charity quilts

Sewing with Friends

| Cindy Anderson

I made trip to my LCITW on September 20th. Before going I received an email announcing an opportunity to gather with other quilters to make lap quilts for survivors of the recent disasters. To participate all you had to do was show up. They planned to have sewing machines, cutting boards, irons…everything needed to outfit a proper sewing event. Of course, if you preferred you could bring your own machine. I quickly responded and told the organizer that I would gladly attend.

I showed up on September 20th, armed with my sewing machine and fabrics to donate to the cause. I was joined by three other ladies. Already set up were stations for cutting fabrics, pressing and sewing. I found an empty spot at the wooden table to setup my own sewing machine.

We got started on the project right away. I stitched together groups of pre-cut blocks and strips while someone else pressed the seams. We took turns working at each of the stations so nobody spent all of their time doing the same thing. By the time we were finished we had put together four lap sized quilt tops. Here are some photos from the event.

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I had a great time sewing with my three new friends.

There’s talk of getting together again next year because quilts for charity are always in demand. I’ve already put my reservation in to participate. There’s nothing more rewarding than spending quality time with a group of women participating in a craft I really enjoy.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in my excitement.

 

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Special Olympics Raffle Quilt

| Cindy Anderson

An Opportunity

Long, long time ago my husband’s co-worker asked if I would be interested in making a fundraiser tee-shirt quilt. The subject of the quilt was the Special Olympics World’s Largest Convoy. At the time I was already swamped with piles of projects waiting for my attention. Unfortunately I had to take a pass on the opportunity.

Fancy Meeting You Here

Fast forward several months…..while strolling through the aisles of an outdoor art show we just happened to bump into the co-worker. During our interaction I asked her if she had ever successfully completed the tee-shirt quilt. Expecting her to say she had set the project aside, you can imagine my surprise when she announced she was nearing the end and was wanting to drop it off for quilting. I was not at all prepared for that response. Finding time in my schedule would mean I would somehow have to sandwich it in between a laundry list of jobs. Since this very special quilt was destined to be a fundraiser, for a very worthy cause, there was no way I could turn down the chance.

It’s Here

As was promised, the quilt was finished and delivered in fairly short order. No limitations were placed on the stitching or thread colors. With only a very short window of available time, I set aside the project I had planned on starting and loaded this one on instead.

Stitch Patterns

I used a variety of stitches on the quilt. Among them were my all-time favorites: bubbles, swirls, and square meandering. The border was black, grey and white filled with overlapping circles. Using black thread I filled the border with loads of bubbles. The tee-shirts were quilted with a square geometric meander. Each section was quilted with a matching thread. Changing thread color every time the blocks changed color added a lot of time but the end result made it all worth it.

After applying the last stitch I stepped back to take a look. Not to toot my own horn, but I was so amazed at how awesome it looked. After removing the quilt and carefully laying it on a flat surface I grabbed my camera to document the finished project.

Day of Delivery

My husband had the pleasure of delivering the quilt. I would have loved to accompany him and share in the experience but my schedule wouldn’t allow it.

According to my husband, my customer’s first reaction was to hold back a flood of tears. She was overwhelmingly pleased with the outcome. Every ounce of effort I had poured into that quilt was rewarded ten-fold by her reaction.

The Special Olympics World’s Largest Convoy quilt was eventually put on display and sold at the fundraiser auction for $500. I received recognition for quilting the project in the event brochure.

Take a look…..

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Vital Statistics:

  • Size – 57″ x 88 1/4″
  • Hours Spent Quilting – 8.5
  • # of Stitches Applied – 170,704
  • Thread Colors Used – Too numerous to mention.
  • Special Note – The only fee charged for this project was my customary fee for batting. The fee for applying the quilting stitches was ZERO.

Cindy Anderson of In A Stitch Quilting

My Heart Is Racing!

| Cindy Anderson

They Arrived!

For those that are regular followers of my blog you know that I spent most of the past four months concentrating on the Hurricane Sandy Quilt project. Last week I excitedly announced the completion of the fourth and final quilt on my roster. According to tracking records quilt’s # 4 and # 3 arrived at their New Jersey destination last Thursday.

Time to Shift Focus

My main focus for four months has been those four quilts. Very little else was thought of, scheduled or even entertained until that major hurdle had been overcome. As soon as I walked out of our local UPS store I instantly, and I mean instantly set my mind in motion. So many of the projects on my To Do List were screaming for my attention. The hard part would be deciding which ones would take priority.

Tote Bags Galore

Now being an overly organized nut, one would think I have my To Do List all prioritized. I suppose in a way I might. On the other hand I must have some spontaneity. As much as I love using my long arm quilter my imagination was drawn in the direction of the many tote bags patiently awaiting their turn. Some of the patterns I have had for several years. One of them I helped my middle daughter make when she was here a year ago. I jealously watched as her bag grew closer and closer to completion. Oh how I wanted to make one for myself.

The Lucky Ones Chosen Are

The more I thought about my endless possibilities the more I just knew it was time to make something fun. On my present To Do List is the Miranda Day Bag by Lazy Girl Designs, The Encore Purse Insert  by Studio Kat Designs and the Messenger Bag presented by From the Blue Chair. Pictured below are the fabric selections I have chosen for my activities:

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Miranda Day Bag

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The Encore Purse Insert

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The Messenger Bag

Also making the top ten charts is my super secret project for the Stitched In Color challenge. I gave you a sneak peek of that last week.

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Shelburne Falls Contest

I almost have that tote completed.

Letting Off Steam

Well I think that’s enough excitement for one day. I believe I let out just enough steam to keep myself from exploding. I have to hurry up and get this post published so that I can get my eyes back on my newly selected projects.

I’m Linking Up

I’m linking up with Freshly Pieced. Make sure you join the excitement brewing over there. Thanks so much for spending time with me. You are what makes this all worth while. Have a wonderful day!

Regards!

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced