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Monday, June 1, 2015

Quilts = Love and Comfort - H2H

Even if you don't know me, the title of my blog should tell you how I feel about quilts. 

I truly do believe that 
Everyone Deserves a Quilt!

I love to make quilts and I love to give them away. My goal is that the recipient of the quilts I make can feel the love and comfort that I try to sew into each and every quilt. 

I often quilt "secret" messages into my quilts when I'm free motion quilting. Actually, there's really nothing secret about it. Sometimes I just "write" the words LOVE, COMFORT, HUGS, or whatever is appropriate for that particular quilt. Even when I quilt following a pattern or panto, I often FMQ a message close to the edge, near the binding. If the quilt is to commemorate a special event, I quilt names, dates, etc. 

Sure, sometimes it's challenging and I know I'll never win any awards for my "quiltmanship" (that's quilt speak for penmanship), but I like doing it. It's especially fun for me when the recipients finds the message - sometimes a year or more later.  :-)     

No matter when the message is found (if ever), I love doing it. It's just my way to saying, "You matter!" and I hope it brings a smile or laugh. 

I participated in this year's Hands2Help Challenge 
Confessions Of A Fabric Addict
that Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict organized and was even honored to be a guest blogger. I made four quilts this year and they are on their way to the charities. And yes, they all include a special message! 

Here are pictures of three of the quilts. It was raining when I was packing the quilts and packed the fourth one without taking a picture. Darn it! It's green, pink and white and I used the Stretched Star pattern. It was a pretty old UFO and I'm very happy that it's finally done and going to a new home where I hope it will be used and loved. 
The message on that one says "Reach for the Stars!"

Here's a Yellow Brick Road quilt that I made while teaching a class. These blocks were my "work in progress" so students could see each step more easily. When they put their quilt together, I put mine together - with a different border and I used a flange binding. :-) 
The message included here is "Live, Laugh and Love!   

Yellow Brick Road, Charity/Donation Quilt

This is the pattern I posted a tutorial for when I was the guest blogger back in April. I call it All Boxed In and it's a simple and quick pattern to use. 
The message here is "Sparkle Like a Firecracker!" 

All Boxed In, Charity, Donation Quilt

And finally, this is a Disappearing Nine Patch quilt, set on point. (I love this layout for a D9P because it is a great way to showcase special fabrics, especially from charm pack.) 
The message here is "You Bring Color to Life!"

Dressed to the Nines, Disappearing Nine Patch, Charity, Donation Quilt

Thanks for sharing your day with me and remember,

Everyone Deserves a Quilt!

9 comments:

  1. Lovely quilts Joanne and I like the idea of quilting a message into the quilt for inspiration.

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  2. Lovely to see what everyone has made!

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  3. I love the secret messages. I've never seen a DP9 on point or at all. Do you have a post or a tutorial? Thanks for an interesting post.

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  4. What great quilts and what a wonderful idea to have messages in your quilts. I might take your idea and run with it (if you don't mind). I love it!

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  5. I love your sentiment about sewing love into each and every quilt, and putting a hidden message into each. What a great inspiration! I know for me, that with the several hours I will spend on a quilt, I spend a lot of time thinking about all those around me that I love and have loved. I like to think that some of that "love" energy gets sewn into each of my quilts :)

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  6. Nice quilts, and what a nice person you are! (I love giving them away, too.)

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  7. Joanne, your quilts are wonderful! I particularly like the D9P on point - I don't think I've ever seen one laid out quite that way before! Which charity or charities are you sending these to?

    Thanks for participating (*and guest blogging") in the Challenge this year!!

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  8. Love all your quilts they are so wonderful. I really like the idea of quilting a message in the quilts. I will definitely try that going forward. I've done that on two special quilts and why not do it on them all. Everyone deserves a quilt and everyone deserves a special message!!

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  9. Messages in your quilting. What a wonderful idea. I just might have to start doing that too if you don't mind. Your quilts are amazing. They will be loved and cherished.

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