2015 Charitable Projects

The Charity Committee announced today two opportunities for our members to give back to the St. Louis community. Members are encouraged to participate in one or both of the projects as their time and interest permits. If you are a dues-paying member of the STLMQG, you will receive an email with much more detailed information that you need to read prior to participating; but here's a quick overview.

Project #1: 
Totes for residents of a local shelter for victims of sex trafficking

We will be making nice, large, sturdy totes to be given to new residents of the shelter. They will be able to take their tote with them when they leave the shelter.


To provide some uniformity, we ask that you use one of the following four patterns/tutorials:
(1) http://www.dontcallmebetsy.com/2011/10/12-gifts-of-christmas-scraptastic-tote.html
(2) http://www.cloverandviolet.com/2015/02/the-pepper-tote-free-pattern.html
(3) http://www.abrightcorner.com/2013/11/scrappy-quilted-tote-bag.html
(4) http://ohfransson.bigcartel.com/product/perfect-quilted-totes-pdf-sewing-pattern

• Feel free to make small modifications to the patterns, such as adding a pocket, quilting the bag, or changing the design of the "patchwork section"; but please largely stick to the patterns as written. 
• Please follow all pattern recommendations for interfacing and bag construction to ensure a sturdy final product.

The shelter has housed girls as young as 13, but the median age is 22, so keep those ages in mind when choosing fabrics. Fabrics should be modern and quilt-store quality. We want these totes to be something the girls will cherish and be proud to use.

We’ll also be collecting items to fill the bags; more information about this will be provided as we get
closer to the final collection date.

Due Date:  We will begin accepting finished totes immediately; but the final deadline will be our August meeting.

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Project #2: 
Children’s quilts for Project Linus

We will also be collecting both finished quilts and unfinished quilt blocks and tops (which we will finish) to donate to the local chapter of Project Linus, which gifts quilts to seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0-18, through local agencies and hospitals in the St. Louis area.

Project Linus has very few stipulations on the kinds of quilts that can be donated, but it’s important that they meet the following guidelines:

• Quilts must be new, handmade, and washable and come from smoke-free environments due to allergy reasons.
• Project Linus accepts blankets of all sizes and styles (including quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors). Since we are a quilt guild, we’d like to focus our gifting on quilts, but if you have other types of blankets you’d like to donate, we will accept them.
• Depending on the number of unfinished blocks/tops we receive, we may also look for volunteers who would be interested in helping to baste, quilt, and/or bind them.

Due date: We will begin accepting quilts and quilt blocks/tops immediately, but the final deadline will be our November meeting.