“Quilt to Give”—The Giving Story

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

“Quilt to Give”—The Giving Story

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Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Last year at this time, our hearts went out to the residents of Joplin, MO. Many of us were moved to help with monetary donations and/or tangible donations. Quilters and sewists also helped with the gift of making bed quilts—twin, full, or queen sized bed quilts.

Quilt to Give—The Quilting Story

The organized charity sewing event that I started through this blog, Quilt to Givewas one of the many outlets used to create quilts to give away. I wrote 10 lessons, varying one of the Column Quilts that I featured on Sewing With Nancy. (The tutorial is available online at Quilt to Give.)

I know that many of you made quilts and gave them away! Thank you. Others cut, pieced, and quilted at our annual Quilt Expo Event. The results of the combined efforts at Quilt Expo were 25 quilts that were sewn on the premises and donated.

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Quilt to Give—The Giving Story

But, that’s just half the story. The project is entitled “Quilt to Give.” Now it’s time to learn about the giving of the quilts.

Baby Lock, the sponsor of the Quilt to Give project, chose a dealer in Springfield, Missouri—B Sew Inn—60 miles from Joplin, MO, to give away the 25 full-sized quilts. I taped an interview via Skype from a temporary site of St. John’s Hospital—the devastated building so often depicted in news coverage of the tornado. You will be able to see that interview next season on Sewing With Nancy. In the meantime, here’s the update.

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

During the interview, Terry Wachter,  St. John’s Mercy Hospital, Vice-President of Missions, explained how the quilts are going to be used.

You know, Nancy, quilts are so often heirlooms in families, and they represent family memories and family relationships. We have, even in our own workforce, 185 families who lost almost everything they had, their homes, their apartments. They’ve lost their memories—the representation and the memories. So these quilts are a great treasure to families like that. We will make certain that every single one of these beautiful pieces of art, in my mind, go to a family who will really treasure and appreciate them for years to come.

Quilt to Give–The Story Isn’t Over!

These 25 quilts are only the top of the proverbial iceberg of giving encouragement and sharing of love to those in need. The need continues in so many places.

This fall at our annual Quilt Expo, we will again be having a Quilt to Give sewing and quilting area. Details will follow! In the meantime, gather together some of your fabric stash—the color options are limitless!
Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

Quilt to Give Nancy Zieman

The Quilt to Give design is a hybrid of one of the quilts featured in my Column Quilts series.

Column Quilts Nancy Zieman

It just so happens, that Column Quilts is the featured online Sewing With Nancy TV show this week—totally coincidental! For more quilting and sewing inspiration, watch this episode online, on DVD, or on your local PBS station.

Sewing with Nancy Online

Remember, you can also watch these episodes  on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone. Have you downloaded the app?

sewing with nancy app

Bye for now,

Nancy Zieman The Blog

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6 Comments

  • Cheryl Tebp
    May 24, 2012

    Hi Nancy,
    I thought you may be interested to know that the Stitching by Grace Gals from Grace Lutheran church in Menomonee Falls, WI. sent 31 quilts along with a two teams of volunteers to Joplin, Mo to help after the tornado last year. Our sewing group makes over 100 quilts a year for local and overseas mission work. We have found the joy of serving Jesus through our sewing and quilting talents. I always appreciate your stories of how folks are helping one another. That is truly creative kindness.
    Blessings,
    Cheryl Tebo

  • Dotty Hansen
    May 24, 2012

    As a resident of Joplin, MO, I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to all for your volunteering, prayers, and help. You have truly been a Godsend. My home was damaged in the storm (mostly cosmetic), but we didn’t lose our home nor were we injured. PTL! Thank you on behalf of our town.

  • Barbara Palmatier
    May 25, 2012

    My church makes quilts for people in our general area who are sick, unwed mothers, or for people who lost their homes to fire and other reasons. We do what we can with only 4 members. There are noble causes everywhere. We make them as pretty as we can to brighten up their lives.
    One lady told us a sad story once, she was braggging about how her church made so many quilts, out of anything they could find from the Salvation Army and rummage sales..old sheets that did not match, whatever. We asked why they did not make them pretty and she said, “We make them for homeless people and if we make them pretty they will sell them for drugs or beer. So we make them as plain as possible so they will keep them to stay warm with.” I thought how sad that was. We really as a people should count our blessings. And give as much as we can. We still make them pretty! We made one for a lady and the whole church signed it on the back. She has been fighting depression for all her life. She says when she wraps up in it, she feels like the whole church is hugging her. She gets all warm and cozy! That is why we quilt and give them away. For the smiles on their faces and the joy they bring, and in most cases the warmth they need to survive. Also because people need to know someone cared about them.

  • Audrey
    October 20, 2013

    Dear Nancy,

    We were just at a craft festival where the temperature was well over 90%. We purchased some of the neck scarves that cool you off after soaking in cold water. I remember seeing an article (I thought from Nancy’s Corner) about how to make them for the military. They worked so well that I would like to make some for the military. I cannot find the article that told about them. Can you tell me where to find it? The article I had previously read also told where to purchase the crystals used in these scarves. I’d really like to have the info. Please help me!
    God Bless,

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