Still Quilting

This week I shipped 2 quilts off to Binky Patrol.   They provide blankets to kids suffer from chronic or terminal illneses.   Sorry forgot to take pictures.

Tomorrow I will ship this quilt off to God's Tiny Angels.

It was supposed to go to Army Baby Quilts but turned out too small.   Not to worry, I have more really cool fabric for that organization.   Army Baby quilts makes quilts to give to expectant mothers whose spouse is serving overseas when the baby is due.   Man, giving birth is tough enough but to be away from your spouse at that time is tough.   Hopefully these quilts make a difference.

God's Tiny Angels provides baby clothes, blankets and other supplies to families of premature babies.   The family has something new and beautiful that is just for them and their baby.

Why this group?    I come across several such organizations and I just couldn't get out of my mind.   Imagine all the stress of having a preemie, and worrying how you are going to clothe and keep the little one warm?   At least this is one worry I can help with.  The fine doctors will handle the medical issues I am sure.

Don't forget to donate to a charity and get your block.   I would love to make tons of quilts.   Sadly, the three I am shipping off were not made through donations.   Let's change that.

Send a Message to Boku Haram

I'm sure you have all heard the news about the 300 girls who were kidnapped by Boku Haram.   They were taken from their school.   They have been forced to convert to Islam, marry members of Boku Haram and be housewives.   You see, that is all Boku Haram believes women should do.   They are against girls being educated.

Quilting has a long history of sending messages through quilts.   There is the legend of the Underground Railroad quilts (not substantiated but lets not ruin a good story).   The AIDS quilt to remember those lost to the disease and to show how prevalent it is.   Many others that I can't think of right now.  

Let's do the same.   Let's send a message to Boku Haram.   Let's say SCREW YOU (this is a family blog) Boku Haram.   We believe in girls' education.  

For the next 30 days, ANY amount donated to Mercy Corps or Room to Read will merit a block.  The finished quilt(s) will then be auctioned off on Ebay to raise more money for girls' education.   More blocks = more quilts = more money.

Both Room to Read and Mercy Corps have programs focusing on educating girls.   For the month of May, Mercy Corps will match all donations.  

As always share your thoughts below and share this post far and wide.

What I Learned This Week

For a short work week, I sure learned a lot.   Here are some tidbits.

Quilt Donation Organizations Need Quilts.   Well, DUH.    But the light finally went on when I was finishing off the Project Linus quilts I brought home from the last chapter meeting.   These are pretty basic quiltts, just square blocks of fun fabrics sewen in diagonal lines (each patterned fabric one line diagnonally).   That's it.   Two of them were thin enough to machine piece with a simple zig-zag pattern.    Finished quilting both quilts in less than an hour.   As compared to my friend's quilt I made for his wedding that took 11 hours to handquilt.   Here I have been planning these elaborate quilts, when what they need is QUILTS.   They need the actual item more than they need me showing off my piecing skills.    There are lots of simple patterns using strips or blocks that can still make a beautiful -- needed-- quilt.  

Of course, any blocks made through donations will still be something pieced to make a pretty patterned quilt.  

People Need to Be Listened To.   Got this one driven home HARD this week.   First I met with a new client.   He was just so grateful I heard his story out and didn't treat him like he was crazy for even thinking of trying to get custody of his kids.   He thanked me for just listening.    But the real lesson came at clinic on Thursday night.   It was NFL kickoff.   I wanted to get through the cases and get home.   I was trying to explain to a very nice man what he needed to do to respond to the papers he had been served.   He kept interrupting me to try to give me the background.   At clinic, we don't need much background.   It's a general advice clinic where it's more "Oh you got served, here's how you answer, here is what the court process is like, here is how you get a pro bono attorney."   Not a lot of detail.   But he kept trying.   Once I got through explaing how he answered and counter claimed, then I talked to him a little more about the case.   We would up talking for quite a bit of time.   Turns out he had a horrible domestic situation.   I mean terrible.   He was trying not to cry while telling me.   I told him it was fine to cry.   But screw football (blasphemy I know), this guy needed to tell his story.   So I listened as long as it took.   Then I told him he wasn't wrong to act as he did, he wasn't crazy, and his feelings were normal.   I didn't lie and say the court process would be easy.  But just getting through his story to me will hopefully make it a little easier the next time he has to tell it.   I hope I helped.   And next client, I will be a little more patient when they are interrupting me.   Well, I'll try okay?

