What’s your go-to pattern for charity quilts? Unless I’m using precuts, my go-to patterns come from the 3-Yard Quilts books published by Fabric Cafe. Most quilts finish at approximately 44″x58″, which is the equivalent of a lap/small throw size quilt.
One of the charities my guild supports expressed an urgent need for quilts suitable for girls ages 10 years & up. I’ve used up most of the yardage in my stash over the past year, so it’s slim pickings when it comes to fabric choices for another 3 yard quilt. Not to worry, the Labor Day Sale is on @ Joann’s, so Sadie & I went shopping this morning:
Big Girl supervised the cutting of 1-1/4 yards of each fabric. (The clerk used a noisy electric cutter, which caught Sadie’s attention – she put her paws on the counter to watch.) Yes, I buy a 1/4 yard more fabric than is required. I prefer to do a traditional binding rather than the economy binding featured in the pattern. Any extra fabric will be incorporated into the pieced backing. Everything else will come from my stash. A loopy FMQ design, an ECQG donation label and a quick wash will mean this quilt is ready to be turned in to our community service group. My total out-of-pocket cost for this? $20.00 and I’m happy to do so.
Quilt purists will complain that I used fabric from Joann’s in my quilt. Extremely frugal quilters will be aghast that I spent my own money on supplies for a charity quilt. Who cares? I, as the maker, certainly don’t. I can guarantee you that the ‘tween recipient certainly won’t. She’ll be beyond thrilled to have a quilt to call her own.
Go forth and make quilts to donate to a charitable organization in your local community!
Come Stitch With Me 
Love your choices, especially the pink! Is that a batik?
If I ever get my sewing mojo back I hope to do some charity quilts as my stash is growing far too large. An aunt, with four daughters who don’t sew, has been purging her stash and I have been the recipient of it all. Someday it needs to be put to good use.
Thanks. The pink is a regular quilting cotton.
Before the stash gets to the point of overwhelm – share some of your aunt’s largesse with fellow sewing friends. I’m sure she won’t mind. It’s easier to deal with fabric as it comes in rather than keep it, move it to another house and deal with it years later. Ask me how I know!