Operation Shoebox

I can't remember when our quilt group was started, but I'm thinking it has to have been about seven or eight years ago. We've lost a few members along the way, but there are 13 of us still going strong.

And what a bunch of givers they are. We used Atkinson's Lucky Star block to make many quilts. Each of us makes two or three blocks in a certain color way, and then the quilt tops are put together at an annual retreat. Nancyz has a long arm, and she quilts them up for us. Someone volunteers to add the binding.

We've donated quilts to a home for unwed mothers and a local hospital for infants in the NICU. There is always a supply of quilts at Sarah's house, and some have been donated to families who've lost their homes due to a fire; one went to a child with cancer. Even the scraps are used up. At a recent meeting all the cut ends of threads and small scraps of batting and fabrics were stuffed into old pillowcases, sewn up, and given to an animal shelter for pet beds. A couple quilts were given to returning servicemen and women, and most recently a quilt to the family who lost their son in Afghanistan.

Donna emailed us instructions for our next projects. I tend to like the ones for the servicemen and women. and these are pretty easy. The link for the ditty bags is here.

Here is the link for Christmas stockings for service personnel, too. I haven't made mine yet, but that's part of my plan for this weekend.