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If you're new here, hello! I'm Laura! I design quilt patterns, and I'm a self-proclaimed deal hunter! Be sure to join the popular Quilting & Sewing Deals Facebook group where I post sales, deals, and coupon codes from all around the web!
I'm making 52 quilts for charity this year. You can read more about my plan on this post. I recap my charity sewing on the last day of each month, and host a linky party where you can link up any charity sewing you've done too!
Not long ago, a friend of mine became a foster parent. She bought a high chair and other baby things in preparation of her first child. I reached out to her to see if she would like to give each child one of the baby quilts I'm making. She was ecstatic!
One day this month, I got a text saying she needed two quilts for children staying with her for a short time. Turns out - they were teenagers! My baby quilts would definitely not do for teenagers!
Of course I did what any sane quilter would do - I started making quilts!
I raided my precut stash for anything that looked "teenager" and found two small fat quarter bundles from Wal-Mart that I thought fit the bill. Each bundle had five fat quarters.
I cut all the fabrics into 5" squares. Then I reviewed this post about how I made a 60" throw quilt from just 25 charm squares. I thought that would be a great quilt to make for the foster teens!
After the cutting was done, the quilts came together very quickly. I cut enough for four quilts, but only sewed up two. I used Aurifil 50wt Stone #2324 for all the piecing. It's a great neutral!
I loaded some backing fabric ("Hand Drawn Lines" from Connecting Threads) onto the longarm for quilting. The backing fabric comes 104" wide, and I had four yards of it. I actually loaded the backing sideways, so it would be 144" wide. This way I could quilt both 60" quilts side-by-side. The batting is 100% cotton by Fairfield that I bought a bolt of on sale with a coupon from Jo-Ann's.
I chose Aurifil 50wt Dove #2600 for the quilting. I was proud of myself for not using white! I used a large free motion stipple or meander all over the quilts.
It was right about here when I discovered something else about the two teenagers - one was a boy! Both of my quilts had hot pink in them! Back to the fabric stash!
Then I realized two more things: 1-I don't have a lot of "teenage boy" fabrics, and 2-I don't have nearly a big enough stash of backing fabrics!
I found a charm pack of rich colored batiks by Robert Kaufman. I picked through and chose 25 that were the most "boy" I could muster.
The top was quick to sew. I trimmed the excess backing fabric off the other two quilts, then sewed two pieces together to get a piece large enough for another 60" square quilt.
This time I used Aurifil 50wt Shining Green #5017 for the large all-over stipple/meander. Having a longarm sure does make quick work of the quilting!
For the two girl quilts, I used a navy and white plus fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics for the binding. For the boy quilt, I used an Island Batik lime green.
I had just enough time to wash the quilts before giving them to my friend. I put all three in the wash together with four Color Catchers. They all came out perfect! (Even the batik one!) A quick spin in the dryer, then I added labels to the back of each one.
Three very quick finishes for my foster mom friend.
She just needed two of them, but I gave her the third along with two baby quilts to keep on hand for future children.
And now I have a shopping list for teenage boy prints and backing fabric!
So far, my charity quilt count for the year looks like this:
1 finished cat quilt for Emma's Plan
3 finished Debbie Mumm quilts
3 finished teenager quilts for foster kids
7 Debbie Mumm quilts that are quilted and awaiting binding
1 Debbie Mumm top
Have you done any charity sewing this month? Link up!
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Laura, what a surprise that must've been to find out one quilt will go to a boy! Good job getting them all put together and delivered. Those are some pretty cute FQ bundles from Wally's World. I especially like the diamonds fabric--these children need to know they are priceless. Great labels.
ReplyDeleteWhat a kind and generous thing to do for your friend. You both have big hearts!
ReplyDeleteWell, wow, those projects were full of plot twists :-) I'm sure these quilts will be well-loved. What a kind, generous thing to do. I'm amazed that you can keep up with your goal while moving and all the other things going on for you! You're doing great!
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, wow!! Two wonderful people helping out the world!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing for those foster children, most of whom don't have much besides the clothes they arrive dressed in. It will be so lovely for them to have something all their own, cozy and comforting to hold on to. I'm glad you added labels and am interested in what you put on them. Yes, I always do Sarah's challenge in the spring, and all year I make quilts for American Heroes and for children who have a parent die as a result of being in military actions. Your friend is an angel, and so are you.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you were able to stitch up these cool quilts for two teens who surely can use a quilty hug! And please tell your friend how much I admire her for being a foster Mom. A tough job, and greatly needed.
ReplyDeleteYou amaze me! What a kind and generous thing to do - and then to find out one was a boy! Backings are the bane our existence (bindings too) although I enjoy binding - I know I am nearly really done - not just done with the top or the sandwiching or the quilting - but really done.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous quilts! And you're so fast!! It amazes me :) Even though I have three boys, I find I don't have a lot of boy fabric in my stash either, especially not older boy. When I needed to make a bag for a boy a few weeks ago, I had to go shopping. Oh, darn, lol!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful quilts, made by someone who clearly has a beautiful heart!
ReplyDeleteLooks great! This is such a great versatile pattern! So nice to make quilts to welcome foster kids to their new home!
ReplyDelete