The softer side of HeartStrings

Many of the HeartStrings quilts are bold and bright - certainly the group quilts that have the red or blue center strings tend to be - but choosing pastel fabrics makes a softer, sweeter quilt.

Jan in CO recently finished this quilt which is being donated to the breast cancer support group at her local hospital.

Another example is this Roman Stripes pieced by Helen in VA (quilted by Mary) using 30's fabrics - also going to a woman with breast cancer.

Let's talk about the HeartStrings Quilt Project

Joanne emailed a photo of her finished HeartStrings quilt and wrote : I finished and donated the completed Heartstrings quilt at my guild on Monday night. The completed quilt will go to the Rockford Rescue Mission(IL). They have requested 10 - 12 twin size quilts. I also have volunteered to put together quilts from members completed blocks, so hopefully we'll get this ball rolling here! I've attached a picture of the quilt. I also sent a blurb for our newsletter so the website should be getting a few more hits next month!

Stephanie, Jane, and Cheri have also sewn HeartStrings blocks with their groups. Kitty has taken her quilt to her guild's show and tell.

Magazine articles have been written by Megan in Australian Quilters Companion and Australian Homespun Magazine.

Blogs like mine and Joanne's, Jane's, and too many more to list here - link to our website and this blog.

Quilt sites like Quiltville, Kaye Woods Quilting Friends, and Real Women Quilt link to us also.

And finally, following a link the other day from Samantha's blog, I found an article about Project Linus on The Daily Nightly - the MSNBC blog and was able to leave a comment that links back to our website and blog.

So help us spread the word!

Kansas Donations

Sue called the Haviland Church today where we've been sending quilts for those affected by the Kansas tornado in Greensburg and wrote:

"I spoke to another person at the church in Kansas (Jeanne was not there when I called). The quilts have been arriving and they are being used! Jeanne has been handing them out herself.

The shelter has been closed - all the residents have moved in with relatives or been located to hotels and such and the FEMA trailers are starting to arrive.

Jeanne will hand out any more quilts as people get settled and the need arrives . If you are still planning on sending a quilt she will find a home for it . Otherwise we can start stockpiling quilts for the next event where a group donation would be helpful.

She gave a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped and everyone that prayed for the people affected by the tornado .

For anyone who would still like to send completed quilts to Kansas, the address and contact information can be found by clicking this link.

Thank you all who contributed both HeartStrings and other quilts (and the HeartStrings blocks they were made from) that were sent to Kansas.

We're in the press again

Read the Article (PDF file)

An article about The HeartStrings Quilt Project has been published in the May/June issue of Australian Quilters Companion. This is a sister publication to Australian Homespun, and the editors of both magazines expressed interest in helping to spread the word about HeartStrings amongst their readers.
Again, Stephanie and her Stitch by Stitch group were featured. Thanks Steph!

Find out more about the magazine at www.quilterscompanion.com.au
Readers in North America can buy a copy (Vol 6 No 3 #25) from www.craftmags.com

Ke Kange Orphanage in Tanzania

Maxine emailed me photographs of 5 of the 6 HeartStrings quilts she recently donated.

She wrote "These are the photos of the quilts which have been donated to the Ke Kange Orphanage in Tanzania. I had such alot of trouble getting these done, first the machines went down and had to go in for repair and then I left my glasses at a daughters home 3 hrs drive away.........As a result of all this I was one short to go back with my son."

You may remember the other group of quilts from Maxine that were donated in March. All the quilts are lovely but she really inspires me with the wonderful string quilts she makes.

Every HeartStrings block helps

If you've wondered whether making a few blocks and mailing them to HeartStrings can really make a difference, here's a reminder that every contribution counts - from a single block to an entire quilt. Guidelines for making HeartStrings blocks can be found on our website.

I posted a photo of several quilts that were heading to Kansas last week. Sue and Jennifer had found a local church where we could safely send quilts and know they would be received by the people of Greensburg affected by the tornado.

