nlgh

In response to some inquiries about learning to quilt, a retired fabric shop owner started a class to teach those interested (at our church) to learn different techniques with a sampler quilt. It was only supposed to last a month or until we finished the quilt. We had such fun that the group met together for 5 years. Each project was a learning experience. All of us had at least some sewing experience, but not quilting. We made some charity things, gifts, and a few things that weren't quilting per se. A few were involved in making huge curtain to use on stage in the auditorium for special performances (music programs, usually). We even made some diapers out of tee shirts to send to Africa to a mission our church adopted and made two or three trips once a year to take things to them and do some mission work, too.
No dues, some fabric donated by others, mostly supplied our own, but we just enjoyed being together so much that it lasted those five years. Our instructor began having health problems so we had to disband. Those that left, left because of moving away, health reasons, and one died suddenly. I moved a few months before the disbanding. The class was therapy for a few attendees, me included as I had just lost my husband. We met every week, can you imagine that these days? I hope your group is as successful as ours.

nlgh

Greaterexp, as a friend to the instructor, I know she did many of the things you talked about. Kudos to all you teachers working with a group with varying expertise in the art of sewing. We had one who was already in her mid 70's who could not wrap her mind around cutting with a rotary cutter. Her eyesight was not the best either and she didn't always catch the two pieces of fabric in the seam. But we loved her and corrected it, hopefully without her knowing about it, except for when she asked for help.

Krisb

LWR has some guidelines to make simple quilts.

https://lwr.org/get-involved/quilts

Vinnie

We also do Lutheran World Relief quilts. Each year we set a goal for tied quilts. We have one gentleman who cuts squares and rectangles from coordinating sheets obtained from a local thrift store. Another woman sews the blocks, and two women tie the quilts. We also usually have 2 to 4 women who handquilt a top sewed by one of the piecers in our group. We sell this handquilted quilt at a silent action at our community soup supper, and raffle another hand quilted quilt at our chili supper each year. We use the funds from these to buy batting and supplies for our LWR quilts. Our small congregation has been very supportive. We have also received donated fabric. We meet once a week from 10-3 and bring a lunch. We love the fellowship, laughter, and time spent together as much as we love the quilts and the process. My recommendation is to let individuals do what they enjoy—and have fun!

Daylesewblessed

A special thank you to those of you mentioning LWR quilts. I think those will be our main emphasis, at least at the beginning. I have done many of those over the years, and one of the gals in our new group made LWR quilts in her former church. In our two organizational sessions we tied 2 LWR quilts, and those just went out last week with hygiene kits for the "ingathering". I hope we can do several more this year.

kathyquilts40

Hi Dayle,
Two of us in our large church felt lead to start a quilting/sewing group in 2010, to teach young ladies how to sew, as the schools no longer teach sewing. The first year we had several come to learn and even a boy came. Showed them how to sew a straight seam first. They made string quilts or pillows to keep. Meet 2 times a month in the evenings. Some would not come after maybe four times or so as they felt they knew how to sew. ? Who knew. Anyway, now we have experienced sewists and quilters come regularly. Still show "newbies how too sew too. Fabric, thread, and even sewing machines have been donated by members. Several years we made "care" quilts for a nutrition center for children in Guatemala. Since then we have made bags for the helpers of that center to take to market, which was another fun project. Our people go twice a year with a doctor and nurse to check the children and they take them. Currently making quilts for new babies, in our church and life choice pregnancy center in our town, as well as little dresses and shorts to be put in the shoe boxes at Christmas for the Good Samaritan project. (Franklin Graham) We send over two to three thousand boxes. (We don't make that many of the items but supplement if needed in boxes) Now another group has started, during the season here, in the morning to meet. We have 8-10 faithful ladies who come. They are also encouraged to come for any sewing instructions they may need and can bring their own projects to work on. One of our ladies has started a group in her church in Atlanta area.

oklady

Have fun and their are no quilt police!

Vera39760

Our group started out making bibs, walker pocket covers and quilts for the nursing home in town. Our group is called Lorena’s HOPE (Helping other people everywhere). She made the statement one day “why don’t we do something to help people instead of talking about it”. Our church just put’s it in the bulletin as sewing ministry.
we only make quilts now unless someone request something else. We meet in our church fellowship hall from 10-3 on Thursdays. Several ladies who do not sew or quilt take the covered dishes we bring and have everything ready for us to eat at noon. The potluck is open to anyone who bring something so often there are other family members there. There are about 12 of us making quilts. We work at home and at the church. Many did not know how to sew and have been taught by a member of the group. We take quilts to the Veteran’s Home in town every other Nov. we make sure we have enough for every veteran there. We also take quilts to the children’s home in Mobile, AL so every child has a quilt with their name on it that can be taken with them if they leave. We choose a nursing home each year that we trying to have finished at the end of summer. We have made pillow case dresses, shorts and bags for rice and beans that were taken to Nicaragua on summer mission trips. During the summer months we have a children’s sewing ministry. We teach the children to use a sewing machine and they have a finished quilt by the end of the summer. 2 of us in our church have longarms and we quilt the children’s quilts. Last summer one of the boys made a quilt for one of the Veterans and he presented it during the Veteran’s Day program our town has every year. We meet every Thursday except for the last 3 weeks in Dec. and Thanksgiving.

Vera39760

We have a few ladies that come from different churches, and two that work in one of the nursing homes where we have taken quilts. Another thing that helped is the potluck dinner we have. We have a small budget from our church, which is usually used for batting that we buy by the roll. Most of us use our own fabric, but we had huge donation from a shop that went out of business.

ansew

We started out making quilts for the graduates of Family Promise in May of 2015. We have grown large enough that we now also provide quilts for world relief and for baptisms/child dedications. I have sent you a Private Message, as my thoughts/story is too long to post here.