Baby Quilt for Margarets Hope Chest

The first quilt I ever finished found its home with Margarets Hope Chest this month.

It had been waiting in my hope chest for the arrival of a sweet child for, well, years.  When we adopted a little girl this past November, she was quickly inundated with more quilts and blankets than I ever imagined.  When I saw MHC's recent project gathering quilts to be given to mothers who participate in a prenatal class, I knew this quilt was supposed to go there.  As I lovingly wrap my wee babe in one of the blankets made by someone who loves her, it makes me happy to think of a quilt I made being lovingly wrapped around another baby far away by her mother.  And if the project encourages mothers to take a prenatal class too?  All the better!  Here's to happy and healthy babies!

Margarets Hope Chest has many fantastic projects going on this year.  If you'd like to help, check out their blog.  For March and April, their requested project is string blocks for three quilts.  How easy breezy is that?  You can get all the info here.

What's your favorite place to donate a quilt?

A Quilt for Basics

Victoria over at Bumblebeans, Inc. is doing an amazing quilt drive for Basics, a non-profit organization here in NYC that helps homeless families.  Her initial interest in finding a good home for a few of her extra quilts ultimately grew into an effort to gather a total of 700 quilts, one for each of the families in Basics' transitional housing program.

Over 300 quilts have been distributed already and I've been lucky enough to be there for two different quilt distribution days.  It is amazing to see how touched families and individuals are to receive their very own quilt, lovingly handmade by someone they don't know.

Finally, I'm adding one of my quilts to the effort!  This little Irish Chain quilt was sent on its way to Basics last week. 

Here's the pieced back.  I loved that fun cherry print!

It's a quilt I started years ago when I first started quilting but only recently finished quilting it.  I loved having an excuse to play with new quilting ideas and to practice some of the old stand-bys.  Certainly learned a few things, like how much I appreciate my open toe free-motion foot!

Do you have a quilt you could finish up and send?  One more family could be cheered by your creativity and warmed by your quilt.  Check out the donation details here.  Hope to see a quilt from you at the next donation day too!