Quilts, Quilts, Quilts! Time for a delivery

Having a boot on for the last four weeks has allowed me to be really productive.  Now most of the quilts in this post are not my work.....but the center is going to love all of the quilts.  

This quilt was pieced by one of the ladies of the Adel Christian Church quilt group.  I actually thought I had all of these quilted up already.  I found several that were tucked away waiting their turn on the long arm.  I fondly remembered Donna Grove, when I pulled this quilt out.  Donna told me that she got bored, so I offered her a bunch of flannel fabric that she could use to create Hope Quilts.  Donna took the flannel back to her church group and announced that they would be making Hope Quilts for me.  Not at all what I had intended....but that was Donna.

In an effort to keep the quilt donation fairly balanced.  I decided that I needed to quilt a boy quilt....so I found this blue ABC panel. I know that this quilt really could be for either gender but the first one was pink....so I did the best I could.

These next quilts all came from Betty W.  

Betty is working on stash busting.  All of these adorable quilts came to me totally completed and ready for donation!

Now remember I am trying hard to donate Hope Quilts equally for boys and girls.  Betty remembered that and also created quilts for both genders.  Owen was visiting a few weeks back.  He was heart broken when he could not keep/use either of these quilts.  He loves trains....grandma might just have to make him one

I love this little quilt! It is going to make a little guys year, I just know it will.

This quilt is so sweet.  I sat and looked at the pattern for a very long time.  I am hoping to use it next year to do some stash busting of my own.

This strip quilt is so very simple yet makes a great little boy quilt.  I don't know how I managed not to get a photo of the little buddy that I sent along with this quilt.  It had a cute little pony.

Another adorable stash buster.  I may have to ask Betty where she finds her patterns at.  I had this one constructed three different ways before I realized it is one pieced block with an offset block.  Boy did I feel silly.  Simple but elegant.

Here is the last quilt that Betty gave us.  I love two fabric quilts, so simple yet so sweet.  I found the perfect little purple bunny in my stash to go along with this quilt.

Now as if these weren't enough.  Betty also took home 4 Hope quilts to bind for me.  She got them all bound and back to me in a week.  I think we can all agree that she is awesome!  Thank you so much Betty for all your time and talents.

I have several finished quilts to show you over the next few weeks, so make sure to stop back.

Great volunteers!

I have said it before and I will say it again.  I have some of the best volunteers around.  You have made Iowa Comfort a  success!

Kathy B. has been with me since the very beginning. She has come to every community sew day.  She has pieced, quilted and bound quilts for us.  Oh and she has made pillow cases.

She whipped up these 8 pillow cases for the center.

That brings our count up to 423 donated this year.

This is ICQ #179

Kathy also donated this finished quilt to Iowa comfort.  It has already made its way to the center.  The gals there fell in love with the colors.   Its kind of like seeing Christmas through a child's eyes.

Kathy also pieced this quilt together for us.  It is the first of the Asian quilts that we worked on at the last community sew day.

Last night was my Circle of Friends meeting and I let them help me pick binding for this quilt.  

It was tough because I am trying to use fabric that I already possess.  

In the end we decided to use a black/grey fabric for all but one strip (not quite enough fabric to bind the whole quilt) and then a soft creme.  The plan is to position the creme fabric over the darkest corner of the quilt. 

I am so grateful to all of my volunteers, especially those that go way above as Kathy does.  We touch lives because of all of you.  

Thank you so much!

Now off to cut that binding.

Christmas in July

I use to absolutely hate when I would see Christmas anything before Thanksgiving.  I actually still do....but I am going to have to get to a point where I love it because Iowa Comfort needs to get jolly!

Fons and Porter donated a lot of Christmas fabric.  I just could not see making bed size quilts out of this fabric.  I want these quilts to be used or at least special.   

I spoke with the center and asked if lap size quilts would be of any value around Christmas.  I was told that they could be used for clients that do not get adopted, or clients that enter the center to late to be adopted for the holidays.  

So here are 8 kits that I am going to get sewn together and quilted to be used as Christmas gifts this year.

This means I am going to take a break for a little bit from making pillow cases and I will focus on these quilts.  I work better under a schedule, so the plan is to complete at least one, including binding, a week.  

I plan to sew during the day, then cut and press in the evening. It has been a long time since I have pieced...so I am hoping that I won't be spending a lot of time with my seam ripper. If all goes as planned they should all be completed by the end of September...in plenty of time for Christmas.

This past week was really productive.  I am finding that my boot is really messing with my schedule,  I am limited to what exercise I can safely do.  So a lot of it is not getting done....but the my machines are getting a work out.  Last week I quilted 4 Hope Quilts and a bed size quilt.  All of these quilts are currently out being bound.  

Additionally I was tired of looking at all the piles on my quilt room floor.  I put my nose to the grindstone and created 3 large puppy pool quilts.  Puppy pool quilts are made from left over batting and fabric that for one reason or another won't make it in a quilt for people.  The puppies at AHeintz 57 dog rescue won't care that the batting is uneven or that the fabric doesn't match.  They will just know that they have a soft cuddly quilt to snuggle in when they wear themselves out and want to take a nap. 

I really like that I can see my floor and my sewing surface again.  I am getting the binding on the puppy quilts today so they can be donated soon.

Betty W. stopped by to drop off 6 Hope Quilts this past week, those will be a future post.

This coming week I have three beautiful Asian quilts that were pieced by Joyce, Jackie and Kathy to get on the longarm. They are from the community sew day, and they need to get completed. Lofty goals I know....but that is the plan.

Everyone have a great week!

Susan and Millie K

A while back I received an email from Jacque J at Adel Quilting and Dry Goods.  She had received an email from Susan.  Susan's mother Millie was a hand quilter.  When she passed away, Susan loving boxed all of her mothers fabric up for storage.

Earlier this year Susan set out to find a good home for her mothers fabric.  She contacted Jacque who put me in touch with her.  

I told Susan about Iowa Comfort and our pillow case challenge.  Susan told me that there was yardage in her mothers fabric... and I made an executive decision to break my rule and accept another fabric donation. 

Here is the donation in its original presentation.  I had one focus with this donation.  Cut it, kit it, and get those pillow cases made.

I have worked on this donation for a little over  a month now.

That is 57 pillow cases, ready for donation.  I also have a basket of flannel and solids for other projects.  Several large pieces of backing and about 10 more pillow cases for MaryAnn and I to get sewn up. (It was suggested that Big Bertha should be renamed MaryAnn, and I agreed.)  

Thank you so much Susan for donating your mothers fabric to Iowa Comfort. Your donation will provide comfort to many, and helped us get closer to our goal of 500 pillow cases donated this year.

Oh officially these are pillow cases 359-415. And it is only the beginning of July.