Have you ever wondered what path is followed by the quilts and quilt tops that you bring in to us? It is a long and sometime weaving path that is followed.
When we receive a completed quilt, we add a label and add it to the supply of quilts that are ready to be presented. When we receive a quilt top, we need to match it with backing and batting and package it up for one of our wonderful long-arm quilters. Sometimes the backing/batting is in short supply or limited in colours. Rather than pair that rich autumn tone quilt or crisp Light in the Window with an orange-red or plain cream backing which doesn’t really work, we set the top aside until we have the right backing. Sometimes that is a wait of six months or more. Sometimes we have as many as 20 tops waiting for quilting; right now I have six. Once quilted, we deliver the quilts to one of our quilt-binders who take on the task of adding the right finishing touches. If you have been working on a kit that was cut and prepared ahead of time, the process might take even longer. Some of the quilts that were presented this year, were started in 2016! However, the ID numbers that are assigned to the finished quilts always show the year of completion — we don’t want anyone to get the idea that they are receiving a languishing quilt!
From time to time, we do get quilts or tops that are difficult — quilts that are too small or too big, or those that contain questionable fabrics. The optimum size for a Quilt of Valour is 55 x 70, a good-size cuddle quilt for an adult. Quilts that are smaller might be good for someone in a wheelchair, but we don’t address that need very often. Some patterns just stitch up a little bigger — like our Light in the Window quilts which were 60 x 72 — but quilt tops that are significantly bigger than that measurement, use up too many resources to complete — sometimes needing close to double the amount of backing/batting and quilting time. Those tops often get set aside to be worried over at regular intervals. Remember, our quilts are for our veterans and military members. Please avoid novelty fabrics (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, baby or children’s fabrics). Our quilts are gifts from our many quilters and our nation. We tell our recipients that when the quilter sat down to the machine she/he had no idea where this quilt would go, but they knew they were making something special, something important.
We go through cycles of plenty and paucity. Last June, after our four months of lock-down, you had created 120 quilts that Robbie and I were storing waiting for presentations. For every presentation, we went through the selection process — what is the best colour/pattern to present to someone whose name is ____? Two weeks ago, there were 8 finished quilts waiting for presentation; the cupboard was getting low! It was right at that point that I received 25 new requests! Before I had a chance to warn the recipients that I had no quilts, you started calling to drop off new quilts. Magic!
Presentations through November carried on outdoors. Those few days of unseasonably warm temperatures were a blessing, but winter presentations could get rather challenging. I did notice that Jim Myler in North Bay managed a few presentations outdoors in the snow! How Canadian of us!!
Presentation Freeze: Now we are up against a new delay. In order to safeguard the health of our recipients, our presenters and our communities, Quilts of Valour – Canada has directed that all presentations and all in-person sew-days cease until the numbers improve. While that is disappointing, I know that we will continue to receive new requests for quilts. With your help, when we are able to open for presentations, there will be quilts at the ready. Please keep stitching. The love and gratitude that you stitch into the quilts is keenly felt by the recipients. If you need kits, drop me a line; I still have some that are waiting for your tender care. When you are ready to drop off a quilt or top, just drop me a line.
Save the Date: We will stay inside like good little Do-Bees, waving instead of hugging and wearing our snug little masks, but there is a National Virtual Sew-day in the planning for February 5, 2021. Stitchers will find a way to connect! If you have some suggestions about what you would like or what you have experienced at other Virtual Sew-days, please let me know. I will share more information as I receive it.
Happy Stitching
Longarmers for hire:
Christine: GREELYQUILTER@GMAIL.COM
Heather: heather.ann.derksen@gmail.com/www.redwillowquilts.ca
Ottawa Region: Quilts of Valour - Canada 