Community Quilts
by Olga Leon
It can be said that quilters are a very generous group of people. This is very true of Ocean Waves Quilters. In 2019, Ocean Waves Quilters donated 229 quilts and other related items to several groups and organizations. These included children affected by the Sebring Bank Tragedy in January of 2019, the VA Hospital and VA Women's Clinic, Educate Tomorrow, various veterans as part of the Quilts of Valor Program, the Respect Life of Miami office, and the Sunrise Community Organization.
The donated quilts were worked on by some small groups (Friendship Star, Mondays Sewers, and We Care Quilters), as well as other individual Ocean Waves members working independently on their own. Some of the quilts donated in 2019 were even rescued from a thrift shop, washed and given extra tender loving care as required.
So many hands were involved in getting the quilts ready for donation. The various efforts included quilt design; piecing of blocks and tops; in some cases, piecing backing and batting; ‘sandwiching’ the three layers; tying or machine quilting; and binding. I want to acknowledge all the labor of all involved with the donated quilts. As the Community Quilts Chair person, I am so grateful to all of you.
Also, I want to announce that there is one more way to participate in the Community Quilts Program that requires only a minimum of effort or commitment. Kits for working on a single simple String Block will be available starting at the March General Meeting. These kits contain a foundation square, fabric strips of various widths and full instructions. One can work on a string quilt block as a ‘stop’ and ‘start’ when working on other projects. These blocks practically complete themselves.
Please remember that fabric kits for making complete quilts, quilt-batting-backing sandwiches ready for your quilting talents and / or quilts ready for binding are always available for you to check out to complete at home.
If you want to participate and have been unsure of what to do, want a quilt fabric kit or want to pick up your block kits, reach out to me or any member of Monday Sewers.
The donated quilts were worked on by some small groups (Friendship Star, Mondays Sewers, and We Care Quilters), as well as other individual Ocean Waves members working independently on their own. Some of the quilts donated in 2019 were even rescued from a thrift shop, washed and given extra tender loving care as required.
So many hands were involved in getting the quilts ready for donation. The various efforts included quilt design; piecing of blocks and tops; in some cases, piecing backing and batting; ‘sandwiching’ the three layers; tying or machine quilting; and binding. I want to acknowledge all the labor of all involved with the donated quilts. As the Community Quilts Chair person, I am so grateful to all of you.
Also, I want to announce that there is one more way to participate in the Community Quilts Program that requires only a minimum of effort or commitment. Kits for working on a single simple String Block will be available starting at the March General Meeting. These kits contain a foundation square, fabric strips of various widths and full instructions. One can work on a string quilt block as a ‘stop’ and ‘start’ when working on other projects. These blocks practically complete themselves.
Please remember that fabric kits for making complete quilts, quilt-batting-backing sandwiches ready for your quilting talents and / or quilts ready for binding are always available for you to check out to complete at home.
If you want to participate and have been unsure of what to do, want a quilt fabric kit or want to pick up your block kits, reach out to me or any member of Monday Sewers.
