December 8th Work Day

We awoke to a covering of snow this day.  Broke the record of 279 days since the last snow way back in the early part of the year.  But that didn't stop the quilters from coming to work on this Saturday.  Speaking of years - this was the last Hope Quilters work day for 2012.   The next work day is January 12, 2013.  Looking forward to seeing you.

There are many pictures from the December work day.  We now have quilts completed for three more rooms at Okoboji Christopherhaus dorm.  An additional three rooms of quilts are nearly complete.

 We're making four or five quilts for each room, coordinating the colors, or the patterns, or the borders. 

 These are a few of the quilts going to Okoboji.





We need batting.  Lots and lots of batting for our mission projects.

Using several tables along with some chairs, we get the batting cut to size to fit the quilts.  Big scissors, big tape measures and teaming make the job easier. 

These quilts now have backing, batting, binding and are ready to be quilted.  They'll be donated to a local Domestic Violence Center.  There are baby sized up to large twin sized quilts in this group.

 

More quilts that members made for various missions.  God has blessed Hope Quilters with many talented quilters.

 More quilts that members made for the various missions we serve.  God is certainly here among us, guiding us to use our talents to make these beautiful quilts. 

 We don't know who will wrap up in these quilts, but just knowing that someone in need will be kept warm is what motivates us to make them.

 

And we still use the floor when necessary.  Trying out the backing to make sure it fits the top.  Need enough extra for the binding, too. 

 

November Work Day

Saturday, November 10th

Who could believe we’d have 60’s and 70’s in the middle of November in Iowa?  A few of us stayed inside and worked on various quilting projects even though the mild weather beckoned us outside.

 The second Mentor Iowa quilt donation is nearly finished.  It's very bright with the orange backing.  The top is batiks, pieced by Jody E., who also added the binding.  Several HQers worked on finishing sewing the binding down.

We utilize the floor when we have to, as in laying out enough fabrics to make up a backing for another quilt.   This backing will need to be pieced to be large enough. 





Several more beautiful quilts in progress.
 

Next work day is Saturday, December 8th at 8:30 a.m.
 

 

 

October Work Day

This work day found us accepting several new projects along with working on our existing ones.  New members attended, including several teens - Welcome to Hope Quilters!   Everyone was busy as shown in the pictures.  It always helps to have another pair of hands to sew bindings and labels on, or to help pin-baste a quilt (three or more tables pushed together helps, too). 

             Pin-basting another quilt
Sewing the binding on

               Selecting fabric for binding
Cutting squares for
flying geese blocks


We're excited to work with One Body Adult Special Ministries group at Hope.  One Body Adult provides opportunities for adults with special needs to access worship and discipleship opportunities.  Cindy G. who is on staff at Hope attended and explained what the group is doing during the 31 weeks of "The Story".  A small group of quilters, led by Sara H. will work with them to design and make a quilt with their pictoral interpretations of "The Story".   God has once again put His hand on people as we reach out to share the love of Jesus Christ with each other.

Quilt Retreat - after surveying the members, it has been decided to have the next Hope Quilters retreat in Valley Junction at The Heart of Iowa Quilting on February 15th and 16th.  More information and details will be sent out as we get closer to the dates.  Space is limited to 20 people.  Please let Linda B. know if you're interested in attending so you can be on the list.

The Des Moines Interfaith Hospitality Network, of which Lutheran Church of Hope is a Host Congregation, requested a quilt for their upcoming fund raising auction in November.   We have donated two quilts towards this effort.  They are pictured here.
Both of these quilts have Psalms printed in some of the blocks.  They're from Block Party Studios Quilt Shop.

Mentor Iowa had also requested quilts for their auction which will be held early in 2013.  One quilt has been completed, a second one is in progress.

The quilts we've committed to making for the Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp Christopherhaus dorm are coming along.  Four quilts have been completed and will be delivered to the camp in the next week by a Hope member.  Others are in various stages of completion, several tops have been finished and are waiting to be quilted and bound.  The camp coordinator supplied us with room nos. and the no. and sizes of quilts needed for each room.  Eight small groups of quilters are working on quilts for specific rooms. 

We're continuing to make smaller quilts for Mission Rio Grande for use in the Cristo Rey Lutheran Church community in El Paso, TX.  Some of these quilts will be given to the children in Juarez Mexico as needed.  The date for the mission trip next fall is still to be determined, so we have plenty of time to complete these quilts.

Our commitment to Mercy Hospital Pediatric ICU continues, and several quilters brought in quilt tops for this project.  We've had information that one of the quilts we took to the PICU was used for a friend of a Hope Quilter / Hope member.  She visited the young boy who was a patient and he had one of the quilts on his bed.  Sad to report he died.  His parents were given the quilt.  We pray this gives them some measure of support at this difficult time. 

Next work day is November 10th.

September 8th Work Day

We had a good group of Hope Quilters for the September work day.  Several new members were welcomed.  Be watching for an email from Linda B. regarding a Hope Quilters Retreat for early 2013.  Your response will be important in determining the date and location. 

After devotions and a short somewhat short business meeting, we got down to work on the Ghana Altar Cloths, the Okoboji housing unit quilts, cutting batting for completed quilt tops (they're now ready to be quilted).  A couple of Hope Quilters have even begun working on Riverside and Okoboji Bible Camp 2013 Auction quilts.  Others are working on baby/child sized quilts for the fall 2013 Mission Rio Grande.

