What can be accomplished in a 3-day weekend?
My friend Kathy visited recently, a partially assembled quilt in her suitcase. Seven years ago, I helped Kathy make her first quilt, a wedding present for her sister. After that, she sewed a few more and then got sidetracked from quilting by buying a house, tearing it down to the studs, and renovating it. But that’s a whole different story…
Since finishing her house, Kathy has started sewing again. In December, she used fabric remnants to sew 50 simple stockings for a children’s charity. So when she arrived at my door with a half-finished quilt and plans to donate it to charity, I figured she had grander plans in mind. I was right. More charity quilts!
Thursday night, we had a hot date with my sewing machine. Kathy joined the rows and added two borders. I helped her sandwich and pin her quilt, and she machine quilted it in the ditch that night as well. All that’s left is the binding, and then some young child will be snuggling with this red and white beauty!
One day down, one quilt finished. What’s next? Kathy wanted to make another charity quilt. I was happy to oblige. My quilting studio is the perfect place for fabric ”shopping” for charity quilts. As a quilt editor, I receive samples of new fabrics, and they don’t all get used for magazine projects. I’m always thrilled when these fabrics can benefit a worthy cause. Not only did Kathy find something she liked, but between us we were able to cut everything and assemble the blocks—simple four-patches alternating with squares. Friday night was another hot date with the sewing machine!
When Kathy left, she took him the completed red/white quilt, the half-finished bright quilt, and enough fat quarters from my stash to make another quilt. She left behind an inspired friend…over this past weekend, I made two charity quilts of my own!
Tags: Lisa Swenson Ruble
About the Author: Lisa Swenson Ruble
I made my first quilt when I graduated from college and realized that I needed a hobby to fill all those hours that used to be dedicated to homework! Eleven years later, I'm completely addicted to quilting and thrilled that my day job as the managing editor for Quilt, Simple Quilts & Sewing and Quilt Almanac allows me to "play" with quilts and the friendly world of quilters!
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