HeartStrings Quilt Project

I spent some time today updating our online photo albums. Have you seen these two quilts by Connie? I love both of them.

Although they’re a departure from our usual HeartStrings quilts, we worked on making pillowcases this weekend.

Initially our thought was to make and send some pillowcases to Alycia for her 2009 Quilts of Valor project but that idea was expanded into a 2 day *virtual* sewing party with 266+ pillowcases being made for Quilts of Valor, ConKerr Cancer, Operation Support for Deployed Military and other local charitable organizations.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Becky has been working with RWB Chinese Coins sections donated this summer by HeartStrings members and has several quilts ready to ship off to Alycia to be donated as Quilts of Valor for wounded soldiers. You can see the others at Becky’s blog.

We’re also making pillowcases this weekend to send to Alycia – the Quilts of Valor are placed in pillowcases and with a goal of 400 QOV for 2009, she’ll need some help. You can use any pattern you like – I was shown how to make them by Ethel who sews them for Operation Support for Deployed Military and since I learn best with lots of photos, I took step by step photos to share as I made my first ones earlier this week.

Wondering what fabric to use for making pillowcases during our Pillowcase Party on Thanksgiving weekend??

Alycia wrote today:

I tell you what – Anything goes!! I have some mickey mouse pillowcases and western ones and – oh my – they are just so cool! I have been making sure that the floral/feminine pillowcases go with girly quilts – so maybe think more generic – that I could put any quilt it there?? Male or Female?

I’m going to head for my Blue stash first and go from there!

November 29 & 30

We’re having a Pillowcase Party to make pillowcases in patriotic colors for Alycia’s Quilt of Valor Project. The pillowcases are used to present the quilts to the wounded soldiers – you don’t have to have patriotic fabrics….just use Red/White (or beige)/ Blue in any combinations.

Pillowcase instructions (no exposed seams – I like that!) from the website Operation Support for Deployed Military.

I made a few practice ones and took lots of photos so if the directions still seem fuzzy, take a look at the step by step photos and see if it’s any easier.

As always, if you have a local charity feel free to work alongside us and donate your pillowcases to any organization you choose.

There will be door prizes so make sure you email me during the Party weekend to tell me you’re sewing with us and I’ll send you Alycia’s mailing address.
Email Mary at mmcjohnson@gmail.com

Our project for September/October is ended. If you’ve made any Green centered blocks, please try to mail them this week. They’ll be combined with other donations into quilts and donated.

Betty is shown below with a full set of green centered blocks she made, this top was assembled at the sew-in and is waiting for quilting.

Email me if you need the mailing address to send in your green centered blocks at mmcjohnson@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for information about our Pillowcase Party to be held Thanksgiving weekend.

Linda shared these photos of her “Autumn Splendor” quilt inspired in part by our HeartStrings quilts. I love the sashing and border choices she made in this quilt and the Baptist Fan quilting looks great too.

Jennifer continues to make progress on the Project Pink quilts, she just posted this photo of the 10th quilt she’s finished (from donated blocks and tops) on her blog.

Sorry, not the best photos here but we had such a good time at our Sew-in yesterday and I wanted to share the photos with you.

In this first one, Sue is standing with the pile of blocks she bought with her. Since the inventory was almost completely depleted before our Block Party a few weeks ago – these are all recent donations – and Sue has already sent some of them out and there are more coming so you can imagine how many blocks there were made during the Block Party.

In addition to sewing more blocks – we assembled 7 tops yesterday – unfortunately I don’t have photos of most of them – not sure how we managed to miss taking photos of them all but Sue did share some tops that were assembled by her and her Mom that are in the link at the end of this post.

We also learned how to make pillowcases with the “sausage roll” method – no exposed seams from Ethel. We’re planning a pillowcase Virtual Sew-in next month and I hope you will all join us.
The rest of the photos can be seen in the MN/WI October 2008 Sew-in album.

Just one week left in our Sept/Oct project to make green centered blocks and quilts for guys. Here’s a top already completed by Laura, it’s heading to Jay in NE where it will be quilted and donated.

For the mailing address to send blocks – email me at mmcjohnson@gmail.com