The HeartStrings quilt in that photo was assembled and quilted by Virginia from string blocks that had been mailed to Sue.

Since then, Becky shared photos of two HeartStrings quilts that she assembled and quilted - from group blocks - that had been mail to Kansas.

And yesterday, Meloney mailed another HeartStrings quilt (from group blocks) to Kansas that she had assembled and quilted.

Kansas Quilt Donations

I've received many emails from HeartStrings quilters (and others who have visited our blog) who are sending quilts to Kansas for people affected by the recent tornado in Greensburg.

I've counted at least 40 quilts that have already been sent (or will be soon) as the result of the HeartStrings Quilt Project effort as well as at least another handful of tops that are being mailed out for quilting and will be sent as soon as they are finished.

Although I've received several emails from groups asking us to join their efforts and send quilts to them for Kansas, I think it's important to continue to focus on our local donations as well as sending quilts for special circumstances such as the Kansas tornado. I have responded to those requests with the following information:

We're a group that makes and donates quilts to local organizations. Because our members wanted to make donations for Greensburg, we contacted a local church and about 40 quilts have been sent with at least several more to follow once they are quilted.

We have chosen to contact a local church and send quilts directly there. You can read more about our efforts at our blog .
http://heartstringsquiltproject.blogspot.com/2007/05/helping-those-in-need.html

Good luck with your efforts,
Mary Johnson
HeartStrings Quilt Project

For those of you still working on finishing quilts that you want to send to Kansas, I suggest you send them directly to the church contacted by Sue.

Helping those in need

Sue Frank, one of our project coordinators, is encouraging HeartStrings Quilters to send finished quilts to those so devastated by the tornado in Kansas.

She wrote:

Our goal is to make and donate quilts and get them to who ever need them ASAP . I followed Jennifer's suggestion and called directly to a church near Greensburg . I spoke to a lady at the church - a fellow quilter and the church is helping the tornado survivors . There are over 300 people taking shelter in the church .

ANYONE that has a quilt to donate can send to the church and she will be sure it goes right to someone that needs it . She said they have little kids there that have hardly slept since Saturday because they lost their blankies in the storm. Any size and style is welcome .

Sue asks that anyone sending HeartStrings Quilts, writes HeartStrings Quilt Project on the box so Jeanne will know where they're coming from.

Haviland United Methodist Church

322 N Main St

Haviland Kansas 67059

Attn : Jeanne Sneed / HeartStrings

The first 4 quilts pictured above were sent out today quickly followed by another HeartStrings quilt sent by Rebecca in Maine along with 5 other quilts and a knitted baby blanket.

String quilting in Norway

Hanne had recently written on her blog "I am taking a break from making care quilts until autumn". With 2 completed string quilts for the HeartStrings Quilt Project and a total of 5 care quilts since January she was going to work on some other projects for a while.

As you can see from the blocks below, she wasn't able to stay away from the strings for very long. Hanne donates her care quilts to children with long term diseases through the Norwegian Quilt Association.

Visit her blog to read her recent post about making HeartStrings blocks with a friend.

We're in the press!

Read the Article (PDF file)

An article about The HeartStrings Quilt Project has been published in the May issue of Australian Homespun magazine.



Find out more about the magazine at a www.homespun.com.au
To buy a copy of this issue, go to the website, click on the Subscriptions tab, then click on the How to Order tab.
Readers in North America can buy copies from www.craftmags.com
Ask for Vol 8, #5, issue #48.

Chinese Coins Project

addendum: Page down to see another Chinese Coins top, this one was made by Barb.

It's not too late to join the fun. There's one more month to participate in the Chinese Coins Project. Of course, you can always make one of these yourself but we're collecting sections for the months of April and May to make group quilts. Click the above link to find the guidelines.

Stephanie in Australia sent me a photo of her finished top which she says "will be sent to an online mate who is quilting and finishing donated tops for her 2007 African orphanage project."

I also made one that I will start quilting today. You can check my blog in a couple days to see the finished quilt.

Here's a top finished by Barb.