Yesterday, I dropped off two more charity quilts for Victoria’s Quilts Canada. Last week, their headoffice, located here in Ottawa, received requests for 80 quilts… in one week! They definitely need more quilters. It’s a fabulous organization, if you can help out, I’m sure they would appreciate it.

These two quilts were made with the charms donated from quilter’s around the world in the Charms for Charity contest I did at the end of 2008/early 2009. With those charms, I also donated 6 NICU blankets last year, and another full-sized quilt for Victoria’s Quilts Canada.

My little quilting for charity group has a couple more quilts just about done too. These ladies have done an amazing job, never having quilted before we started our group last year. I’m so proud of them. I’ll be sure to post photos next month.

The first quilt I dropped off yesterday is called Flowers in the Wind. I used the Tri Recs Tool for this quilt. It was perfect for the charms, and the side bits cut off the ends I was able to use for a top and bottom border. No wasted fabrics!

I met a friend for lunch yesterday and she remarked, “I recognize that fabric”. Yes, you do. The border, binding and sashing fabrics were from my first bed quilt. I’m happy to say that the fabric is all gone! Finally.

For the quilting, I did a large meander/stipple over the entire surface. It went pretty quick, and was a perfect free motion practice experience on a large quilt.

The second quilt is Sidebars 1. This is a pretty easy quilt to do, and I’ll be trimming up some more charms and writing out the instructions for the ladies in my group to make one too.

For the quilting, I stitched in the ditch around the sashing, then did free motion X’s in the centre. I’ve decided I HATE stitching in the ditch, it just takes way too long. I also echoed several straight lines in the outer border.

And a close-up:

Join us in the brand new Quilter’s Daily Blog Along. The idea is that each day a new prompt will be posted, to give you inspiration for your next blog post. On your blog, write a post using the daily prompt as a guide. Then head over to the blog along site and add a link to your post in the comments for the specific day.

Today’s prompt, from me, is Charity Quilts. I’d love to hear and see the charity quilts you’ve made.

Here are the six baby quilts I submitted to my local quilt guild which will be donated to the children’s hospital,

The tops for these quilts were made using the charms received from quilters around the world in the Charms for Charity contest I held last year. Many thanks to my friend Gailene for donating the backing fleece used on three of the quilts.

These were great pieces to practice my free-motion skills. I’m amazed how much I’ve progressed this summer since I did these. Practice, practice, practice really is the key (and Patsy Thompson’s DVDs).

Last year, I ran a contest here on the Quilting Gallery site, Charms for Charity. We raised 1,149 charms.

Last January a couple friends and I started a charity sewing group and invited others to join us. We meet once a month. Several of the ladies in the group have never sewn before, never mind quilted. We finally picked a name for our group, the Quarter Inch Club.

We have two quilts completed and ready to be delivered to Victoria Quilts Canada. The ladies did a fabulous job on these. One uses charms from the contest and the other fabric received from Victoria Quilts.

Charlie Brown 1

Blue Bird

I’ve also completed two additional tops using the charms and these are basted waiting for me to finish quilting them this summer.

Side Bars 1

Flowers in the Wind

I’ve also been working on five small, 24″ square baby quilts for NICU babies. Those will be delivered to the quilt guild in September. Will share pictures before I send them off. I love working on the small projects, gives me a great opportunity to practice my free motion skills.

I have enough charms left to make one more Side Bars quilt like the one above, and another totally charmed one for Victoria Quilts. There’s a New Zealand quilt being worked on too, which I forgot to take a picture of, will get that in September.

We’d love to have some new fabrics once our group starts back in September. Is there any interest in me holding another charity drive contest? I’m thinking either Fat Quarters or 2.5″ strips. Here’s my idea:

Donate 4 fat quarters, 3 will go to charity, 1 will go into a pile to be drawn as a contest once I reach 10. OR Donate 6 strips of 2.5×40″ wide fabric, 4 will go to charity and 2 for a contest draw once I reach 12. Please vote below if you’d be interested in participating.

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Here’s the final charm report for the Charms for Charity Contest.

A few weeks ago I received a wonderful package from New Zealand with 40 charms, 40 of each pre-fused hearts and stars, all from local designers. What a wonderful treat. Thanks go to Susan Claire for a glimpse into fabrics from a world so very far away. Check out her shop profile in the Quilt Shop Locator.

The randomly chosen winner for the the last group of charms is Simone from The Netherlands, who graciously off erred to donate them back to the charity if she won. Thanks Simone.

Thank you to the following participants of Group 4 for their donations:

• Marne Parry, Washington – 28 (plus she sent other packages already reported)
• Kim Souza, California – 6
• Simone, The Netherlands – 18
• Moorea Richardson, California – 6
• Elsie Montgomery, Alberta – 6
• Maria, Hungary – 6
• Jenna Zeidler, Illinois – 6
• Krista Waggoner, Alaska – 7
• Anina McMurdo (Twiddletails), Washington – 38
• Susan Claire Mayfield, New Zealand – 120

Here are the grand totals:

Total charms received: 1,464
Charms for the contest winner: 108
Charms for charity: 1,356

This has been a wonderful contest, and I’m thrilled to have so many charms donated to make quilts for charity. Thanks everyone!

Anina over at Twiddle Tails has a fabulous Freezer Paper Foundation Piecing Tutorial. It includes tonnes of photos and the instructions are very well done.

Anina sent me a Woodland Bloom by Moda charm pack for the Charms for Charity contest. It’s simply gorgeous. Thanks, Anina!

We had our first charity quilting sew-a-thon day last Sunday. Eight of us gathered at Lois and Lisa’s house for an afternoon of sewing fun.

Three of the ladies had never sewn before. For one reason or another, they have a strong desire to learn and support Victoria’s Quilts with their efforts. They each finished piecing and quilting a nine-patch. Next month they’ll add the binding and label to complete their first finished project. They did a great job picking colours, piecing, marking, and quilting.

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