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.

July Work Day

Wow what a great Hope Quilters weekend!  Two very busy but productive days.  On Friday we pulled out our fabric carts and also brought in a large amount of donated fabrics that had been stored at one quilter's home, the most recent donation of fabrics came from Kathy who brought her mother's "stash".  We are thankful to them for these fabrics and have already used some of them for the Ghana altar cloths and with some quilt tops.  Saturday saw a large group of members and guests arrive to sew quilt tops, cut and sew the Ghana altar cloths and design new quilt tops.  And then. Praise God!  Kathy brought in another batch of fabrics! 





Jean brought in four completed baby quilts

These quilts are being sent to Cornerstone of Hope Orphanage in Benin City, Nigeria.

The next work day is Saturday, August 11th.  Please join us as we work sew and quilt on our mission projects.  We have lots of enjoyment as we fulfill our vision to grow and learn in fellowship and fun while designing and creating quilts (and altar cloths) for others, at home and in the world.  Come for the whole day or part of it.  Bring your sack lunch and a drink as we really do stop for a bit of nourishment.

Here are a few pictures from this weekend. 

Sorting through donated fabrics

And when you run out of table room - the floor works just as well 

                                                       Many hands working together . . 

So, how do you think we should quilt this one - hmmm

Picking out binding and pin-basting.  Ironing fabrics in the background - lots of things involved in quiltmaking - Hope Quilters do it all!

Laying out blocks out to see how they fit look together before sewing.  A beautiful Turning Twenty design - all from donated fabrics.

 

Visitors are always welcome - especially a grandaughter future quilter

The Ghana fabrics are being made into altar cloths for the new churches in Ghana which were funded during Lutheran Church of Hope Lenten "40 Churches in 40 Days".  The effort was overwhelming, and Hope Quilters will make 110 altar cloths.  As of July 2nd, the first ten churches had been built and completed.  We hope to send the first group of altar cloths with the Ghana Mission Team in early August.  Hope Quilters were busy working with the beautiful fabrics.

Don't forget the Riverside and Okoboji Bible Camp Quilt Auctions on August 4th.  Hope Quilters have made and donated sixteen quilts to these two auctions this year.  You can view all of the quilts that have been donated to each of the camp's auctions at http://www.riversidelbc.org/support/supporting-events/quilt-auction
and http://okobojilutheranquiltauction2012.shutterfly.com/

Ghana Altar Cloth

Here is the first altar cloth that will be taken to Ghana for one of the churches.  There have been ten churches built so far.  We're showing this one on the LCOH altar, albeit at a bit of an angle.

 

More of these altar cloths will be made during the July 14th Hope Quilters work day. Scroll down and see some of the fabrics we'll be working with to make these cloths.  A closer picture.  One made, many, many more to be made.

 

Fabric, Fabric, Fabric

We've been blessed with a number of donations recently.  There will be a lot of work fun this month as we sort through all of it. We'll be making altar cloths for the new churches in Ghana!  Two more baby quilts to be made for Cornerstone of Hope Orphanage, bringing a total of four new quilts to be taken to Nigeria in August.  Several quilt tops to be paired with backings and quilted.  Decisions from the members on future projects (2013 Bible Camp Auctions), quilts for LCOH mission projects.

"Hope" to see you all July 14th.  Also note on the right column the work day dates for the remainder of 2012.

Below are "some" of the fabrics we've received, along with some of the Ghana fabrics we'll be working with.
Recent donated fabrics -

 Some of the beautiful Ghana fabrics for the altar cloths -