A Quick Post......

....before I head off to the Quilt Haus.  I have to choose some quilts for the Kaleidoscope of Quilts Show in August.  they are going to need hanging sleeves.

From our last retreat - that's me front far  right

We found out yesterday that River City has cancelled our retreat.  How sad.  I am not sure I want to stick with River City Quilt Guild anymore.  Every time they talk about a teacher, it gets pulled back.  Now the retreats, which have been a staple of guild activities for over a decade. 

Cynthia, our Retreat Leader

The concentration, it seems, is to save the money to donate to Charity.  you know me, President of CAAWS for 5 years and Board Member for 18 years, charity and donations are my middle name!

But we have to retain SOMETHING for the members. 

And don't  think we don't have charitable things in Baton Rouge for the quilting society.  We have the Giving Quilt.  A 501(c)3 organization whose sole purpose is to accept donations of quilts/fabric/money to distribute to organizations and individuals who need them.  (Sadly one of the organizers, Noreen Mazzaroppi passed away this last weekend.)

And if that is not enough, we have Wasted Women Guild.  Which is a smaller version of the Giving Quilt and often funnels quilts into the Giving Quilt.  There are at least 3 other smaller groups I can think of whose purposes are to do nothing

but Charitable Quilting.

I think we can have a couple of organizations that provide education and activities FOR THE MEMBER without going to Hell. 

Ok.......I think the statement from The Giving Quilt is worth putting here:

From their website: 

The Giving Quilt, Inc. is a public, non-profit, charitable organization that promotes the creation and presentation of quilts that provide comfort to children and adults, and works to increase public awareness with a biennial public quilt exhibit and presentation ceremony.

 

Organized in 2008 as a single quilt guild's inspiration to provide quilts to wounded soldiers, it has grown into an organization that has provided hundreds of quilts to various non-profit agencies such as the Neonatal Unit at the Women's Hospital in Baton Rouge; Child Advocacy Services (CASA), which serves a 10 parish area; Quilts For Kids; Our Lady of the Lake Hospital's Children's Unit; Children's Hospital in New Orleans; Braveheart, which serves children who are wards of the state; veterans and military service members through several organizations; and St Jude's in Memphis, Tn., to name a few.

 

The Giving Quilt invites all quilters to participate by donating quilts, either through participation at Giving Quilt sponsored sew days or through the biennial quilt show. Quilters and non-quilters are encouraged to join and participate through donations and assisting at the show. Organizations can be added to the list of quilt recipients, and The Giving Quilt will make sure the quilt completes its journey to the intended recipient. The opportunity to participate has given new meaning to sharing a love of quilting. Many non-quilters join this endeavor because they have a quilt that was from a mother on grandmother and remember the comfort and memories their quilt represents.

 

For a little inspiration, take a look at the 2010 and 2011 shows that displayed over 640 donated quilts in our Photo Gallery. This effort has inspired many quilters to take a new look at the gift of quilting and given a venue to share talents, time and treasure to provide comfort to others.

 

 

Finding Shelly Sandy

I have to apologize to you, I cannot figure out how to contact you!  I don't' see anywhere in google plus to reply.

So, thinking like a detective, i went to Judy's Design Wall post and looked at ALL the  fabulous blogs posted there, got lost for a while, and still couldn't figure out which one was yours!

To answer your questions, I am in Louisiana, Baton Rouge to be exact.

This whole area has some really bad flooding.  In fact today they closed the I-10 at the Texas/LA border because the Sabine River was overflowing.  And more rain is expected.  Starting Thursday.

But I can contact The Giving Quilt.  They are a Non- Profit 501c3 quilt organization st up to be the clearinghouse between people donating quilts and the places who receive donated quilts.  They are Local right here in BR and they will know the churches that are generally the places who receive the donations and get them to people who need them.  We have guilds from Baytown, TX to MS involved with them.  So let me see who is doing what.

I have contacted Candy Bergeron to see what they have going right now on collecting quilts for flood victims.

And I have a guild meeting tonight with several of the members of The Giving  Quilt.  I will ask them as well.



In other news:  I am deciding between these two quilt to gift to Nancy across the street.  She and Greg let us park in their driveway while ours was being redone.  I am so glad to be back under my own underappreciated carport again!  

Mad Happy at the Giving Quilt Show

Look at the blocks in here! Fantastic placement

The giving Quilt Show was organized by a group of philanthropic quilters who wanted to be the clearinghouse for quilts made for charity.  They collect them all year, issue charitable donation receipts, and then put on a show.  The quilts are then given to the various charities, most of them right at the show on Sunday afternoon!

This was a first place winner.

You designate the charity and they make sure it gets there.  This year thy have over 540 quilt that have been donated specifically for this show.  Charities include Quilts of Valor, local hospitals, foster agencies, CASA, the orphanage in Southern Louisiana, various hospices, and so many more.

I loved this one when she showed it at guild

Check out the site at The Giving Quilt - they have pictures of last year's quilts if you want to see some ideas, or like looking at quilts!

There is a viewers choice, and several other awards.  A challenge is issued each year and guilds participate with their own challenges on the theme.  This year it was to use a specific fabric.

A couple of string quilts 

I wanted to see the demo on using the paint sticks, and maybe
 pick up a ruler if they had them for sale.  I want a Squedge.  And I don't' want to pay $24 for one.  I might just wait till someone gets tired of theirs and sells it on Ebay!  Charlene ruined me and has me wanting one.

Here are some of my photos from the show.  The next group is an exhibit from my CFAL Group of fiber artists.  This is the large group not the small one I am with.  The kimono is by Michael Young, an incredible artist in many styles, but he loves orientals.  He does the most unbelievable work, he is the most talented person I know and I respect his work tremendously.  He is always willing to share his knowledge and help you  with something.  So wonderful to just know him.

Michael's oriental panels

Oil fields abound around here,
yes, right by your house too

Look at the texture, is this not wonderful!

Michael's Kimono 

Michael's Kimono back

Color, what can I say!

There are 4 of these silos on the
show grounds.  Aren't they
wonderful?  Someone should
make them into a quilt!

Back to the quilt show quilts for charity.

The Cats won first place at our guild challenge,
remember it from my retreat?

Great use of scraps

This one grabbed me, I really love grey and pink 

Go figure.........an Honorable Mention

Well, we knew I wasn't going to win, that is reserved for only one person in that guild.  But telling myself it is for charity, makes it only marginally better.

And she ended up with an additional block somehow and it was......you guessed it.......second place.  Wow.

Anyway, remember my quilt made from a block exchange (where she one first place there too) and we were to make quilts from the blocks.  Here is mine and here is the ribbon.  It is a nice ribbon.

I turned them on to the dog show ribbons and now all the guilds are giving them out.  Page loves it!  She is my dog show/pack dog ribbon source.  So if your guild wants to give ribbons out let me know and I will introduce you to Page.

I also made a Fat Quarter Bag from a UFO Quilt top I had laying around.  It was a stroke of genius.  I got a new huge bag and used up a UFO in the meantime.

glen