
We have a PL appreciation event annually and hear stories of how our PL quilts found homes. I have also run into a few parents of children who have received PL quilts and that always warms my heart. Laurie, I agree with you; it's a great feeling to know my tops are bringing comfort and warmth right here in my local area!
One final note: for those of you who might question the value of charity quilts to middle and high school aged groups, I retired from education in those aged groups. With the advent of "climate controlled" buildings, many make the switch over from cooling to heat only once in fall and wait to switch back once in spring. This means that unseasonal days are horrible to deal with in these buildings. The solution is to drag your blanket with you to solve the problem! And it happens much more than you think!
Kudos to all my fellow charity quilters wherever you are. May you be blessed warmly and abundantly.

Last year I did 10 quilts for David's House in Hanover NH to commemorate my 10 years of cancer free. My surgery was at the norris cotton cancer center at Dartmouth, and I wanted to do something special. This year I have finished one quilt for "quilt for kids", I have to send it in to be evaluated as I would like to become the DELMARVA peninsula's coordinator and keep the quilts local. I just started doing this, another place I have been thinking about making quilts is for the nursing home in my area - lots of those residents have so little money, but I don't know how to work the "distribution" issue". Lots of ideas out there to help others, I don't belong to a guild - don't like the politics.

No one, not even Jesus Christ Himself could change these people minds. MY MOM HAND QUILTED.................. you finish the statement.

I'll just do my sewing and quilting for other people. And I do plenty for other folks. And NO ONE can make me leave MY church.

I guess I'm dense, but what was the problem--that no one wanted to hand quilt anymore (and some thought that you should) or the fact that you machine quilted but some didn't like it? If no one wanted to hand quilt, then who would complain?

I personally appreciate both hand quilting and machine quilting, but honestly, I prefer machine. However, my dd actually prefers hand quilting! (she's 21)

I do Quilts for kids and send 4 quilts to them every season. Sew for Quilts o Valor too...have connection with long armer who quilts for free. I work full time and help dh care for Mom you is end stage ALZ. Sewing for the past 6+ years has been a life line.

IN answer to your question...quite a few. In 2011, we finished over 80 (my family helped me). This year it's not been so many yet as I need to buy another roll of batting. We given them away ourselves to needy people here in our area of Poland. We have a charitable organization.

I make a few charity quilts each year, usually lap quilts or baby quilts. I welcome the opportunity to share, and it gives me some valuable practice time. The guild I belong to is a charitable organization, and contributing in this way is encouraged but never required or demanded. Some people contribute by donating the fabric and other materials, some are organizers, and others donate their time in sorting the fabrics and putting together kits. There is a great need for quilts for homeless shelters, victims of domestic violence, veteran's hospitals, a camp for special needs kids, etc..