paper work today

I hope to be able to deliver quilts later today, along with some other goodies that have been donated to the center.

Before I can do that I have to do the paperwork......  I still haven't come up with away to stream line that part of the charity.

Although I don't claim any of the donations for tax purposes. I haven't applied for non profit status yet with the government, that costs about $500.00. At this moment in time I would prefer to spend that money on fabric and batting. I also thought I would give it some time before I applied to make sure that it was a project that would continue to be supported so wonderfully.

The center can still benefit from knowing how many hours have been donated over the month, and the value of the quilts and pillowcases they receive.  They are able to apply for grant money based on that information.

I try to calculate actual hours it would have taken to complete the quilt for those that are given to us completed for donation.  Then I try to calculate the actual value of the materials that have gone into the completed quilt.  I was advised by the IRS that I can not assign a value to the time that it took to piece, quilt and bind the quilt...just the materials.

Well I need to get to that book work.  Tomorrow I'll have a picture of donation fabric!

Labels, labels, labels.

Yesterday I spent the day finishing the quilting on the comfort quilt for my sister.  Even though this was a comfort quilt, I want everyone to know that the fabric for it did not come out of Iowa Comfort fabric.  Not that it would have mattered to anyone .....but just the same I wanted to let you know. 

Last night it was a label kind of night.  I pulled all seven quilts that are slated for delivery on Tuesday out and started attaching their labels to them.  NOTE to self....lets learn to attach labels while attaching binding.  Ah but that would be logical wouldn't it.  :-)

I'll have to see if Jacque Johnson has any free time on Tuesday so she can join me when I deliver the quilts.  The shop has been doing great at collecting pillow cases for the center.  We have far exceeded the original request of 80, and they just keep coming.  Not to worry though, should we exceed the needs of the center....we will find a place for them locally and brighten someones day.

Well I am off to load a customer quilt....I'll be able to order batting this week!  Its a good thing.

Dino's

Yesterday I showed you the quilt that is being raffled off by the De Soto library. So I thought I would show you the little quilt I made for the Adel Library.

Again this quilt is not an Iowa Comfort Quilt, but I do have enough fabric left over that there maybe one similar to it being donated to Iowa Comfort.

There will be a silent auction the weekend of June 22 and 23 for the Adel Library.  For the past several years  Adel Quilting and Dry Goods has an outdoor quilt show, during that show several items that have been finished by the ladies of Quilt Circle are available to be bid on. 

If my memory serves me correctly the last two years this little auction has raised close to a $1,000 each year for the Adel Library.  Last year I know that they used the money to purchase more books.  The nice thing about this auction is that there is a "Buy it now price" for each item.  My donation last year was sold at that price prior to the actual auction.  Finished items were on display prior to the auction at the library, and someone decided not to take a chance on the bidding process.

So here is my donation this year.  It is actually quilted and bound already...but of course I don't have a pic of the completed quilt.

Here are some close ups of those little dino's.....

oops he is side ways!

I fell in love with this whimsical fabric, and hope that the library will benefit from these little dino's.  The finished quilt measures 48 x 48, so it would make a great binki for a toddler.  Put a trip to Adel on the calendar for June 22 or 23, come see the show and to see if there is anything at the auction that you really can't live without.



De Soto Library quilt

Although this quilt isn't an Iowa Comfort quilt it is a charity quilt and I wanted to show it to you.

For the past three years a group of women have met once a week (until the quilt was finished) to create a quilt for raffle for the De Soto Library. The city of  De Soto hosts a family day once a year in August, and the library host games for the kids and other fun things to do that day.  During the days festivities they raffle off a number of items including the quilt.

This year I was only able to donate the quilting of the quilt, as my schedule did not allow for me to assist in the actual piecing of the quilt.  Lets take a look at their quilt.

Here is a close up of the quilt.

The camera is not doing it justice! The fabric in this quilt are rich in color.  Deep reds, creams, burgundy, brown, blues and golds.  It is just a beautiful quilt!

And the best part is that it is a QUEEN size quilt! 

As I said before the quilt is available for raffle.  Tickets can be purchased at the library, or you can send me the money and I will purchase the tickets for you and then send the tickets back to you.  I believe it is a $1.00 a ticket or 6 tickets for $5.00.  That is a really reasonable price so I hope you support the De Soto Library and buy MANY tickets.  All proceeds will be used in library programs or to buy books.

David's quilt

I really did wait to long to go to the doctors office.  It took a full 48 hours before I could even think about getting into the quilting room.

This week I have been focused on trying to honor my sisters request for a quilt for her son.  Actually the quilt is for her to remember her son, thus it is in 9 shades of blue, his favorite color.

Wednesday I tried to work on the quilt top, and spent a lot of time with the seam ripper and about 3:00 I realized I was actually dizzy while sitting in my chair trying to sew.  Luckily for me my sister Kellie was on my wave length and gave me a call.  She needed someone to talk to, she was at home alone and feeling a little overwhelmed.  We talked a good 30 minutes and had a few laughs along the way.  By the time I was done visiting with her I was done in the quilt room for the day.

