'Wrapped in Hope' Birthday Quilt Giving Program

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are

 you doing for others?" Martin Luther King Jr.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day in the States, I will once again draw your attention to our 'Wrapped in Hope' birthday quilt program.

Over the past few days I have added about 15 new children including lots of little girls who love pink, purple and princesses!  Who doesn't like to make a pink and purple princess quilt?  

I also added the 4th set of twins(July 12th--Craig and Gabrielle) on our list this year.

Maybe you already have a quilt made that is just sitting around and waiting for an opportunity to touch someone's life.  Well, I would say this is as good as it gets. The quilt you give will be the only present that a child will get from his/her parent this year.  Wow.  

It just might be the only birthday gift the child receives from that parent over their entire childhood. Here is an example from a family I just added yesterday:

4 kids-- Isaiah age 4, Destiny age 5, Hailey age 2, and Reyanna aged 4 months.

This is what mom said when requesting these quilts--

"I would love for them to have something to remember their daddy who was sentenced to 18 years before the holidays!" 
***************

Reyanna will be 18 when her dad leaves prison.  You could be part of bringing HOPE and comfort to this precious child's life by making a quilt that she will always know was from her daddy.  

So, as Martin Luther King Jr. asks--so will I--

"What are you doing for others TODAY"

Join us!

Visit the list

and e-mail me with your choice!

Super Secret Project

The fabric for my super secret project arrived yesterday. This is why I have been sewing like a crazy woman this week--to carve some room in my day for these lovely blues.

Some of you may be able to figure out what I am embarking on...others will just have to be surprised and amazed....at least I hope.

On A Roll

I am on a roll this week--I love deadlines--they put a fire under my sewing machine.
Actually, both of these quilts are for boys on our 'Wrapped in Hope' list.  Both with birthdays toward the end of this month.  

This basketball quilt is for Montinez.  He likes sports-so I used the 'Fair and Square' pattern that Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts designed for Margaret's Hope Chest.  Perfect! Have you used this free pattern?? 2 yards of a solid fabric and 33 print squares and viola! Here is an idea--go to the birthday list and pick a young man who likes sports (there are NINETEEN available) and use this pattern (if you need the pattern e-mail me) to make him a special birthday gift!

Each of these boys is looking for people to show them love and kindness...let's work together and give it to them!

This fire truck quilt is for Zachary.  He likes John Deere and fire trucks.  I thought for sure that I had John Deere fabric in the house and I envisioned a reversible quilt but lo and behold not even a scrap of John Deere....so I went with the fire trucks.  I had fun with this one and my 2 year old son (who loves fire trucks) gave me some design advice.

And finally, have you seen the quilt ticker on the side bar??? 814 quilts my friends.  Can you believe it?  That number will be climbing to over 900 by the end of this month (we have two large giveaways coming up soon) and then we will celebrate! The celebration will continue until we reach the number that I never dreamed we would reach 1000 lives touched through a quilt in under 4 years! Only by God's grace and provision. So stayed tune for some celebration surprises!!

Recent Sewing

Thanks for all of the comments on the last post.  I feel a little bad about airing my dirty laundry on the blog--if you read here often you know that I try to keep things positive but this time I was having a pity party and I wanted some company blogged out of character.  I am back in character now and we are moving on....

So, here is what I have been up to lately.

In December I received the most amazing box of fabric from a very generous lady.  I used some of the scraps in the box to start this top.  I ran out of the grey Kona so until I can restock on that--it will stay this size.  I hope to add a few more rows to the width.

Although I prefer to use free patterns from the Internet--I do occasionally buy a quilt book.  In November I bought Cherry House's 'City Quilts' and I love every quilt in that book.

I tried out the City Sweets pattern on this 'Wrapped in Hope' quilt for a little girl named Naimbi.

She loves blue so I went with that and added the flower print to make it a little more girly.

Hope she likes it!

And this is what happens to quilts in my house.....

they become a playing surface for Josiah. 

I made this quilt in record time right before Christmas.  I had a special delivery to make on Christmas day to a woman named Connie.  I heard about Connie on the radio station I listen to. Connie has lived a very hard life--she has been abandoned by her family and is now living with a young family in the Grand Rapids area.  She has many health problems and she doesn't have health insurance (has been an illegal immigrant since she was 13).  The woman she lives with asked people in the community to help her give some Christmas presents to Connie.  As soon as I heard that Connie was blind I knew I wanted to make a quilt that was both beautiful to look at and beautiful to feel.  

I found fabrics that had different textures; voile, minky, and soft corduroy.

Together they made a wonderfully soft and warm quilt for Connie.

 And then on Christmas day my sister and I drove out to hand deliver it to Connie.  I tried to pull together a few Spanish words and tell Connie about the quilt-I failed miserably.  But she loved it spite of my terrible Spanish and immediately told us she would take it to her twice weekly trip to dialysis.
I hope that this quilt has and will bring HOPE and a measure of comfort to Connie's life.

