Part 2 of the community project

In Saturdays post I showed you the beginning of the day, from the packing to the setting up and then repacking the car.

Today I will show you pictures of several of the volunteers, but not all because several were camera shy and the finished results.  Well I probably can't say finished because there is still much to do, but I will show you the results of what we finished last Monday.

 This is what the table looked like when they started.  Fabric was sorted by what was big enough to be put on mini bolts and what wasn't.  What wasn't was placed back in the bucket, for future attention.

 Lonnie and Jacque working on the pink tub.

 How Celia and Maddi got stuck with the blue tub is beyond me.  We all know how Miss Celia feels about the color blue!

 I am ashamed to say I have forgotten this helpers name. But she did such a wonderful job on a green tub.

 Sue also had a green tub, and made quick work of it.

 Jackie O and Joyce worked on my floral tub for me.  Joyce also pressed some of those small pieces....which I am loving each night as I work on those pieces.

Volunteers that didn't make it on camera was Rozetta and Theresa who worked on my orange and yellow tub's.  Deb Y who conquered the purples, and Dian who worked on the red tub.

As we were winding down for the night Madelyn went around and color coordinated all of the mini bolts and placed them back in tubs for transport.

Here is what all of the volunteers efforts look like today. Isn't it pretty! And I really appreciate Madelyn grouping them together Monday night because it made it easy to load them on the shelves.

Each night when I am downstairs with my husband, I take one of the tubs with the left over fabric and start cutting.  Here is what the red tub looks like now.

All of the red fabric is either on mini bolts or in a bundle of 3 1/2 or 2  1/2  strips or a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 square.  Pre cuts for future projects.

Only ten more tubs to work with....oh and a 18 gallon container.  I'll take it one day at a time and be happy with all the help I got from my Circle of Friends.

Thanks again to everyone that was able to come out and help!

Pictures

First I would like to thank all of my friends that came to help Monday night.

I know that Circle of Friends really isn't designed to assist Iowa Comfort.  And to be honest I actually feel guilty when a monthly meeting gets ear marked for it.  So I am incredibly thankful to those of you who could make it and helped out.

I am really glad that I have a new ride, it was much easier to pack than my old car....only problem is what you pack you must unload, and then reload, and then unload again.  I actually packed 1/2 the day before, and unloaded the car on Tuesday to make it easier on my back.

Before I go to far I also want to thank Dian for helping me set up at the library.  Dian helped me bring baskets in, and cleaned up the red basket for me.  Sorting out little pieces to be stripped or squared up. Larger pieces went on a mini bolt.  It would have been a very long afternoon for me had she not been there.  (Circle of Friends wasn't scheduled to start until 6:00)

Here is a look at the car after it was packed...

This is the back of the car.

And  a view of the back seat.

Each of those baskets had a color way of fabric in it...but the fabric may be a 2 x2 square or yard and a half of fabric.

Once at the library I brought in just enough baskets to set one on each table.

 Dian and I went through each basket and separated out the larger cuts from the smaller cuts.  The small cuts remained in the basket, and the ladies from quilt circle squared up, measured and folded them onto mini bolts for me.

Additionally they helped me decide if some of the fabric was quilting fabric....or fabric that needed to be used for the doggy beds. I have to say that was one of my favorite part of the night!  I so struggle with those decisions... so I delegated the job to whoever was working at that table.   

I'll show you the rest of the pictures from that night (along with my new bag of doggy bed material) in my post Tuesday. 

Once again thanks to everyone who helped....there will be pictures of many of you next post.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Remembering Donna

It is with mixed emotions that I write this post.

Donna was one of my volunteers. She passed away last Friday.

Although I had never met her, I feel as though I know her through her generosity to Iowa Comfort.  

She wasn't a quilter, but after receiving a comfort quilt 2 years ago when she was diagnosed with cancer she wanted to lend her talents to help.  

Here are some of the blankets that she made for the center.

These are not all of them, there are many more.

I can tell you from personal experience that the staff at the center always picked up these little cuddlies and cooed and petted them first when I did a delivery.  I was told that they were given to struggling new mothers and often it was the nicest blanket that the newborn would have.  

What a generous spirit Donna had.  I think in total she made about 15 of these darling blankets... all the while battling her own illness.

I am saddened by her passing, but so grateful that she is no longer in pain.  She will be missed by not only her loving family, but by a community that she touched with these gifts.

Prayers of comfort and piece for Donna's family during this time of transition.  

Community sew day

I know it is late notice....but I wasn't sure that I was going to be well enough by Monday to actually hold it.  (My husband really thinks I need to stay home and rest, but I am feeling better.)

Monday afternoon 1:30 to 5 at the Adel Library.  

It isn't really a sew day, it is more of an organization day.

I have purchased mini bolts, and I hope to get A LOT of the donated fabric on those bolts.

