Tuesday, February 10, 2009

BushFire Quilt Project

Hi everyone!

This post is going to be a call to arms, or more appropriately a call to sewing machines! As many of your know a great deal of the South Eastern part of Australia is on fire. Almost 200 people have burned to death (men, women and children), pets and livestock are gone. Hundreds of homes have been burnt to ashes. Have you ever thought to your self about what you would grab if your house was on fire? What is that one special item that you would make the extra trip back into the inferno for? Well, many of the people of Victoria, Australia did not get that chance. Everything they once had is now covered in Ash. I want to help these wonderful people build new memories, I want to wrap them up in a big quilty embrace, and what better way (beside sending stacks of money, which I don't have) than to wrap them in a blanket of our love? I am talking quilts, folks.


In centuries past women (an I am sure there were some men in the lot) have sat down and quilted when words were not enough to express their loss or grief. We will be doing that. We will be making quilts for these Victorians.


I have started a group on Flickr ( Bushfire Quilt Project ) and I want you to participate with me and the other people who have been moved by the images that they are seeing on TV. I am proposing you make a block or 2 and send them to me. I will assemble the quilt tops, quilt them and send them on to the recipients in Victoria, Australia.



When we question what God has in store for us, do we not look to the heavens? And the Stars look back at us, with their constant peace. The Lord Always has a plan for us, in my opinion our lives are like quilts as we look back over them. A nice block here... this is the best block I have ever created right here in the center...that one could have used a bit more attention... the one over there needed to be completely redone...what the heck was I thinking with that one? some free motion quilting on this side...but each stitch, or life experience has made us stronger in the long run, each one has made us who we are....OK that got a little deep...what I was going for is the type of quilt I would like to assemble with your help. Stars.



In my opinion a "wonky" or "maverick" star is one of the most simple and fantastic of blocks to make. They create a wonderful "twinkle" when all put together, so that is the type quilt I would like to do. I know some of you may feel uncomfortable with this type of thing, but what better time to try something new AND give of yourself in the process? If you totally do not want to make that type of star, no problem, send what ever type of star you want to make (as long as it is 12.5 inches).



Bonnie, who many of you know from Quiltville, has kindly let me link to her tutorial on how to make these very simple quilt blocks (Maverick Star Quilt block tutorial ) This is a great tutorial and you will see how simple they are to make. Just a note...the blocks I need need to be 12.5 inches square, so if you can enlarge your quilt block from that in the tutorial that would be awesome. If this is pretty damn confusing, don't worry, I will have a tutorial up in a couple days so all you have to do is follow along.



For you new stitchers, this is the perfect opportunity to get involved in the generous and kind world of quilters. Mom, this goes for you to. Round up Aunt Sharon and you two can do this together and send the blocks to me.





Here are some of the blocks so far (there were more but I couldn't blog them for some reason).
Here is the deal.... You will make one or 2 (or more if you get in the groove) 12.5 inch quilt blocks (when finished, as in all sewn together with other blocks, they will be 12 inch blocks) then you will send them to me. I will assemble the quilt tops, quilt them and send them on to the recipients in Victoria.
I know the Internet makes the world seem that much smaller, so if any of you know people who have lost their homes in the fires, I would love to give the quilts we make to people we "know" otherwise I will be working with my local quilt guild and the Australian Red Cross to find suitable recipients.
Thank you sew much and PLEASE visit and join my little Flickr group so you can keep abreast of what is going on with this project.
**Ideally I would LOVE to have 3 quilts finished and ready for the bushfire victims by the end of March. This is one heck of a deadline, but together we can do it. Each quilt will consist of 25 blocks (12" x 5 x 5= about 60" square quilt) this will make a great size to wrap up in, snuggle a child or comfort the elderly. Please feel free to email me with questions or comments...I am trying to keep up with the discussions over on Flickr, but it is almost bedtime for me. Thank you so much for your interest and wonderful willingness to help out a stranger. My prayers are with both you and the people of Victoria, Australia.
XO,
Tia

35 comments:

Kathleen said...

great post tia and you know you can count me in for backing fabrics and maybe bindings..have been going to donate some of my fabrics to quilters guilds for some time so this is a better use of some of them. I am a "maverick star" virgin and am excited about losing it!!! Yeah!! this is the push i needed to get wonky..like all the people on project improv..

Am putting you on my google reader and i joined the group...good work and think what you said about the stars in the sky was and is brilliant!!!

love from kathleen
xxx

Anonymous said...

Tia,
You are one of the most generous people I know. I can't sew for the life of me but will send you all my good thoughts and will forwrd this on to my sister who is so creative and crafty. Cheryl G.

Lisa said...

Hello! i would love to make some blocks. please let me know where to send them! Lisa

Quiltplay said...

This is fabulous Tia. DO you have help if you end up with 3000 blocks? I have put a small blurb on my blog to help spread the word. Thank you for doing this.

Lisa said...

Tia, thanks for doing this. That picture of the koala and the firefighter really got to me today. I cannot imagine what those folks are going through. I will be happy to send along a few blocks. Additionally, I have a quilt top that I made a few years back. Just a simple log cabin, twin size. I keep thinking I will come up for a use for it as it's a bit young for my boys now. It features a turtle fabric and would be perfect for some little nature lover there. I will take a picture of it and if you want it, it's yours. I promise not to be offended if you don't. :) Take care, Lisa

Anonymous said...

