Well, it only feels like about a million years since my last post! Things around here have been busy, but so good too!
I know it sounds super nerdy, but I’ve been really energized about the research I’ve been working on lately, and it makes me want to work more more more! (an aside– I keep quoting this commercial. “We want more! we want more!).
And of course, Quilts for Boston has been full steam ahead! We have had many meetings and sew-ins and these quilts are really coming together! Eventually we’ll have photos of all of the finished quilts added to our flickr group, but so many are in various stages of progress at the moment that we’re just snapping photos when we can.
Leading up to our deadline for mailing blocks in, I was at the post office every single day, with a bin (or two!) of mail waiting for me! I really love the women working at the post office, who continually got excited about our mail (“Today you have packages from Australia!” I’d hear when I walked into the post office) and helped me haul it all to my car– definitely above and beyond the call of duty.
As I opened each envelope or package, I’d keep track of where it was sent from, how many blocks were included, and if a note or letter was in the package. We have quite a file of letters, and we plan to archive these when we’re done with the project. Opening the mail and tracking the blocks took the majority of my free time for a few weeks. I then took my box full of blocks and sorted them into bundles to give to members of the Boston Modern Quilt Guild and volunteers who were willing to assemble them into quilt tops.
We have SO many quilts in progress at the moment that it’s staggering! Initially we were hoping to maybe make 20 or 30 quilts… and then we raised that estimate to 50, for which I figured we’d need about 1000 blocks. At last count we’ve surpassed 2000 blocks, so we’re on track to make closer to 100 quilts!
Although this project has taken over my free time (and most of my sewing space) for the last couple of months, I have managed to get some personal sewing in– I’ve finished a few quilts I’m planning to share here soon!
People who do wonderful things like you have inspire those of us that aren’t quite as capable, but are willing.
Wow! Thanks so much for all of your efforts, and for creating a way for so many of us to help in a small way. YOU however, are a major force behind this wonderful project! Thanks for all you do, and for keeping us updated.
I have been looking for the blocks I sent when I see photos of some of the quilts in progress… haven’t seen them yet but that’s no big deal. I appreciate all of the organization, piecing, basting, quilting and binding that so many wonderful quilters are donating for this cause.
I’m curious how you will determine WHO will receive quilts. that must be another challenging piece of the puzzle, eh?
I don’t think it is at all nerdy to be excited about your work – it is fantastic! Receiving all those amazing blocks is so wonderful – 100 quilts! Yikes! That’s pretty exciting too :)
is it too late to send some more blocks?
You’re doing a great job. I know first hand how time consuming just receiving all that mail was. Hang in there! I’m working on finishing up one of the kits I took for the SMQG. We will have all 6 done by our July meeting.
Wow. You really have been busy. Whoa! The quilts are beautiful.
This is entirely incredible! Amazing. How wonderful! Oh, I really like that one last one that says “Boston”. How cool!
That’s a lot of quilts! I’ve been watching for new quilts and looking to see if I can find my blocks. This effort has been amazing to watch unfold. Do you know how you’re going to distribute them?