September is Blood Cancers Awareness Month.    Yep.   So make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Soceity this month.   Help them fund research to eradicate cancer.   Because cancer SUCKS.   Don't forget to let me know of your donation so I can make your quilt block.

Inspiration Has Struck

While quilting tonight I had a brilliant idea what to do with my Constitution fabric.

I don't have a lot of it, so I have to use it wisely.    Then it hit me.   I always wanted to do a Courthouse Steps quilt.   It's a nice simple pattern.   I decided I can use the Constitution fabric as a center medallion solid block then put Courthouse Steps blocks around it.   The dark part of the steps will be red on one side and blue on the other.   The light part of the steps will be white as will the center piece of each block.   I think this will turn out quite nice.

I have some red fabric and I think enough white.   I have to get some blue.   If you want to help with the fabric of this quilt, you can use the donate button on the right below the notification form.   If you want to commission this whole quilt through a donation to an organization on the right, just make your $200 donation and let me know.

When I finish it, I will donate it to Blankets of Hope. They donate quilts to wounded soldiers.   Hopefully, I will finish this quilt by Veterans' Day.

Let me know in the comments (I know by the stats page I have readers, I want to hear from you), what you think of this quilt.

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Reminder1:  August is still Back to School Month.   1 donation to Room to Read gets you 2 quilts block in your name.

Reminder 2:  If you make a donation to one of the organizations on the right, you have to send me proof of your donation so I know to make your quilt block.

Back to School with Room to Read

It's August.   Schools will be getting back in session soon.   Here in Montgomery County, they start the end of August.   Parents are in that back to school mode, getting new clothes, buying supplies from the extensive and detailed list put out by the school, threatening their children that they must go back to school so Mommy and Daddy can get a break.  

In honor of Back to School, this month's featured charity is Room to Read.   Room to Read establishes libraries and literacy programs around the world.   Give a kid a book and he/she is transported to another world.  Everything is possible if you can read.  

For every $10 donated to Room to Read this month, I will make two quilt blocks.   Yep, a 2 for 1 back to school sale.   You make 1 donation, I make 2 quilt blocks.   More quilt blocks means more quilts for special people.   Make your donation by clicking the Room to Read Link on the right.   Then send me proof of the donation and I will get quilting.  

Playing the Waiting Game

I heard this afternoon there was added police at St. Mary's Hospital and that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had left Bucklebury (her parents' house has air conditioning) for London (Nottingham Cottage does not have air conditioning).   I figure this means the baby is finally on the way.   So far no real confirmation, but hey, babies don't just come shooting out you know.

But in anticipation of the Royal Birth, this would be a good weekend to quilt.   I would love to be quilting a block for charity.   Pick a charity.   Donate $10.  Email me proof.   Then hopefully come Monday we see a picture of the block -- and the Royal Baby.  Sound like a plan?  

I'm up for it.   Gotta do something while we wait for the good news of a healthy new baby born into the world.

Celebrating Freedom - Fourth of July

Today we celebrate the day our Founding Fatherf told Merry Olde England to get lost.   We were sick of paying taxes (some things never change) and being told what to do by an unresponsive government (again, some things never change).  

We had to fight to gain our independence.   That fight goes on today.   Not only for our democracy but for democracy around the world.   Our troops continue to protect our freedom.   Many make the ultimate sacrifice.   Those who don't may come home wounded.   Wounds both visible and invisible.  

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund helps those who return home.   Today, you can help their work by making a donation.    Everyone who donates today to IFHF will have a special patriotic block made in their honor.   The quilt made from those blocks will go to Blankets of Hope which provides "comfor and hope for recovery to our Wounded Heroes."   What a great way to say thank you twice.

Don't forget you can donate enough for a whole quilt too.   Just a $200 donation makes a whole quilt for a wounded soldier.  

As you are bbqing today and setting off fireworks (illegal in Montgomery County and other places) take a moment and donate today.