This means that the fabric will need to be squared up, measured and folded on to the cute little mini bolt.  

So if you would like to come and hang out with me, that would be great.

All you really need is a rotary cutter, cutting mat, tape  measurer and a pen.

I promise not to cough on you if you can make it!  :-)

Still in my chair

I am still pretty much taking it easy.  My energy level has not returned.

So I haven't done anything quilty let alone anything for Iowa Comfort.

I hope to be able to quilt sometime this week.  I have a Jacque's comfort quilt, that I would like to get done sometime this week.

It will put a smile on my face to know that this quilt is going to a friend.  And I know that it will hold a special place in her heart for all of her days.

Hope you all have a good week.

Delivery time again

I have had a really bad case of bronchitis the last 2 weeks. I actually have spent 7 days in bed or in the recliner. 

Luckily I had  worked on several posts in advance so I didn't miss many, except of course last Tuesdays.

Needless to say there hasn't been a lot going on with Iowa Comfort because of my illness.

Prior to getting sick I made some deliveries.

Here are the quilts that went to the center.

You can see them all in the 2013 photo gallery.  They are quilts 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, and 115.

Posting may be sporadic until I get myself back to 100%.  

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Pillowcases!

Sherry loves to help out Iowa Comfort.  She especially enjoys working on smaller projects... which makes pillow cases the perfect fit for her.

Here are four more that she has completed for us.

I have an online friend that makes pillowcases every year for her school district.  The school nurse knows which child will likely not receive anything for Christmas.  The nurse uses the pillowcase to put small toys, and other articles in and gives it to the child the last day before winter break.  Since the nurse has her eye open for all of the children, regardless of age... I thought I might donate these pillowcases to my friend for the cause.  The nurse believes she will need 35 or so.... but every year the need is more than what is anticipated.  I thought maybe these could go to older children within the school district.

By the way with these four pillowcases we have 66 completed. Our goal was to make 75 this year.  I think we are going to make it!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jan's gifts

Before I write the main post, I just want to put it out there again.  I have reached my maximum capacity for storage.  So I am not accepting donations at this time.  Of course every rule has an exception.... and Jan's gifts fit the need.

Jan loves to quilt!  And Jan is a perfectionist, like most quilters.  She ordered a backing for a quilt of hers online.  In the picture it looked like it was going to be a perfect match for the quilt she was working on.....then it arrived.

Jan was not in love with it, and she could not bring herself to use it in the project.  So she donated it to Iowa Comfort.

Now I can always use 108 inch wide backing!  And I actually had one of the bed size quilt tops that I did not have a backing for.

The quilt top mentioned also has brown in it.... so I think it will be a really good fit.  Should I decide that it isn't.  Jan also donated this.

I will use these to make a strip quilt, and use the backing above on the quilt top.

Thank you Jan for all of your generosity over the last two years!  You are the best!

Better late than never

Here it is! The completed hexi quilt from Dottie.  Oh do you happen to remember that Dotti hand pieced this top?  

Once I started to quilt it I realized it truly was a quilt of a different era.  Those hexi patches are made from scrap pieces of clothing, or other fabric.  There was polyester, knit and cotton fabric in this top. I love tops like this, where quilters made due with what they had... and re-purposed fabric once it had completed it's initial function. 

 I have had this quilt top since February.  It was donated to me thru Deb Y.  She knew of a quilter that was no longer able to continue to quilt due to heath reasons. Several of her quilt tops came to Iowa Comfort.

Nancy H. generously offered to bind it for me, and I picked it back up from her this last Monday night.  It was donated to the center on Friday.

As long as I am showing you one of Dottie's completed quilts... I think I will show you the one I took off the longarm on Thursday.

I am still looking for a binding for this quilt.  When this donation originally came in, there were several sheets donated also.  I have used those sheets as backing (trying to stay as close to Dottie's vision as I could).  The backing is a soft green, blue, yellow and cream colored print.  The print is a large floral print.  I know it doesn't sound like the two would go together.... but they do.  Infact this quilt could be reversible.  Either side will be beautiful on a bed.  
I am leaning towards just a plain muslin binding on it, or maybe a soft green or brown.  I'll have to hit the fabric bins to see what will work.

Looking for binding will have to wait until Monday.  I have Owen this weekend, and this grandma is going to spend her time playing!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sorry I am late

I was hoping it would stop raining long enough for me to get a quick picture of the hexi quilt.

Nancy gave it back to me last night after binding it for me.  Unfortunately it is still raining here in De Soto.

I'll try to get a picture later this afternoon if I do I will get it up on the blog.

The rest of the week I am working on getting a donation over to the center, and try to get at least one more of Dottie's quilt tops quilted.

I am also working on a couple of comfort quilts for friends of mine in the quilting community. 

It will be a busy week.

Hope you all are enjoying the cooler weather and the rain.