I have goodies to share with your from Jazz today.
She writes:
“Jo, I wonder if any of you other volunteer quilters are ever so in love with the pieces they finish they just want to keep them for themselves? I get so attached to each one that I have to say a little prayer over them as I hand them over to the gifts coordinator at Harris Health.
This one is a good example:
You sent me this darling panel; all I did was outline all the parts on the sewing machine, but it’s the sweetest little (34” square) thing! I bound it with a tan fabric from my stash and backed it with this lush brown plaid flannel another of your friends gave me.
Of course, I am not in need of a baby quilt, nor do I have room to store one, so this one was packed off with all the rest. But it’s going to be remembered as one of my favorites for a long, long time.
This next quilt was made from two charm packs and some batting given to me by Becky M. She lives in Whitney, Texas, and Alaska, but was in Houston over the summer and gave me boxes and boxes of delightful charm packs and fabrics. You’ve seen her name before. She gave me more than a lot!
This collection is called Apple Hill Farm, by Kids Quilts. It’s a colorful, whimsical collection that was very enjoyable to assemble into a quick 48” cuddly square. I bound it in a light tan strip from my stash and batted it (and all these quilts) with your donation.
I bet your readers haven’t forgotten the beautiful blue and yellow Disappearing Nine Patch our friend Sarah W. (Houston) let me finish about a couple of months ago. When she gave it to me, she included a soft blue flannel piece for the back, but I was afraid it would be too small. I replaced it with some yellow flannel I bought, and I reserved the blue. I’m glad I did because it was the perfect size and color for this Apple Hill Farm project! I tied this one with various colors of the IRIS craft threads you sent me over the summer and batted it with the batting you sent me, Jo. I have enjoyed that thread so much, it’s so easy to handle and a very good weight to finish quilts with.
When I tell you I love doing stamped cross stitch baby quilts, this is what I’m talking about. Before Christmas you sent me this blanket to finish:
Whoever started it is much more accomplished than I am. Look at how meticulously the back is done! My stitches are not as orderly as hers on the flipside, so I hide them inside the sandwich and bury my strings. It was such a pleasure to have this to work on over the holidays!
Finished, ready to donate!
Before Thanksgiving, our friend Janie W. sent me an adorable duck cross stitch kit from Edmond, Oklahoma.
She had heard that the babies at Ben Taub Hospital liked wrapping up in cross stitch quilts and that I liked to stitch them. She was right about that! I got this done within months and sashed it with the green cotton you sent me about a year ago, Jo, and batted it with the batting you donated.
Before that, another of your readers gifted me with a box of flannel anonymously.
In the box was this pastel piece that coordinated with the ducks just perfectly. In this picture you can see Holly M’s blue and green binding.
For the new year, Holly M. sent me some stamped cross stitch squares that look like poinsettias. You’ll be seeing these in a charity quilt, too.
Holly also sent me these 2 ½” and larger squares. They are predominantly red, white, and blue, but she included some 2 ½” x 4 ½” bars, including some colorful license plate prints. I knew immediately that these were just the thing to use in a quilt that I had been entertaining in my mind.
I included some pieces donated by some of your other followers to make this 40” x 40” baby quilt.
The blue backing came from Becky M, and I bound it with same blue cotton. (I just love this fabric! It seems to go with so much. You’ll be seeing it on other, upcoming quilts.) I tied it with blue crochet thread, a gift of Pamela Z, from Omaha, NE. She sent me a lot of tying threads. You’ll see more of them in my next communication.
Until then, thanks to everyone who helps supply the county hospitals in Houston supplied with baby quilts.”
WOW…these all turned out so awesome. Jazz is a real worker. I think she makes baby quilts like it’s her full-time job. The hospital there is so lucky to have her. Many thanks to Jazz and those of you who have been sending goodies her way. I know now every time I’m at the thrift store and see embroidery projects, I immediately think of Jazz.