Another Completion

I just completed this quilt for little Kayla, a 7 year old whose mom was in a horrific accident. Her and her little 4 year old sister are staying with their aunt who is a 911 operator and was ready to retire.

Well, gotta run, time to finish the other 2 for this family!

All It Takes Is You Getting The Word Out!

This quilt was donated by Lynn R, and sent to a 911 operator who has recently had a stroke. What a blessing this will be to help keep her warm and let her know others are thinking of her.

Did I tell you Lynn also said she would donate another quilt on Monday?  That will catch us up for 2013 with the exception of the few I am adding finishing touches to.

Lynn told me she came to us the long way around, she had read or heard about it from someone over at another site and came to visit and ask if we could use her help.

This is how we get our quilts, when someone see's our Pinterest post and pictures or see's our button on another blog, hears about us from another quilter and passes the information on and that  is why we blessed so many people in 2013.

If you can't quilt or sew, crochet or knit and can't afford to help us, that is okay, because if you are reading this and you have a blog, grab our button, add it to your blog, let others know about us from your blogging friends, to local quilt shops, quilt guilds, yarn shops, etc.

GET THE WORD OUT for us because I am only one person and can only reach so many people per day, but all of you know someone that I don't know, so please reach out to them and also if you would be willing to help us in the future, please let me know so I can add you to our growing Rolodex list of helpers!

Our Motto and Our Mission

I feel the need to day to just reflect and revisit our motto and mission for Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 so those of you that may be new here or stumbled upon us, will see what our mission truly is.

Our Motto Is: Love For Our Unseen Heroes@

Mission Statement: 

 

Layers of Hope - Quilting 911's mission is to enhance the lives of 911 Telecommunications Operators (911 Dispatchers) and their families during times of illness, disaster, loss and tragedy by inspiring hope, faith and optimism with a quilt of warmth and comfort in order to make a positive influence in the lives of those who make a difference everyday, one quilt and one stitch at a time.@

Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 is a registered trademark and our motto and mission statement are copyrights that cannot be used without express written permission from the organization!

So Many Quilt Needs, I believe in Sharing

As you all know, I believe in Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 so much that I have registered it as a special charity in Washington state (meaning we raise less than $5000 per year) and recently had a new design for the blog and logo made and that logo is now a registered trademark in Washington state.

The next step is working on our dot.com/org pages and that is coming right around the corner but takes more money to get it up and running and right now I am working on that as well as with Becky to get our FB page, Etsy and Zibbet pages all to look the same.

We are still in need of quilts for 911 dispatchers and I need so many of you to put our button on your blog, to let other quilters know about us, to share with your quilt guilds, friends, bloggers, church members about us.

We need to fill the shelves with quilts and I need to be able to rent a storage facility or build a quilting shop where we can store them, but right now, it seems we are in the midst of a dry spell and while we still have needs, I have had no quilters step up to take them, so I prod along and get them out as quickly as a I can.

I just made a quilt for a family who is trying to finalize their adoption of a little girl in another country that froze adoptions after they started, it is not much but it is here:

Adoption Quilt

 I finished the little dress quilt below and have it listed in my Etsy and Zibbet shops and whatever monies I receive from those sales go directly into supporting the ministry of Layers of Hope - Quilting 911.

We are quilters, but unless you have been ill or lost everything you don't know how much a quilt will bless your spirit and make you feel special. I know, because Marilyn Lewis an amazing quilter and supporter of this blog made one for me when I was ill a month or so ago, I feel so humbled and special.

Marilyn runs a Binkie Patrol in Vacaville, CA, makes quilts for them, for us, for children of prisoners, for friends AND she has a full-time job. You can see her stuff and the articles about the Binkie Patrol at North Hills Quilter.

I believe we all do such wonderful work and we all have so much love and make so many quilts, that I want to let you know about one more event that will help others in need, it is the Hands to Help Charity Quilt Challenge which is going to be collecting quilts for three amazing charities (not this one) but three that need just as much help as we do.