The Ghana Altar Cloths need to be made a little larger than originally planned.  A couple of teams made good progress on their cloths, taking them home to complete sewing the pieces together.

Eight quilt tops have been completed for the Okoboji housing project.  The batting was measured and cut; they're now ready to be quilted.  One quilt top is finished for the 2013 Bible Camp Auction.  It's delightful to see the different quilt tops being made out of the scraps and sometimes not so pleasing fabrics.  Once they're put into blocks and then sewn together, they become beautiful quilts.

The group is having a good time working together in small groups of two to five for the various projects. 
It's wonderful to watch all of the creative quilters here, each bringing their talents to these projects.  Here is a sampling of their work.

 

Please note we've moved Hope Quilters October work day to the 20th to allow us to attend the

Women's Conference - Among Friends being held October 12 - 13 at Hope

September Work Day

The next work day is Saturday, September 8th at 8:30 a.m.  Bring your sack lunch and drink.  We'll be working on several projects, individually and in groups.  Projects include the altar cloths for the new Ghana churches, quilts for the housing units at Okoboji Bible Camp, quilts for 2013 Mission Rio Grande, and the 2013 Bible camp auctions.  There is something for everyone - sewing quilt tops and altar cloths, designing patterns for the quilts, cutting fabrics, ironing fabrics or just observing Hope Quilters in action.  All are welcome here, you don't have to be a member of Hope or the quilting group to attend.  If you like to "quilt", we have a number of quilt tops ready to be quilted - either on domestic or long arm machines. 

August Work Day

Fourteen Hope Quilters, including several new members, worked on a number of projects during the August 11th Work Day.  The results of the recent Okoboji and Riverside Bible Camp Auctions were recapped.  A card from Mercy Hospital Pediatric ICU was read, thanking Hope Quilters for the recent donation of quilts.
 
Okoboji Bible Camp has remodeled one of their housing buildings and asked if Hope Quilters would be willing to make quilts for these rooms.  After discussion, the attending Hope Quilters members decided to take on this project.  There will be a total of 53 quilts to make in several sizes - there are bunk beds, twin beds and a queen size bed.  Several quilters gathered together and decided which quilts they would make.

Mission Rio Grande would like to have  baby quilts for the mission at Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in El Paso, TX.  This mission primarily supports a low income Hispanic area of El Paso, but also serves the Juarez Mexico area.  Several members will start making these quilts.

We've completed eight quilts for Cornerstone of Hope Orphanage in Benin City, Nigeria and they will be given to Eric Idehen to take on his next trip later this month.  Four of these quilts are specific to children currently living in the orphanage.  The other four will be given to new children as they're brought to the orphanage.  Quilt labels have been attached to all, and the unnamed quilts can be personalized as they're needed.

Two existing quilt tops, donated by a LCOH member, will be quilted by Hope Quilters members.  These are the first quilts designated for the 2013 Bible Camp Auctions.

We've held up making any additional altar cloths for Ghana until the sizes can be confirmed.  The mission team is currently in Ghana and will return this coming week.  We'll resume making these at the next meeting on September 8th.

Learning a new technique

A HQ member explained how to make a small quilt using a quilt-as-you go method.  A very quick method to make smaller quilts.  She had two different quilts to show, one with square blocks and one with strips.

2012 Riverside & Okoboji Quilt Auctions

The Quilt Auctions are annual fund raising events that provide assistance for campers to attend summer camp.   These pictures show some of the quilts made by Hope Quilters that were auctioned on Saturday, August 4th.

Here are views of quilts on display for the silent auction as people were making their bids for these smaller quilts.  The silent auction also had a number of bags, table runners and other small items.

Mercy Pediatric ICU Quilts are Delivered

Jan Mackey and the PICU staff at Mercy Hospital accepted the 52 quilts made by Hope Quilters.  Jan sent a note back thanking Hope Quilters for the thoughtfulness and for the long hours everyone put in making these quilts for their special children and families.  We'll continue to support this effort by making a few more quilts each year as the supply is depleted.  Pray that doesn't happen for a while and there are fewer children in the PICU needing the specialized medical care.

Hope Quilters and My Brother's Keeper

As many of you know, when Hope Quilters has fabrics that are not suited for the mission quilts we make, nothing goes to waste.  All of those kinds of fabrics as well as smaller pieces we don't use in our Ezekiel quilt blocks are gathered and taken to My Brother's Keeper in Prairie City, Iowa.  Here a dedicated group of people prepare the "discarded" fabrics and make them into bedding for the homeless - often known as "ugly quilts", which are sleeping bags given to the homeless who have nothing warm to sleep in or under.  Websites to check out what this organization does (here in Iowa as well as many other states); www.thesleepingbagproject.org   www.uglyquilts.org 
Locally - The Christian Ministry Center, 207 North Hobson, Prairie City, IA or EDMBKQG@msn.com

We had the bed of a full size pick-up truck filled.  Then we filled the intake entrance to the local My Brother's Keeper building.  The group who make the "ugly quilts" as well as other items meet Mondays from 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.  Over 20 shelters in the Des Moines area, other states and other countries are the recipients of these wonderful blankets, comforters, pillows, etc., including men's, womens', youth and family shelters; individuals living under bridges; tornado victims . . . the list goes on and on.