And finally, I pieced this pink top together yesterday--I just love all of these prints.

Rejection

I received a little ironic rejection yesterday. I had requested to join a quilting bee Flickr group called 'do. Good Stitches--A Charity Quilting Bee'.  Based on what the description of the group said "Welcome! Let’s use our love for color, fabric and stitching to make quilts for children in need. This modern charity quilting bee requires members to be active on Flickr."  I thought that if there was an opening I would be an excellent match.  Evidently I was wrong.  This is the message I opened last night: 
"Your request to join do. Good Stitches {a Charity Bee} has been declined.

The group administrator gave the following reason:

I'm very sorry, but I don't feel that your quilting style , will fit in with the style of our bee. Wishing you the best! "

12 hours later I am cool with it but when I first read this I was sort of in a state of disbelief-feeling like I was back in High School again and I was being rejected for not being 'in' enough.  I don't want to sound too bitter and overdramatic here but I thought that the purpose of the group was to create quilts for kids in need--evidently there is a little more than that going on here.
So my friends, chin up--let's continue bringing HOPE and comfort to the people God leads to us--and rest assured--Margaret's Hope Chest will never decline a volunteer based on their 'quilting style'.  We love all of our volunteer's work!

A Gentle Reminder

Sometimes I wonder if what we are doing at MHC is really worth it.  

Sometimes I doubt that I am doing it the 'right' or 'best' way.  

Sometimes I am tired and think about quitting.

Sometimes I ask God to send me a sign to verify that this is HIS plan.

Well, I asked on Monday.

I got this e-mail today.

A gentle reminder to keep working hard.

Dear Margarets Hope Chest:  Your organization provided a quilt for my husband Rick, back in February 2009.  My husband had been diagnoised with Early On Set Alzheimers at the age of 53.  I can still see the smile on his face when he opened his package, a precious memory.  Shortly after I sent a thank you to you along with a picture of Rick and his quilt, the smile.....  Today, I've been going through things and low and behold, Rick's Quilt.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I'm sorry to inform you that I lost my husband, soul mate and best friend this past July 22, 2010.  Rick was only 56 years young. The joy in his eyes and smile upon his face after receiving your quilt will never be forgotten.  I'm sure as he looks down upon us all now, he remembers.  I'll never forget, the quilt will remain with me now as a precious memory of my husband and the wonderful thoughtful people in this world who give without question. Thank you again for your kindness and the happiness you brought to Rick and myself.  I hope 2011 will be a better year and I try and re-build my broken life.

WINNERS!!

Oh man.  

This giveaway was more than I expected.  96 comments--and almost each one of them followed the rules :) and 

gave us the name of a very deserving man who could use some HOPE and comfort.

It is hard for people like me to only pick one 'winner'.

I really wish we could pull an Oprah-type move and give a quilt to EVERYBODY. But 

that is not a choice.....

So that is why I called my mom (the keeper of the quilts) today and asked her how many man

quilts we have in our reserves.

Her answer was 4.

So we will be giving all 4 of those away--knowing that God will replace them soon.

Here are the 4 winners:

1. Shana said...

I would love to win this quilt for my Daddy. He has Alzheimers and Dementia and while he is in the beginning stages it is progressing fairly quickly and he is only 63. It breaks my heart that he will eventually not know us and I think having something tangible to hold onto may help comfort him when he truly becomes lost. Man, I really didn't want to write what I just wrote. Sometimes writing things makes them more real I guess. Anyway, This is a lovely giveaway and what a wonderful way to do it.

2. Amy said...

I know a man who recently lost his daughter in a fatal car accident in which he was the driver. He has had a difficult time grieving and could really use something to lift his spirits. I'm sure this blanket would help.

 3. Bree said...

This is an amazingly thoughtful giveaway!
My grandfather is my nominee. He's recently been moved to a fulltime veteran's nursing home and seperated from my grandmother, who still lives in their home. He has alzheimer's, and it has gone from managable to just terrible in the last year. He rarely remembers his age or anyone around him, but the things he loves right now are quilts and stuffed animals. He's reverted to a stage where he is basically like a child again, and plays with his stuffed animals all the time at the home. An extra cuddly quilt for him would mean both something special to cuddle with, and a tent to play with his stuffed animals under. Thank you for the chance to win - I know, reading these comments - that any of these entries will be a loving home for your quilt!

4.  ♥Lola said...

I'd want my grandpa to have thiss beautiful quilt. He is 97 years old, and recently had to move over 2 hours from his home. He hasn't been adjusting well. But I think something as beautiful and cozy as this, would help him a lot!

Thanks to all who entered and brought these wonderful, struggling, sad, and loved men to our attention.  If you nominated a man who didn't win--could I encourage you (if you already haven't) to send them a little note or work of encouragement this Christmas season?  I know it isn't a quilt--but it might be what gets them through another day!