Well, I may not be the best but I will help if you get overwhelmed with squares!

Amy said...

You can count on me for two squares. Thanks for doing the leg-work. What a generous idea.

anna said...

What a great idea. I'm here via Tall Grass Prairie Studios. Usually I just read and get inspiration. I wasn't sure what I could do that would make a difference. This is perfect.

Victoria said...

What a generous thing you are doing. You can count me in. I haven't made a wonky star block in years, but it use to be one of my favorites. I think you picked the perfect block to help lift and comfort the spirits of our Australian friends.

Anonymous said...

I would love to make a block, r two or more, where do I send them? What is your timeframe?

Unknown said...

I see the words spreading through all the quilting blogs, which is so wonderful. I also see that Kim from Honeysuckle Cottage has organised thread, batting, backing fabrics and machine quilter for you. What a trooper she is. I hope you like Kim receive a portion of your reward here on earth. I plan on getting busy tomorrow.

Needle, Thimble and Thread said...

let me know where to send the finished blocks and I will get my children busy with pulling fabrics.

hugs,
christine

Clare said...

Count me in - Maverick Stars it is! Can you email me your address please.

Simon - aka Bloke said...

Count me in, any assistance with a and send the tutorial - sds79 at mac dot com

Simon

Britt said...

Wonderful idea, thanks for giving us who are far away a way to help. I'll send you some blocks too.

Ann said...

Tia, this is really a good initiative! I have blogged about it too. I may be one of the people farthest away from the fires in Aussi-land, but this way I feel I can do just my wee bit to help somebody, who may have last everything.
Thank you for that opportunity!!

Cherie in St Louis said...

Please let me know where to send my blocks. What is happening is sad beyond words.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea, Tia, and, boy, are you going to get swamped with blocks!!

Would button-quilting or tuft-quilting some of the quilts speed up the process? No buttons for the "recipient" real littlies, of course.

Where do we send the blocks and supplies to?

Codi said...

i'm in, i actually have a bunch on finished star blocks waiting to be used for something, they aren't wonky, but i'll mess around to get them to 12.5 inches. i'm pretty sure they're 9.5 right now. let me know where to send them.

Elizabethd said...

Wonderful. I ahve publicised this on my two blogs. ....and am making a very Wonky star!

Leonna said...

I would love to send you a couple of blocks. Just tell me where?

Sheryl said...

I would love to help! I have tons of scrap fabric, but unfortunately no sewing machine or quilting tools nor do I have the knowledge. Please email me at sherylmgent(at)yahoo(dot)com.

em's scrapbag said...

I found out about this through Jacquie's blog. What a fabulous idea. Count me in. I join the flicker group. Will I recieve an e-mail to let me know where to send them? Thanks again.

YankeeQuilter said...

What a great project...

Magpie Sue said...

I was hoping someone would come up with an idea like this and get it going! Thanks you for doing just that. (I'm here from Clare's blog.) Will be making at least one block and posting the badge on my blog too.

Vicki said...

What a wonderful idea. I found out about this on Lil's blog "Addicted" http://whatidobesidework.blogspot.com/

Count me in. I will put a link and some info on my blog and join the flicker group this evening.

Jenny said...

Hi there - I came across your blog via a bit of blog hopping. I have made one quilt before (if you have time it is posted in my blog) and I would like to help out here if possible, but I need a pattern please?

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Fantastic idea...would love to help I will make a few blocks and pop them in the post...

TMQG said...

hi Tia, wonderful work you are doing and so glad I have found your blog through it. Is it okay to list your address details on my bushfire info blog page? Helen

Lauren The Artist said...

Great idea. I think I'll start working on mine this morning! Its always wonderful to be part of something bigger.

Chris H said...

Can you send me an address? I have some 12" blocks I would like to donate.
stewandchris@hotmail.com

New Zealand

Tammy in Ontario, Canada said...

Hi ...I think this is a very good idea. I am new to blogging and I am having a heck of time figuring out how to add your little block picture with the link so it comes to this page for people to add. Could you please tell me how to do it? I was able to add a link to this page in my posts but once I get more posts then it will be at the bottom and I would like to get a picture of the block with the link so it will be more recognizable and interest more people. If you can help..please email me at ... quiltinthingsforyou@sympatico.ca or go to my blog at quiltinthingsforyou.blogspot.com thanks for your help.

Katie said...

WOW I am in tears over your absolute generosity. At one stage there was fire in every direction of us. You could not look at a point on the horizon that wasn't billowing with smoke. I thank my lucky stars that our house was not harmed but one of my friends lost her house and her farm. Thank god herself, her husband and her two little ones are safe. I think of all the things they have lost including some beautiful quilts and craftwork made by her mother.
Thankyou so much from the bottom of my heart, I wish there were more people like you in the world.

Unknown said...

Hi,

I have made the blocks, ready to go, can you please email me your address?

Thanks :)

Kari V. said...

Will you be accepting blocks this June and July still?

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