Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Doggy donations

 I have had more doggy bed stuffing arrive over the last week.

 Kathy B sent this bag to me.



Betty W. brought the above 3 bags to me one day last week.

Since both ladies followed my wishes and had the contents cut down in to sliver strips or squares no larger than 2 x 2.  These bags went directly into doggy beds.

Here are the three beds I was able to make out of the above four sacks.

Now I am not quiet done with them yet.  I still need to make the sham to go over the bed.  Thus allowing laundering without having to launder the bed itself.

HUGE THANKS to Betty and Kathy for their donations, but even more for cutting that fabric down and ensuring there was nothing in those bags that could hurt a volunteer or the doggies.

As a reminder, if you are wanting to donate doggy bed material.  I am accepting only under the following conditions.

1 Large pieces of material that can be used to create the bed or sham.

2. Stuffing material must be cut down to small slivers if strips or squares no larger than 2 x 2, smaller would be even better.

3. Sack can only have fabric in it.  No needles, pins, embroidery floss or other non fabric or batting materials.

4. Your name must be on the outside of the sack.

Any donations that don't meet those requirements will not be used.  I have already thrown away several bags that were left at the Adel Library for me that did not meet these requirements.

Have a good week everyone!


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

A couple more finished quilts

Today I am doing show and share.  A couple more finished quilts that have already been delivered to the center.


This top was made by Jean V. a long time supporter of Iowa Comfort.  If I remember correctly she was using up fabric from her crayola quilt.  She absolutely refused to put any of the fabric back in her stash!  The quilt was large enough that it will fit on a bed, and when I delivered it last week, it was the first one that was picked up and admired.  

Thanks Jean for all of your generosity and talents.


This little quilt was a panel that was donated by Diane M..  Thank you Diane for thinking of us when you were sifting through your Mom's stash and looking for new homes for her fabric.

I am trying really hard to alternate the hope quilts.  I needed a little girl quilt to make the donation even (3 for girls 3 for boys) so I popped this panel on the longarm and got it quilted.  I didn't quite have it completely bound when I took the picture, but it was prior to the delivery.


This was what I delivered to the center last week.  There are 9 quilts ranging from hope to queen size, one comforter, and 33 pillowcases loaded up there.

Each and every item was gladly received and very much appreciated.  The director came out and personally asked me to extend a thank you to each and every person that has helped Iowa Comfort.  My guess is that when these donations are handed out they probably mean more to the recipient than I or we will ever know.

Thanks again to everyone!  Have a wonderful week.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Pillow cases

Yes we are still collecting pillow cases for the center.

Sherry doesn't quilt, but likes to work on pillow cases for us.  She asked for six pillow case kits, and worked on them off and on over the last couple of months.

Here are the completed cases ready for delivery.



These pillow cases were kitted with donated fabric.  So I would not call them beautiful....but I also would not call them ugly.  They are soft to the touch and functional which is really all they need to be.

As a reminder the center can use about 75 pillow cases a year.  I would encourage anyone looking to purge their stash of that fabric  that you look at and say " What was I thinking when I bought that!"  Come on you know we all have some of that fabric in our stash. Cut it down and make a pillow case out of it.  You end up helping someone and making room in your storage area.

 Penny W. mother made these two beauties for us.  These are bright and comfy and I am sure they will brighten up someone's day when they receive them.

Awesome job ladies!  Thank you so much for donating your time, talents and fabric to Iowa Comfort.

Have a great week everyone!


Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Iowa Comfort has awesome volunteers!

Case in point, Kathy B!  Kathy is a local longarm quilter, that answered a call to quilt a top that was donated to us.

I do not free hand quilt.  

This top had some heavy crewel embroidery on it, and I was afraid that I might damage the top or my machine if I tried to plow through it.  

Here is the quilt finished.


It is double to queen size.  Just the perfect size for one of the family beds at the center.  See all that white in the quilt... that is what I knew I would be in trouble with.

Kathy echoed around the crewel to make sure to secure those area's.  Very nice!  I know I could not have done it.

I was actually afraid that I might have to find another organization to donate this top to.  I am so glad that Kathy offered her amazing services and quilted it so the quilt could be donated to the center as the donor had wished.

In addition to quilting and binding this quilt (yay the binding was an extra bonus).  Kathy found and rescued a comforter.  She washed it up and donated it to the center.
This comforter is twin size, and I see it on a little girls bed don't you.  I know I need to get it delivered prior to my granddaughter Lexi coming for a visit.  Otherwise we will have a battle on our hands... she loves pink and black and anything flowers.

Now of course Kathy has gone well above and beyond at this point...wouldn't you agree?

She wasn't done..... nope.  She also brought me a big bag of goodie toys!  You know the ones that we send along with the Hope quilts.  

Take a look:


This past weekend Owen and I attended the Conker Cancer event hosted by Adel Quilting and Dry Goods at the Adel Library.

Kathy brought these stuffed animals to the event.... and Owen had a great time going through the bag checking out each and everyone of them.  They all received his stamp of approval! (On a personal note, I am sure him playing with them allowed us to stay a little longer.  I knew I needed to be there, and I had forgotten that I had him on Saturday.  So I said we would go until he got unmanageable... he never did)

Like I said Iowa Comfort has some awesome volunteers.... and Kathy falls into that category for sure.  Thank you so much for time and talents in quilting this top for us.... and for all of your other treasures!

Hope everyone has a great week!


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Quilt donation

We received a twin quilt for donation.  Did you catch that I said quilt, not quilt top.  I get several a year but rarely are they twin size.

This quilt was donated by Jacque Johnson, owner of Adel Quilting and Dry Goods.  The quilt was used by her mother, and now donated in her mothers memory.

Lets take a look at this beauty.


If memory serves, Jacque told me that this quilt was one of a past strip club that she put on.

I love the colors in it, but then I have always been partial to blue and yellow quilts.  Such a lovely quilt!


Even the back is beautiful!  Love that floral print!  This quilt is so pretty that you could use either side.  Well I might.  :-)

Speaking of Jacque I wanted to let you all know that she is hosting a charity event this coming Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Adel Library.  September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  So Jacque teamed up with Conkerr Cancer Org..  

For that four hours volunteers will be kitting and making pillowcases for children suffering from cancer.  Pillowcases are delivered to Blank Children's Hospital, Children's Cancer Connection, University of Iowa Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House.

Saturday help is needed to cut, press and fold fabric for pillow case kits.  We also will need help stitching those pillow cases.

Even if you can't come for the full four hours, come by for a few minutes on Sept. 6th and help out some kids.  I'm sure it will make you smile.

Adel Quilting is supplying the fabric.  Contact Jacque at 515-993-1170 if you need more information.

I will have Owen that day, but I plan to bring him along and I will be there until he decides I won't be.  I plan on bringing my cutting mat and rotary along with me.

Hope to see you there.