Saturday, October 20, 2012

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.