Charity Project 2019: Project Linus

Every year, the STLMQG sponsors a sewing project for charity. This year, Project Linus has been designated as the recipient of quilts made by members of the guild.

All quilts will be donated locally. Project Linus donates quilts to organizations in the St. Louis area and St. Charles counties, some of which include the American Red Cross, Cardinal Glennon and St. Louis Children’s hospitals, Shriner’s Hospital, St. Louis Crisis Nursery, pediatric emergency rooms, and Women’s Safe House.

Quilts are donated to children from birth to 18 years of age.

Quilt Donation Guidelines:

• Quilts must be new, handmade, and washable. 
• Fabric should be cotton or cotton/poly blend. Knit fabric is not acceptable.
• Cotton or acrylic batting is acceptable.
• While we encourage members to make a quilt, Project Linus also accepts tied comforters, fleece blankets, and crocheted or knitted afghans.
• Per our local Project Linus chapter's request, quilts must be no smaller than 36” x 36” and no larger than 40” x 60”.
• Very important! Quilts must be free of smoky smells, chemicals, and pet hair and should not have any embellishments such as buttons, beads, or sequins.
• Although not required for donation, if possible, please include an STLMQG Cares label on the lower right corner of the quilt back. Labels will be available at all guild meetings.
• Due dates: the Charity Committee will accept quilt donations at the May and November meetings.

Quilting Giveaway:
This year, members can enter their finished Project Linus quilt tops for a chance to win free long-arm quilting services for the quilt top! The Charity Committee will announce one winner at each meeting between March and September.

To enter:

1. You must be a current, dues-paying member of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild.
2. Finish a Project Linus quilt top. Quilt tops must meet the Project Linus parameters laid out by the Charity Committee above.
3. Post your quilt top on Instagram by midnight the night before each meeting. Use the hashtags #stlmqgcares AND #stlmqggiveaway in your post. We encourage you to also use #stlmqg and #ProjectLinus. If you do not use Instagram, you may email your entry to tracecreekquilting@gmail.com.
4. Members may post more than one quilt top, but each quilt may only be entered once per drawing. On Instagram, members may post entries individually or share multiple quilt tops in one post using the “swipe” function.
5. Posts are only considered for the upcoming meeting’s drawing; once a winner is announced, the slate is wiped clean for the next meeting’s drawing. Members are welcome to re-post quilts for the next drawing.
6. The winning member does not have to be present to win. Winners will be connected via email to the longarmer who has donated services for that particular month.

Binding Services
Winners of the quilting giveaway also qualify for free binding services! Arrangement details will be included in an email to the winner.

Need Inspiration?
Visit the national and local websites for patterns and more information about Project Linus. 

New! COME AND “KIT” IT FOR PROJECT LINUS

So you want to do your part to make quilts for Project Linus but just can’t seem to find the time in your demanding schedule? We’ve got you covered with Come and “Kit” It For Project Linus!

(Updated July 2019) The Charity Committee created 59 kits for members who wish to make quilts for Project Linus. The kits include the following:

• Fabric for a quilt top, backing, and binding;
• Pattern/instructions for Rail Fence (40” x 40”) OR 9-Patch (36” x 36”) quilt top; and
• STLMQG Cares label;
• Batting will be provided by the member.

Here’s how you can be a part of Come and “Kit” It For Project Linus:

Make a Fabric Donation
Updated April 2019: Members responded so very generously to our request for fabric (230 yards!), that no further donations are necessary. Thank you!

We need fabric to create the kits. We would be grateful for all of the yardage you are willing to donate with a minimum of a ¾ yard cut. Please remember that fabrics should be cotton or cotton/poly blend. Fabric donations will be accepted at the meetings in April and May. If you have fabric to donate and can’t make arrangements for someone to drop it off at a guild meeting, please contact any member of the Charity Committee, and we’ll settle on an arrangement to obtain your donation.

Come and “Kit” It
(Updated July 2019) All kits were disseminated to interested members at our July guild meeting. Thank you to everyone who took one. Finished quilts are due at the November guild meeting.

As an added bonus, completed quilt tops qualify for the monthly quilting giveaway. It’s that easy! 

--2019 Charity Committee: Gina Shelley (Chair), Erin Chan, Nancy Dlugosz, Emily DuBois, Patti Hawkins, Ann Philiph, Amy Suiter, and Lilo Whitener-Fey