Quilting for Peace: Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time by Katherine Bell is a beautiful book. It has a soul that will touch you much more profoundly than you might anticipate at first. It inspires by documenting the movement that has existed since women first started creating with needle and thread: the incredible generosity of quilters and sewists who create to comfort, aid and help those in need.
The format of the book features an in depth look at 25 charity organizations. Grass roots initiatives that started with a single person that had a simple idea and felt compelled to follow it. I especially enjoyed the interviews where the group’s organizer shared that single moment in time where they felt their mission was revealed to them.
Instructions for 15 detailed quilt and sewing projects are included. The book contains contact information on how to participate in each project. A guide I found to be educational, inspiring, and practical.
The projects themselves are gorgeous. Amazing photography. Thorough project instructions. And oh so doable! The categories include Community Quilting, Wartime Quilting, Quilting for Kids, and Quilting to Change the World. The majority of projects are quilts but it also includes Mirabel the Owl, a Bib and Matching Burb Bloth for newborns, and a Sleeping Bag for the homeless made from recycled textiles.
I’ve always been a true believer that my hopes, dreams and well wishes for the recipient transfer themselves into the stitches of my quilts. It was uplifting to read this book and be reminded of how universal that sentiment is amongst us all. Quilting for Peace celebrates how profoundly lucky we are to possess our love of sewing and a desire to share that gift with others.
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I’ll be giving away one copy of Quilting for Peace (donated by the publisher Stewart, Tabori & Chang). 20 sets (4 fabrics each) of fat eighths of Little Folks Voile by Anna Maria Horner (donated by Pink Chalk Fabrics) bundled with a promotional notepad for Anna Maria’s new book Handmade Beginnings (donated by Wiley).
Leave a comment telling me about your favorite charity sewing project. This is a quickie. You have 24 hours! I’ll draw the winners Tuesday morning. Winners selected here, congratulations and Happy Holidays!
My favorite group is Newborns in Need, with chapters all over the US. We made layettes for demise babies as well as sending each newborn home from the hospital with a quilt.
I participated in Sew, Mama, Sew’s baby caps project last year, and it was amazing. I really need to join in for another charity sewing project again!
I just participated in a sewing activism thing at my church, where we made parachutes to drop supplies and bibles to people who need them but are in parts of countries in South America that are held by Geurilla Forces, making it impossible for aid workers and missionaries to get through. We actually sewed these little mini parachutes, like the ones I used to make for my Barbies when I was little. Though slightly bigger and made of old bedsheets, instead of my dad’s old hankies!
This is such a great giveaway. I don’t participate in a formal charity, but when my beloved dog died, I started making small quilts to donate to the local dog shelter in his memory. The dogs sleep on them, and when they get adopted, the quilts go to their new homes with them, too. I like to think that it’s comforting for them.
There is a charity that does a very similar program, called Project Snuggles, I believe.
Ah — I just sent that book to my MIL but would love to have a copy for myself…
I enjoy making quilts for all sorts of charities, but I guess my favorite at the moment is “Blankies for Grownups” here in the San Francisco Bay area; they provide quilts for (mostly) women who are undergoing treatment for cancer. The woman who runs the organization is totally dedicated!
I love the Project Linus program. I plan on starting some quilts for this very soon, as well as some baby quilts for my local hospital.
I haven’t sewn anything for charity yet, but I’d like to very much. When I was little, I had to go to the emergency room and get stitches. While I was there, someone at the hospital gave me a few handmade stuffed animals, and they took my mind off things and helped me get better. So I’d like to pass that feeling on to someone else who is hurt or afraid or lonely.
I’m not completely clear on who sponsors this project–perhaps e-Quilter.com?–but my mother and I have made four quilts for Ethiopian orphans. The quilts are one of the only personal belongings most of the children possess. If you want to see a truly beautiful sight, visit the Flickr set–it features the children receiving their quilts.
This isn’t a charity per-se, but what immediately came to mind is the America’s 9-11 Memorial Quilts Project. It’s amazing how powerful a message quilts can convey, and they can convey so much! You can’t see these and not feel a very strong sense of emotion – it’s very powerful. Quilting for others is a very beautiful way to communicate.
I made a toddler sized quilt for a Craft Hope project last year. It was sent to an orphanage in India. I am following their blog and when I get a chance to breathe, I will probably sew something for one of their other projects in the future.
Hello!
I’ve made quilts for Project Linus and for the Snuggles Project. I want to make more!
Thanks for the giveaway! I’ve wanted this book for a while now!
I’ve made things for several different charities, but I really loved making receiving blankets and hats for children in Haiti through Craft Hope.
My favorite charity sewing project, is the one my partners and myself makes quilts for poor schools or high schools and after they bid on them. Some use to make the blocks, other get worry about the sandwich and quilting and the final group needs to make the binding, I love this kind of work, btw, it’s a quickie and already crowded, lol
Definitely Project Linus. What great ideas listed here!
