Self made kits
 

A number of us in the guild I belong to have an abundance of scraps we want to use in donation quilts. We would like to put together kits for other guild members to assemble and then donate the quilts back to the places we as a guild support. Some of us like to cut, others like to sew etc and by combining our efforts we feel we could make more donation quilts than if everyone just did it on their own. It might also be fun to be able to make something with someone else's fabric since we often get tired of our own fabric stash.

We are pondering as to how pull this off. We would like to do something more than quilts made out of 5" squares. Several members have die cutters that can be used. We were thinking along the lines of quilt as you go method because that would also let us use more scraps for backing and make it easier for those with smaller throat machines to be able to quilt the quilt comfortably. We only have one member who has a long-arm and she is on inactive status due to a change in her jobs. The kit would contain everything needed to complete the quilt with the exception of thread. It would be bagged with fabric for front, back and batting all cut and ready to assemble along with instructions.

Has anyone ever done anything like this? I'm looking for suggestions for patterns, who chooses patterns and any other logistical/management type issues that need to be addressed.

Suggestions needed and welcomed! Thanks.

You might want to be sure the members all want to do QAYG. Not everyone does. You might want to consider making kits of different patterns for members to choose from. Some quilters like sewing together a bunch of 5" squares and others prefer more of a challenge. I like your idea though.

Many donation places take tops and will quilt the quilt. If you add backing and or batting that would help tremendously of course.

Our guild's group Cuddle Quilts, does something like what you described. About every 6 months, we have a kit building workshop. The fabrics are sorted by theme: kids, oriental, panels, florals. Then coordinating fabrics are added. A pattern is chosen, usually it's pretty simple, pieces are usually bigger than 4" squares or 1/2 square triangles and 1 direction is less than 42". Someone acts as color/fabric coordinator. Finished size is determined. Backing is pulled out first. The fabrics are cut into pieces for the pattern. If anyone wants to do start to finish, the kits include instructions, front pieces, backing, batting and binding.

Great idea .... and might inspire some into participating that would not get around to it otherwise.

However, just as you said, some of you like cutting, some like sewing, etc.
............ and some will be turned off with being given a kit, with no freedom for their own twists.

Of course, they do not have to participate!!
.... though we all know, some will whine and grumble, and find all sorts of fault about the kits.
Eg. not cut precisely, # pieces counted wrong, missing parts, don't like the pattern, fabric does not coordinate ..... etc. So be prepared for the Negative Nellies, and don't let them ruin your efforts.

Other ideas, than sewing the 5" squares together, that you mentioned .....
There are a lot of patterns made with 2-1/2" strips, that are easy to make, yet create beautiful quilts.
The old standby, Warm Wishes would work well for kitting.

I did this with my "Windows" pattern with our church group. We cut big squares for the back of the quilt and smaller squares for the front of the quilt. Coordinated fabrics and put what a person would need to make one row with (including batting squares), in a bag. We passed the bags out. The ladies sewed their rows and brought them back, and other ladies took them home and sewed the rows together. I called it the "Stone Soup Quilt Project." I'll try to post a picture later. I've been called to dinner.

You might also want a guild presentation & class on quilting on a DSM.

My guild has several designs our coordinator has put together. Our coordinator & her helpers put together the packages with the pattern and materials needed for the top Memebers then take them home to make the tops.

My church related group has a blessings day each month where the rest of the work on their quilts can be done. This groups makes very small quilts for the NICU. Lots of lap quilts are made as well as larger quilts.

Here's a picture of a baby quilt done with the "Windows" pattern. It's done like "Fun and Done, but simplified.

Very cute quilt, very bright pretty blocks.

I am just making a few kits for myself, as i will spend a few month away from home and have a sewing machine where I go to for the summer. As space is an issue when flying, i picked a few patterns i like to do, selected the fabric and did all the cutting.added the pattern and i am ready to go. In your case i would mark all pieces so the person that sews them, knows what she is doing. Hope this works for you.

If you decide to attempt QAYG there are some real inspirations at this blog. This started by people donating 12 1/2" quilted blocks which were then assembled into donation quilts for orphanages. She has done well over 100 quilts this way and is still at it! It's a great way for people to use their orphan blocks, too.
http://littleislandquilting.blogspot...soy-amado.html
http://littleislandquilting.blogspot...thank-you.html

When I was in a guild, we did this for donation quilts. We had a big cabinet of donated fabric, and there were some people who just created kits (we had a bunch of basic patterns available). The kits were put in numbered plastic bags, and you would sign out your kit from the list. This way there was some inventory control. The bags and numbers were reused as completed kits were returned.

Some people just made pieces for kits - for example, one pattern was alternating squares and 4-patches, so sometimes people would just sit down and make a huge stack of 4-patches to put into the kits. Some people didn't like doing the quilting, so you weren't forced to do it - you could just return the completed tops, and people that enjoyed quilting would do that part.

I found that the kits were really nice; you could choose your favourite bit of making a quilt, and just do that rather than being responsible for every step from beginning to end. We got a huge number of donation quilts completed, so I think it was a successful approach!

This sounds like a great way of doing it. I gives the "sewers" some choices. I personally don't care for easy, mindless sewing. I like a challenge. Others love mindless sewing after a hard work day.

We do this. My sister makes kits for the guild she belongs to and includes the pattern (usually from Villa Rosa Designs). The quilt tops are returned and are quilted for the non-profit we are part of: Quilts From the Heart. Quilts From the Heart usually has a cutting party where we can cut kits or strips. We cut 2-1/2" strips last time since there are so many quilts for jelly rolls available. These kits are available for member to take and sew. Last year, QFTH was the recipient of a large stash. Several members made kits and included a Villa Rosa pattern for the quilt. We paid $2 for the kit which paid for the pattern. The top went back to QFTH and the quiltmaker kept the pattern. This might be incentive for members to take the quilt kit.

The guild I am in has made several donation quilts. I know a lot of people don't like to do QAYG. We make up kits to make a block. People sign them out and return them in a month or 2 depending on our timeline. We always pass out a few extras. Some never come back and some come back unusable. We did an Ohio Star 12 1/2 in blocks. A couple came back 10 inches. Different members like to do different steps. Someone usually assembles the blocks. I took all of the scraps and made a back. I used the lopsided and wrong sized blocks in the back. Someone else from the guild quilts it and someone else does the binding.
We have made numerous quilts for donation this way. I doesn't take much time to make just a block or 2. Making a whole quilt for donation sounds like so much work.

It sounds like a great idea but I agree that a variety of different quilts would be better. I have a longarm machine so I would not be interested in the quilt as you go kits. But many others might be. I think different patterns makes things more interesting. If I am not working on two or more items on and off. I become really bored. I look to have more information about this.