HeartStrings Quilt Project

In addition to donations of string blocks made according to our guidelines, HeartStrings accepts completed tops. We quilt, bind, and donate these tops to local charities and I thought I’d share a few that I’ve finished up this week.

This top was pieced by Sue’s Mom from blocks sent in by HeartStrings members.

We also accept non-string pieced tops like this one pieced by Deb in AZ.

This HeartStrings top was pieced by Barbara in FL.

This pretty pink string top was pieced by the quilters at St. Mary’s in CT.

If you’d like to donated a completed top or volunteer to quilt and finish tops that have been donated, email me.

Our HeartStrings members have generously shared their strings with other members for use in HeartStrings quilts. Do you ever wonder where those donated strings go?Barbara, one of our members is currently piecing a String X quilt based on Bonnie Hunter’s pattern.

So visit Barbara’s blog and then click the HeartStrings link in her sidebar to visit other HeartStrings bloggers.

At the request of several members, we now have a HeartStrings blog ring. If you participate in the project and have a blog, click the logo below to join the ring.

Alycia, a HeartStrings member, is a supporter and volunteer for Quilts of Valor making quilts for wounded soldiers. Her current goal is to collect 4oo quilts for 2009 to present to the wounded soldiers at Ft. Carson in CO and HeartStrings members are helping her out with blocks, tops, finished quilts, and pillowcases to present them.

This is one of two recent tops pictured on Alycia’s blog sent by a Deborah another HeartStrings member. Visit Alycia’s blog to read more about her efforts and to see the tops, quilts, and pillowcases being collected.

For information about how you can help email us.

Michele sent photos today of two of her recent HeartStrings quilts.

She writes “Most of the quilts I make make are just regular patterns (through my quilting group), my string quilting is usually patriotic to send on up to Madigan Army Hospital.  I just love string quilting and almost always have one in the pile for the days when it’s too hot to think or I’m too tired for any precise cutting and measuring!” 

Don’t you love seeing all the variations HeartStrings members come up with?

Visit Michele’s blog.

Interested in creating a Patriotic Quilt to tour the US?

Judy Howard has put out a call for quilts 22 x 22 inches to be included in an exhibition that will tour the US for 3 years to “blanket America in Hugs for our Troops, Stitches of Comfort and to promote love of God and Country”.

Click here for details.

For those of you who participated in our RWB project from Memorial Day to July 4th, you might want to see the progress being made with the Chinese Coins you sent in.

Becky volunteered to receive the Chinese Coins sections and turn them into Quilts of Valor and here are the first two quilts in progress.

To keep up with her progress, visit Becky’s blog.

Did you join us yesterday and sew along at home?

Fourteen HeartStrings quilters met in Roberts, WI to work and play.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

If you’re in the MN/WI area and want to join us in person in Roberts, Wisconsin for a HeartStrings sew-in on August 2nd, please contact Kathy at kwmiller@pressenter.com.

Otherwise, consider joining us in spirit and working on a donation quilt or HeartStrings blocks at home that weekend. Make sure to contact us and let us know what you’re working on by emailing Mary.

Guidelines for HeartStrings blocks that can be sent in for group quilts.

Tresica recently sent me some photos of quilts she made and donated locally. She wrote:

“After seeing the photo of my 365 blocks, a lady at the Skidaway United Methodist Church here in Savannah contacted me and told me about the quilts they were making.

I donated the twin quilt tops to the church to help the orphanage. The United Methodist Women are quilting any twin size quilt top donated to them. After completion they are given to the United Methodist Orphanage in Macon Georgia.”

Tresica’s photo with her blocks also inspired other HeartStrings members to start their own 365 block challenge.