I recently decided that I am going to give away all but my most favorite and special quilts. They are just sitting around in piles and I think there are a myriad of opportunities for donating them. My kids obviously aren't particularly interested! (remember the story of me finding a lot of quilts in my daughter's closet freeze-dried, or vacuum packed!!) vbg
I've made two for the Quilts of Valor program, but they were made especially for that goal.
I also sent one recently to a blogger who has connections with patients in her hospital. I'm going to send her more. In the past, I've sent some to friends to use in a charity they're involved in.
Someone recently sent me a link to her favorite charity, which sounds very interesting.
So I'm asking you for links and/or information about the charity you most prefer for donating quilts to. And what are your feelings about donating a quilt to charity?? My guess is that everyone will be up for it but might feel at a loss as to where to send them. My friend Claire could write a book about donating quilts as she is truly the queen of doing that.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Oh and there's another giveaway:
How'd you like to win the book "Pieced Hexies Deux" by Mickey Depre??
Leave me your name and I'll draw a winner on Sunday! I've never opened the book and am happy to have it relocated to someone who will use it!
I love to give quilts to my patients at the hospital!! Most turn out wonderfully, but just one turned out not so well...most use them and carry them to appointments and chemo treatments.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a chance to make anything to donate here yet but the M.D. Anderson Ovarian Cancer Quilt Project seems a worthy cause.
ReplyDeleteBarbara at Stash Overflow
I too have found the quilts I gave my kiddos rolled tightly and stuck in the upper part of their linen closet!! So...what to do with all the quilts? I am with you...give them away!
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet reached the point where there are unused quilts just hanging around the house and my list of family who would like a new quilt is still long. Also I coordinate a small quilt ministry group with several friends at our church and we make chemo quilts, disaster relief quilts for fire victims, and are embarking on a new mission making quilts for a local pregnancy center.
ReplyDeleteThe local women's shelter is a wonderful place to donate quilts. Most times the women and children had to leave their home on a moments notice so have almost nothing. A quilt and pillow cases are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance at the book. I haven't done EPP but it looks like fun nd addictive.
Recently my quilts have been going to cancer patients under going chemo. Usually they know one or more of our night guild members. I got asked today at work if I would donate a quilt to Rachel who has under gone a double mastectomy, had to retire early. There is a happy retirement party to be scheduled. Of course I said YES! Does my heart Good!!!
ReplyDeleteOur guild makes quilts so that every child that goes into foster care, Has a quilt to go with them. Every meeting there is a pile waiting to go to the Children Service office.
ReplyDeleteI would love another way to use hexies. This book sounds right up my alley. I make hexies all the time. Our quilt guild gives "we care quilts" to many local worthy causes such as hospice, seniors homes and community care for children. Wherever your quilts go it is so good to know that they will be useful and very much appreciated. I feel very strongly that quilts are meant to be worn out with love.
ReplyDeleteMy quilt guild donates quilts to our local nursing home, newborns in the hospital, foster care children. Check out this blog that is asking for donations to several different charities. http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/ Her Hands2Help program starts soon. She also has giveaways I think. At least your daughter was preserving your quilts, I made my sister a quilt and she gave it to her dog.
ReplyDeleteOur little quilting group in our small town used to make 'Warm Hugs' quilts and give them out to someone locally in need....losing a spouse, house fire, chemo, etc. We kept them local....there is so much need right in your own town! Our little group stopped meeting a few years back, but I try and get a few made every summer for the cause, and leave them at the town office....those town clerk girls know everyone and everything that is happening; so they're ready for the next person needing a Warm Hug! :o)
ReplyDeleteA guild I used to belong to made quilts for police to carry in the trunks of their patrol cars. Whenever they had to remove a child from a dangerous situation, that child would get a quilt to snuggle in.
ReplyDeleteThere's also VA facilities, group homes, Honor Flights.
How's that for a few ideas?
I give quilts, sometimes, to others than my boys. I like to bring them to the second hand store, (the quilts, not the boys!) here in my hometown. The money raised go to the food bank so it's a win/win situation. I love the story behind the Victoria Quilts who gives to cancer patients. I also love the Project Linus for the children's hospital. My son needed emergency surgery about 5 years ago and he received a beautiful crochet blanket from Project Linus. I haven't donate to either of these worthy cause but I know I will because I am lucky enough to have healthy children and well ... don't want to think about the other one.