Just head over to Sarah's blog at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and read all about the ministries collecting quilts and the fun time we will all have participating in this event.  

I have posted the button on the side of this blog because I feel it is extremely important to share with quilters everywhere about those that are reaching out to others.

I believe if we each made 2 quilts a month and sent them to 2 different charities a month, we could bless 24 quilt ministries a year.

Yes, Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 has immediate needs, yes, we could use more quilts, but I know somehow, we will make it!

Adoption Quilt

I read a blog posting the other day over at Julies blog on The Intrepid Thread blog about a friend who is doing her best to adopt a child from Krygyzstan and they have been waiting now for six long years as there was a moratorium on adoptions.

Now there is a short window opened and they are trying to bring their precious Diana home from earlier when they shut the window and they couldn't.

They have all the funds, but are raising money now for the family to travel and spend the last of the finalization weeks in Krygyzstan waiting for this child.

They are asking for donations of cash and quilts and have raised over $7000 of the estimated $10,000 they will need.  They are asking for quilt donations and will be raffling them off, so I made this one and put it in the mail today.

I had some left over fabric that I thought would work perfect for a little boy quilt and put it together.  I am hoping they raise some money with this quilt so they can bring that precious little girl home! 

We Did It! You Did it! Layers of Hope Quilting 911 & It's Logo Is Trademarked!

First of all, I cannot ever begin to thank all of you who have stepped up to make quilts, have donated quilt tops, batting, postage, fabric, thread and always encouragement for me to keep this going, it is because of you that we are one step closer to becoming a non-profit.

As stated early on, a non-profit charity, is NOT owned by anyone. I may be the founder, but all of you are the foundation that keeps this going, the momentum behind me that won't let me stop until this is what God means for it to be!

Today, in mail, I received from the State of Washington my certificate of trademark for the Layers of Hope Quilting 911 logo that was lovingly and wonderfully created by Becky at The Cutest Blog on The Block (go over and show Becky some love!) she is just the very best.

I can now begin ordering business cards, thank you notes, letterhead, etc. and know that it is okay. I truly hope and pray that someday this will be bigger than I have ever dreamed possible and that more quilters and people will come aboard and realize what these wonderful men and women due for us that we never see!

So, be it known from this day forward that Layers of Hope Quilting 911 and its logo is a registered trademark with the state of Washington and cannot be used without the express written permission from myself.

Of course it will probably always be given to all quilters, but I will not allow it to be used for anything but our unseen heroes. I will not be part of a mass calling scheme to collect funds and if you ever receive anything from Layers of Hope Quilting 911 that you are leary of, Email me or leave me a message to contact you!

How To Define Layers of Hope - Quilting 911

I was asked by my hubby a few days ago, 'Can you define your organization?' I am sure my facial expressions were, 'huh, what, confusion,' as he restated it this way:
'Are you a foundation, organization, non-profit, sole proprietor, ministry? How do you define what you do?'

First of all, Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 cannot really be defined as a sole proprietorship because I don't own it, it belongs to all quilters who want to reach out an help 911 operators, but on paper it might be considered that, but we don't have employee's, I don't paid or should I say, when money comes in I don't take it as payment but use it to further our purpose.

A Foundation is really just another term for non-profit organization however a foundation usually donates money to help support other organizations or causes such as in our area the Bishop Foundation which provides scholarships for students, provides for school aged children to go to Seattle to see the Nutcracker ballet, has a camp for children, etc.  In other words, a foundation takes in money to use for its own purposes and usually is set up by an individual or a family such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  So, no, we are not a foundation!

A non-profit is more like we are with the exception we haven't applied for non-profit status as of this writing, we do not have a board of directors (though I have people who have stepped up and say when the day comes, they would love to be on the first BOD), we do not have employee's, I do not get paid and everyone works on volunteering their time, their materials, their money, etc.