I have made quilts for Project Linus and have taught kids at the school where I teach to sew by making Project Linus quilts. Kids love to do things for other kids! I also knit and donate scarves to various groups in my area.
What a wonderful book! I helped to make a cathedral windows quilt for our outreach section of guild, which is something that I’ve always wanted to learn!
Project Linus: we did it with my Girl Scout troop and the girls loved it!
Each austral winter, staff working at McMurdo Station, a scientific research station in Antarctica, make a quilt. At the end of the winter season, it is donated to a charity in New Zealand. Quilting is a wonderful way to build community during the long isolated winter months, where it is dark 24 hours a day and there’s no flights to or from the continent.
Looks like a wonderful book. I have made charity premie quilts for a local hospital and also children’s quilts for a domestic violence shelter this year. Last month I made a childs quilt for the shelter hoping it would bring some joy in a child’s life for Christmas. These kids leave their homes to escape without anything, so I’m happy to help out by making them a quilt they can wrap up in. Thanks for this generous giveaway.
Thanks for your great giveaways and fantastic blog! Love all of the great ideas. I am also very interested in the Charity projects! This book looks like a great resource.
We’ve made Project Linus blankets, lap quilts for the elderly, travel pillowcases for hospitalized children, and in January wer’re starting a prayer shawl project.
Our church makes lap quilts for elderly in nursing homes.
anna maria is also one of my favorite bloggers! her favorite is so sweet and joyful! have you seen her moment on martha stewart?
I’ve knit for soldiers in Iraq and mittens for the developmentally disabled. I like to knit scarves and have them on hand for Christmas giving trees. Wish I had more time to knit for charity. (That owl pattern looks adorable!)
Hi Kathy – my favorite is a group that presented at a group on Vashon. I can’t remember the names of anyone – but the woman who started the charity madet he most amazing quilts for injured vetrans – some of the most beautiful work i’ve seen.
I’m so very new to quilting so I have not been involved in any charity quilting groups. However, I became aware of Project Linus when my sister-in-law had her twins (at 45!) and was given some wonderful blankets when her babes were in the NICU. I just think it is a wonderful group! Merry Christmas and I wanted to take this chance to tell you how much I enjoy your blog!
I have given to Project Linus before but I also love this local (or at least I think its local) organization here in Omaha called Conkerr Cancer. They make pillowcases for children in the hospital. What a great idea for a book!
My favorite charity sewing is Love Quilts, a beautiful project of making cross stitch quilts to sick kids. I’ve participated for years of brazilian project, it’s so rewarding.
Hello and Merry Christmas!
And it’s a great way to be part of a community of crafters without even leaving your home – which is great for a homebody like me!! Best wishes to you for a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Look at all these loving quilters and crafters!! The blogging world is a wonderful place to learn about the generosity of crafters – worldwide – it just amazes me. What a beautiful book – Mirabel would be perfect for a Toy Society drop! I have contributed to Quilts for Kids, Craft Hope, The Toy Society and organized Terry’s Quilt this past fall. I am also working on squares for Cancer is Sew Done and am waiting for your donated fabric from Simone for her project in the Netherlands. It doesn’t take much time to put together a few blocks or a quilt top – versus the feeling you get from contributing. There’s nothing like it – it gives you such a warm peaceful feeling deep in the heart
laurie
I haven’t had the opportunity to make anything for charity yet (let me rephrase that, I haven’t had the opportunity to FINISH anything for charity yet), but I do plan to get a few things to our local Children’s Hospital (my daughter spent quite a bit of time there) and few quilts for Quilts of Valor, once things settle down in our house with my daughter. Hopefully in the new year!
I have sewn for my boys school charity. We got the fabric from various shops and made small projects at home. Small bags, skirts… that were sold at a happening in school.
I loved sewing Christmas placemats for our local Meals on Wheels. Last year our sewing group made over 60 and we had such a great response. It was such a joy to do
I am making quilts for a twin baby boy and girl,
their parents are friends of us.
the little boy will not get older than 2 years.
He has a verry rare illness an has a lot of pain.
I can not imagine how difficult it is for his parents
to know that your little on wont be there in a few years.
Thank you for the generous giveaway!!
Linda, the Netherlands
I have the book and was inspired to make morsbags to use in lieu of wrapping paper. The book is beautiful – i want to get a copy for my mom. Thanks for the giveaway and happy holidays.
I hope it isn’t too late!! I would love to be entered in the giveaway–the owl is TOO CUTE! I’ve read so many blogs where quilts, quilt tops, or even blocks were requested so that those in need can have something warm and comforting during difficult times. There is not a doubt in my mind that the spirit of a quilter is rooted in generosity.
Project Linus is great.
So many wonderful ideas! We sewed little blankets for our operation Christmas child shoeboxes this year.
the charity I’ve heard of but never had the opportunity to be a part of is making a rag doll or stuffed friend for orphanages in third world countries.