ReplyDeleteWould love a chance to win Michael Dupre's book. Awesome! Thank you so much.
;^)
We have a local women's home that provides living space for teen mothers and their children that is grateful for quilts to welcome their new residents. I had to laugh when you said you hadn't even opened the book....a sure sign it needs to be re-homed, lol!
ReplyDeleteI've donated lots of quilts, mostly to Home of the Brave (now pretty much defunct I think and hope) and Quilts of Valor. But have also donated to the Fisher House at the VA hospital and baby quilts to the local county hospital. I volunteer at the Ronald McDonald house but have found that their 'quilt closet' is FULL as is the one at the VA hospital. That's been my finding--there are SO MANY wanting to donate that they are absolutely flooded with quilts! I guess there are many places quilters donate to that have a 'quilt stash' much like many of our fabric stashes.
ReplyDeleteMost of my donations have been through a quilt guild. In Texas, we donated to Children's hospital in Dallas, where one of our members used to work. Now, the guild I belong to in OR is beginning to donate to a hospice operating in this area. Also, there is a memory care center in town that asked for quilts to hang on their walls, so I usually hang a few there and then change them out after a few months, but I'm planning on just leaving some there as well. The quilt piles are growing and the walls can only contain so many - of course I rotate them. I'm making some queen size quilts that will go to grandchildren when they get married. So far only one is married and another one is in college. The other 3 are 6, 8 and 8, but I want to have quilts made in case I kick the bucket before they get married. I have one in that is all pieced and ready to put together. However, I would be interested in other donation options as well. I made a QOV last year and may do more of those eventually - depending on how long my stash lasts (it will last pretty long since I keep acquiring more fabric).
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of ideas in these comments! That is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you! I donate a lot of quilts each year, but most are to local groups so I won't chime in with any actual names. My local guild gives to the Firehouse we meet at, Children's wards of hospitals, homeless shelters, oncology units and veteran's organizations. The two national groups we have used are "Wrap a Smile" and "Project Linus". All others are local. Have fun with your placements!
ReplyDeleteI have worked for years with Allstar Quilters for Kids, an outreach group with PVQA. We support agencies in the community that service children in need in our community, and the need is great. Currently, we are working toward two camps this spring, one for the families of children with cancer, through Jacob's Heart and the other a camp for abused or neglected children, through Royal City Church. We will gladly get any quilts you wish to donate into the hands of needy children
ReplyDeleteI've sent a few to Ronald McDonald House. If ever there were kids that needed some comfort, it's those that utilize the Ronald McDonald House.
ReplyDeleteThe Rescue Mission - Womens and Children Shelter is my favorite place to donate.
ReplyDeleteMary House of Hospitality
ReplyDeletehttp://themaryhouse.org/
"Mary House of Hospitality offers weekend hospitality to low-income women and families visiting inmates in the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Oxford, WI.
As a Federal prison, FCI Oxford houses inmates from throughout the United States, and many families must travel long distances in order to visit. It’s rural location and lack of public transportation make visiting especially difficult for many families."
My guild makes lap quilts for hospice, Ronald McDonald House and a woman's shelter.
ReplyDeleteI make tons of quilts every year for the wounded warriors, veterans and soldier's babies at Ft. Leonard Wood. And.....I love Mickey Dupre's hexie technique and would enjoy that book, too!
ReplyDeleteI have not done this yet but, when I am tired of looking at a quilt I am going to donate it to an organization which holds a raffle or other fund raising benefit for them to make money from it and (I feel) the item will go to someone who actually wants it. If they bid on it, they must like and want it, right? My donation day will be coming soon. I've seen pictures of Mickey's hexies and they are gorgeous. Would like a chance to try one of her designs.
ReplyDeleteI belong to two quilting groups and quilt with family members. We donate all the time to local hospitals for their hospice rooms and for the neonatal nursery for when the babies go home, and to Project Linus, or any time we hear of families who've lost a home to disaster, etc. It kind of gives us permission to make more quilts! I've been coveting that book about hexies... :-)
ReplyDeleteOne of my sewing goals for the year is to learn hexies. I would love to win this book.
ReplyDelete