Let's See a Quilt

How do you even know I can quilt?   Well here is a quilt top I just finished.   It's a pretty basic design.

Obviously for the challenge quilt, I will use more elaborate blocks.   Because face it, this challenge is partly an excuse to do all those block patterns that are a lot of pieces that I just don't have the patience to make a whole quilt of those blocks.   For people who do the whole quilt it will be an overall design like the above, although more work.   After all for $10 you want some effort out of me.  Probably something like a courthouse steps.   As a lawyer I really should have done one of those by now.   (hint, hint, hint.)

This one is just one I did while waiting for the challenge to take off.   Haven't decided which organization will get it yet.  This is only the top, I still need to attach the batting and the backing, then quilt it.  So I have time to think about which organization will get it.

The Quilt Block Challenge - Long Version

This is the long explanation for what the Quilt Block Challenge is.   The short version is over on the right side there.

I love to quilt.   But hey, I can only use so many quilts myself even here in frozen Maryland (those from further north I don't want to hear about how MD is not frozen).   So I make quilts for friends.  Babies, weddings, etc.   But I also want to give back.   There are a lot of organizations that accept donations of quilts:  Project Linus , Soldier's Angels, Afghans for Angels just to name a few.  But how to get quilting.  That should be a no brainer but wasn't.   Just never got around to it.  

So I came up with the idea of the Quilt Block Challenge.   It is modeled on the "buy a brick" fundraisers that many organizations have.   Except instead of a brick, you are buying a quilt block.   For every $10 donation made to one of the organizations listed on the sidebar, I will quilt a block in the donor's honor.   Feel free to make an "In Memoriam" or "In Honor of" donation.   I make the block and sew your initials or the person being remembered/honored onto the block.   I then send you a picture of the completed block.   When I get enough blocks done, I make the quilt.   You get a picture of the completed picture also.   The quilt then gets donated to one of the organizations accepting finished quilts.   So its double giving for one donation.  The organizations get donations and an organization gets a finished quilt.   The links for the organizations take you right to the donor page for each organization.  

But QA, what if I want to give more than $10?   Feel free to do so.   In fact, it takes about 20 blocks to make a quilt (some more, some less, depends on size of the blocks and size of the quilt).   You can donate $100 and get half a quilt made.   Or be really generous and donate $200 and get a whole quilt in your honor or the in someone else's honor/memory.   The only difference with the whole quilt is you don't get a picture of an individual block.   Just of the whole quilt.   I know breaks your heart right?

Does the donation for a half or whole quilt have to be to only one organization?   No, it does not.   I couldn't choose just one organization to be the recipient of the monetary donations, why should you have to choose only one.   As long as you let me know the total donations, I don't care how you distribute it.   The only requirement is it must be one of the five on the sidebar.

How do you prove you donated?   Simple use the contact information below to copy and paste your receipt (without any bank, credit card or the like info) for the donation.   Then send it to me.   Make sure to include your email address so I can send you the pictures.   This information will be used solely for that purpose.   No marketing, no spamming, etc.   Use it and forget it.   I don't want to bother you after you did something so nice.   Your privacy is important.   If you want to continue talking about your block, quilt, the challenge or whatever, feel free to use the comments on the blog.

When I was bouncing this idea off friends they wanted to know why I didn't use Firstgiving or Indiegogo or something.   Those are great places to go to donate, get funding etc.   Just not right for this.   First of all, I wanted you the donors to make the donations directly to the organization.   That way you get the tax writeoff.   And I don't have to worry about handling the money.   Also those websites require a fundraising goal with a set deadline.   I don't have a deadline or a goal amount in mind.   I just want to see how much can be raised and how long this can keep going.   If I am still making blocks and quilts in 5 years through this -- AWESOME.    As long as folks are donating, I will keep making quilts.  

There is a donate button on the top right side.   That is to help me with the costs of this.   Fabric, batting, thread, plus the occasional snack while quilting.   These donations do not go to the organization, do not qualify for a block, and are not tax deductible.   But your help is appreciated if you choose to help that way.

So that's it.   The long version.  I said it would be long.   So let's get donating and quilting.   Any questions?   Put them in the comments and I will respond.