An e-mail arrived last spring from Jade Sims, founder of Craft Hope, a project that matches sewing and craft projects with charities. I was thrilled to be asked to design a project for the Craft Hope book Jade is putting together for Lark (to be published next year).
Everything fell into place effortlessly. I was matched with the Ronald McDonald House and my quilt idea came to me immediately. I love I Spy quilts. It seemed the perfect gift for children that are experiencing lengthy hospital stays. A quilt that could provide not only warmth and comfort but a vehicle for a game to pass the time while waiting for and recovering from treatments.
The Craft Hope website organizes ongoing opportunities for making projects for charities. The current project partners with Margaret’s Hope Chest to make quilts for homeless children. Due November 15 so get on over there and get started! They’ve made my Lollipop Forest quilt pattern along with Malka Dubrawsky’s Take-Along-Quilt pattern available for use on this project (look in the Craft Hope sidebar for links to download the patterns).
I’m so glad to see the design surface early for such a meaningful project. Enjoy making for a cause!
awesome kathy! thanks for donating your wonderful pattern, i’m sure it’s going to find homes in some wonderfully deserving places. you are incredible!
What a cute take on an I Spy quilt. Love it! And it’s even more special that it was designed for a great purpose. Nice!
Wonderful.
this is such a great idea!
Super cute quilt!
I nee to get mine finished to send too – and that pattern is amazing – love the borders!!
Oh I love this quilt! The colors are beautiful and I love the borders. Congratulations on your project and being included in the book. I look forward to it coming out!
I love it! And I’ve been collecting fabric for a few years to make some I Spy quilts but haven’t found a pattern I liked. This one might be it!
Lorrie
That quilt is gorgeous! I love a good I spy quilt myself. My daughter was given one (Project Linus) when she was almost two and having heart surgery and five years later she still loves her I Spy quilt. I think I may have to make one of yours!
That is just darling!
I love eye spy quilts! I am working on one right now for my son in a snowball pattern. Thanks for sharing this pattern.
I really do love this sweet pattern Kathy. I’m def going to make one when my time gets a little free-er.
If I didn’t already say it before, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH for all the photos you uploaded to share. I really enjoyed looking at them all! Can’t wait for the new stuff to start rollin’ in.
Craft Hope sounds like such a wonderful project. I have quite a few scraps left over from my girl quilt — I should probably give serious thought to yours and Malka’s projects.
this one’s supercute!
Do I spy some goldfishes in plastic-bags?
Hi Kathy, Your quilt is lovely! I’m sure the lucky child is blessed to receive it!
I’m curious: how do you baste your quilt? Do you use safety pins or quilting spray?
Thanks!
Have a great day!
Bernie
Bernie: I pin baste. Here’s a link to a post I did some time ago that shows how I tape to my floor and then safety pin the layers: http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2006/06/12/mr-es-quilt-machine-quilting/
I tried the spray once but it was really messy for me. I don’t have a good clean area with ventilation so I tried doing it inside with the doors open and it created a huge mess! Also, the fumes stayed with the quilt the whole time I was working on it, yuck. I’m somewhat sensitive to fumes so I’m not even sure why I did that at all
I read on my quilt designer’s yahoo group that a lot of designers like to use Hobbs Heirloom Fusible Batting for small projects. I’m planning to give this a try soon. In some ways I like the rhythm of pin basting a quilt but it sure takes a toll on my legs having to sit on the floor to do it!
Kathy, This is so clever and cute. What a great charity to contribute to.
beautiful quilt for a wonderful project!! i’ve had the opportunity to volunteer @ the local ronald mcdonald house here in philly a few times & it is a great organization!
I have had the “My Paris Traveler’s Bag” pattern and your beautiful postcard sitting on my desk for at least a week or two now waiting for me to write you and thank you for the giveaway. I’m looking forward to making the bag, probably after Christmas. Your quilted Christmas tree hot pads are inspiring me to dig out my Christmas fabrics and get sewing.
Thanks again for the lovely giveaway.
Lorrie
this is beautiful! part of the project improv quilts will be heading for craft hope too!