At Long Last

Do have every have things in your life that you just want to give up on?

That is how I have felt about the pictures from the Prison giveaways.

I have been waiting for some of these pictures since September.

I have e-mailed, and called, and e-mailed,

and asked in person, and e-mailed

and e-mailed.

And finally, finally I am able to share pictures with you of the 3 prison giveaways that I was able to travel to last year. 

Your quilts traveled with me.

Your quilts went home with these precious children as a gift from their mom or dad.

A mom or dad they don't get to see.

I want to cry for joy and sadness when I think of that.

I like how one of the volunteers put it--'these quilts are like big hugs from your grandma--her
love still on earth'
That makes me want to cry for joy and sadness too.

The adults that you see in green t-shirts are the inmates--they look like normal everyday people don't they? Yeah, I have learned that over the past year of visiting prisons....

There really isn't too much separating us.

And look at these happy faces?

Makes it all worth it.

We are going back to these prisons later this year (August) and would love to take a quilt or two along from you.

Boy-themed or girl-themed

40X60inches (approximately)

Made with love.

WIP Wednesday

 

 Trying to think of a pattern that would fit well with these 'peace' themed fabrics.

Finished my very first 'Hannah Montana' themed birthday quilt top--now on to adding a border and quilting it.

Back in the Saddle

I didn't quilt this weekend.

Did you read that carefully?

I didn't quilt this weekend--actually, I didn't quilt from Thursday-Sunday.

4 days.

I am still in state of disbelief myself.

You see, aside from being who I am here

I am a mother

and a wife

and an occasional worship leader at my church.

A few months ago I agreed (volunteered ?) to go to a worship conference

in Grand Rapids this past weekend.

Well, the date crept up on me and before I knew what had happened it was last week Thursday and I was waking up at 5am and driving 6 hours to my alma mater Calvin College.

To say I was completely unprepared for this conference would be the understatement of the year.

I sat down in my first seminar on Thursday morning--Faith Formation in Children-- and the leader said "Please take out your Bible and turn to blah, blah (I don't remember what passage but it isn't important)"

Um....

I didn't bring my Bible.

Worse than that, it never even crossed my mind to bring my Bible.

Needless to say, it took the first day to wipe my mind clear of everything else--(read-quilting)

and concentrate on what God would have me learn in other areas of my life besides quilting :)

An added bonus of the weekend was that I was able to spend 4 days with the worship coordinator from our church who I knew before the weekend but didn't really know.

I now have eyes to see how important this time was for her

I have now gained a new wonderful sister in Christ.

But, the weekend is over and I am back in the saddle here at MHC.

While I was gone 

God was busy stirring hearts to service and you are never going to believe the number of available children on our 'Wrapped in Hope' Birthday list.....

36

Huh? How did that happen??

On January 19 we had 86 kids available---50 kids have been taken in less than two weeks.

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

You all are making my job so easy and enjoyable!

I'm Not Sure How It Happened but......It's Wednesday Again

I can't believe it is Wednesday again.

My weeks fly by.

Thank goodness I am joining Lee at Freshly Pieced each week

or I might never believe or remember that I get anything done.

I have finished my quilt top from last week--

a birthday quilt for Nichole.

I did ask for suggestions on quilting--and then had the nerve to completely ignore all suggestions and do my own large scale meander stitch.  I was running out of time and panicked. I was afraid if I did something unique I would miss my deadline.

 Next, I made these 3 bags for the beginning of my Craft Hope donation.

They are collecting birth kits for mothers in Haiti.  Since I was blessed enough to have had 4 wonderfully clean and modern births (3 in the US and 1 in Canada) I committed to making 4 of these sets for Craft Hope.  Have you had a clean and comfortable birth in the US or Canada (or elsewhere)?

Consider making a few of these kits. Here is what needs to be in each kit.

Contents of safe birthing kit:

1 small bar of soap (updated 1/16/2011)
1 piece of clean plastic sheeting (3 feet wide by 4 feet long)
1 piece of clean string, 24 inches long
1 packet alcohol wipe
1 set of sterile latex gloves
1 packet (or travel container) Purelle
1 handmade tote bag

Optional:
receiving blanket–36 inches square
small “stuffy” toy

The bags are just the first step--I need to make receiving blankets and collect the other needed supplies.  The deadline is March 1st so I think I have left myself enough time.

 

And finally, I am sending out these bundles of 4 inch squares for an 'I Spy' swap hosted by FabriKate.

I am sending out 200 and getting 200 back--I love to see the fun variety of kids fabrics out there!

A New Home for Some Baby Quilts

Today, 12 of the baby quilts that our volunteers have made traveled to new homes.

Each was chosen by a dad who is currently in prison at the Western Youth Institution in Morganton North Carolina.  Each quilt was carefully wrapped around a baby that spent 6 precious hours with a father they hardly know.

Each quilt became a special gift to a child--a concrete symbol of comfort and love. 

I was unable to go to the prison this time but I know that Forgiven Ministries, who went into the prison to share Jesus' love with 12 young dads (this prison houses 13-22 year olds)  told them about Margaret's Hope Chest and our story of pain, forgiveness and HOPE.

We do accept baby quilts for uses such as this--we are running a little low right now so please consider donating one to us.  E-mail Carin if you need a mailing address.

W.I.P. Wednesday

What is one way to brighten up a dreary winter week?? Collect the brightest cat prints and solids you can find and go to work.  This is my work in progress this week

and I have shared over on Lee's blog-- Freshly Pieced

Lee is a friend of Margaret's Hope Chest--she is making a quilt for Wrapped in Hope

and I was the Grand Prize winner of her Sew Mama Sew Giveaway.

I can't believe I forgot to share my big win on the blog--it must have been the excitement of the holidays.

Actually, I think I only entered her contest because there was actual skill involved because after entering a million other contests I have finally realized that the random number generator does not like me or my comment--EVER. 

Please don't think less of me when you read my entry--quilters can have a sense of humor too :)!

Do you have something you are working on that would could link up at her blog.  Get some feedback and support from others quilters!

 This quilt top will soon be a completed quilt for Nichole from Texas will be 12 on February 12--hey I just realized it is her golden birthday this year! She likes pink/black and cats and as you can see I took that quite seriously.  She is on our 'Wrapped in Hope' birthday list which, by the way, has only 86 available kids left.  Hurry and grab one before they are all gone (am I sounding like a broken record yet?)!

So, here is a question:  How would you suggest I quilt this?  Straight lines, meander-stitch, swirls?

I love this top and it is brightening my house this week--and I don't even like cats!

'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!