Yesterday I spent the better part of the day working on the top.  Five rows joined together, row 6 pinned to the other 5 just waiting to be sewn down.

Today I hope to finish the quilt top and get it loaded on to the longarm this weekend.

I want to thank everyone who offered to help me with this quilt.  I know that I wanted to get it to my sister right away....and many of my wonderful friends offered to assist in the construction to make that happen.  In the end I really needed this quilt to be a me project.

After this quilt is completed I will be back on track with Iowa Comfort quilts.  It won't be long and I will be needing supplies.....so if you know anyone who needs longarm work done give them my name and number.  I currently do not have any customer quilts, so there can be a fairly quick turn around.  And those customer quilts do pay for the batting and backing for Iowa Comfort Quilts.

Thanks again to all who support Iowa Comfort!

Prairie Womens Sewing Group

I belong to the PWSG hosted by Adel Quilting and Dry Goods.  Jacque has been a strong supporter of Iowa Comfort so I wanted to help get the word out about the group.  I have copied a notice that I received a couple of weeks ago below.

If you are interested in quilt history....or even just history you will find this to be a wonderful class.  I am excited that they are adding additional speakers and slide shows to Journey 3, don't worry if you haven't attended Journey 1 or 2.....each lesson stands on its own.

Here is Jacques message:

Many of you have already registered for Journey III and thank you for that. We have about 10 openings left so, invite your friends, relatives and neighbors to join us. I am really excited as I plan Journey III. You can expect big screen slide shows, fascinating guest speakers, lottery blocks and new hand sewing projects to work on while you share and chat with your sisters of the cloth. Our first meeting is June 16 and will continue on the third Saturday morning of each month for all 6 Gatherings of Journey III. If you have not registered or if you have a friend to refer, please do soon so we can order the required pattern and lesson plans. So looking forward to it! Until then - Piece Be With You All! Jacque

Contact the shop at 515-993-1170 if you are interested or have questions.

Hope to see you in class!

Anyone want to restore an antique quilt?

While I was in Nevada earlier this month, I had a call from someone I use to work with.

Sherry has come into possession of an antique quilt (1930 ish) by her guess.  She has fallen in love with the quilt and wants to use it.  She told me that there were a couple of patches of fabric that were well worn and needed replaced.  She has vintage fabric to replace those patches with....she just doesn't have the skills to do the repair work herself.

If I recall the conversation correctly, the quilt was hand quilted.  So the top would need to have some fabric replaced and then some hand quilting would need to be replicated once the restoration is done.

Contact me for Sherry's number if you are interested.

Quilts 29 & 30

While at Circle of Friends last week Joyce Scott gifted us two quilt tops that she had determined that she would never finish for herself.

Joyce has been going through some major purging the last month or so and those things that she can live without are finding new homes elsewhere.  Lucky for us....these two tops get to come and live with me for a little while until I get them quilted.  YAY!

Lets take a look at them....

Opps my hubby was holding it the wrong way....ah well you get the picture.  Patriotic fabric and the border fabric has exploding fireworks.  So very very fun. 

Here is the second one;

Mostly the same fabrics as the first, minus the white.  I love all the flags going every which way.  I could see these quilts going on a small boys bed at the center, or maybe a veteran at one of the local nursing homes.  I'll have plenty of time to think about it since I have several to quilt before it.

I finished binding one of the little quilts that I quilted earlier this month while resting in my recliner last night.  I should have the other one done today.

I should probably call the center later today to set up a time to deliver quilts.  Right now though my head is beginning to pound so I think I'm going to relax for a little bit.

A morning wasted

Good afternoon all!  I wasted my morning sitting in the Urgent Care waiting room this morning.  Evidently everyone in the western suburbs decided to go to the doctors office today.  I finally escaped around noon.  The doctor asked me when I was going to learn to take better care of myself, and reminded me that I am no longer in my twenties.  I told him that I was glad I wasn't in my twenties anymore.....I had more stress when I was.

Anyway I officially have acute bronchitis and sinus infection. I need to rest the next couple of days....so I won't be doing a lot of quilting or sewing for at least 48 hours. Good news is that I can set back in my recliner and stitch down binding, so that is the plan.

I have a couple more donations to show you tomorrow.

Iowa comfort quilt #28

Here are a couple of pics of the third quilt donated by Wanda Hickey. This one is at least a twin and maybe a full size quilt.

I just love the design of this quilt.  Again a three color quilt.  I know it looks like black, red and white again.....but it actually is cream, hot pink and black with cream colored polka  dots.  Here is a closer look.

Wanda quilted the top with that wonderful cross hatching.  I so wish I had the patience to quilt like that!

I just want to thank Wanda one more time for her generosity.  I know these three quilts will brighten someones day when they receive them.