Wikipedia states this about a non-profit: ' Designation as a nonprofit does not mean that the organization does not intend to make a profit, but rather that the organization has no owners and that the funds realized in the operation of the organization will not be used to benefit any owners.' 

So maybe, technically, we can be defined as a non-profit since we have no owners and any monies that come in, go right back into more quilts, thread, postage, etc.

I think an organization truly in my opinion can be any group of people that are organized enough to come together for a purpose. There are government organizations, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, charitable organizations, etc. So loosely we might be considered an organization but since we are all scattered in the wind across the United States and the world, I will say, no to this.'

Ministry is really an organization who comes together to spread or preach their faith. While I am a believer in Jesus Christ and I believe He has His hand in getting me to do something for others, we are not going to preach or expound our beliefs on others. We can say we are praying, have prayed, hope they are blessed, but I do not allow religious tracts or anything else to be sent to our recipients, so no, we aren't a ministry.

Charity probably comes closest to defining Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 as it is the act of benevolent giving and caring and we give and we care as we reach out to others with our quilts, cards and love. It can also be defined as the unconditional act of love and kindness and what is more unconditional than making a quilt for people who are hurting that you have never met and probably never will meet?

So, if I were to define Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 I would say it is a Non-Profit Charitable Organization in its baby stage, just trying to learn to stand, a bit wobbly, falling down and getting back up and how far we walk depends on me, you, others you let know about us and truly, time.

Time will tell if we will be able to wobble walk or loose the wobblies and run like the wind. I personally am praying that we will be another one of those wonderful quilting charities where the sky is our limit!

Where one day I will look back at where we began and what we have become and say, 'Wow! We did it together! We made it!'

Blessings to all of you!

HUGE Thanks to Becky from The Cutest Blog on the Block!

We still I am noticing have a few tweaks to make here so everything fits nice and neatly and doesn't overlap, but for the most part, the new design and blog are complete!

This beautiful new design and logo would not have been possible without the dedication, design and technical knowledge of Becky from the Cutest Blog On The Block!

From the moment I asked for Becky's help she was right there, asking me questions, sending me suggestions, allowing me to make changes, toss ideas around and always telling me yes this is doable or why don't we try it this way.

Becky never once gave up on me, she wasn't offended if I didn't like something or if I wanted to change something and her imagination and creativity with my little bits of..'I want a quilt with a headset on it,' became what you see today.

Of course as many of you know, I am very fond of the color purple, so we had to have some purple in our logo and my granddaughters chose the logo layout, the font, but Becky added the sweetest little touch with the heart at the bottom!  

Seriously, how cool is that? 

If you are looking to change the look of your blog, website, Etsy shop, I would most highly absolutely positively tell you to contact Becky and start the process.

Prices are very reasonable and she is just amazing with all the details and information she has.  I am so proud of this blog, of what Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 is becoming, because it isn't just mine, it belongs to all of us, all of us who have made quilts or blankets for 911 dispatchers and first responders.

We ARE NOT a business, we are a charity, a ministry, a quilted blessing and while we do not have non-profit status, at this time I see no need for it, what you do is so very important and comforting to those who receive quilts.

Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 is recognized in Washington state as a charity that takes in less than $5,000 per year, because we don't solicit for money to pay employee's (there are none), the dollars that do infrequently come in, go out to postage.

Unlike most charities, I do NOT get paid, the quilts for the most part go to the recipients and not to us. I am just the founder, the quilters, Becky, donators are the foundation of Layers of Hope - Quilting 911, the threads that hold us up and reach out to those in need.

We are continuing on with the goal of helping others and you already have. In 2013 alone, with your help, Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 gave over 80 quilts to dispatchers and families, that is a lot of cutting, piecing, quilting and I am humbled!

I would love to see Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 explode and become so huge, we require an office, a building, a board of directors, when and if that time comes, it is my dream, I can quilt and hand the role over to someone much more capable and qualified than I am to run something that huge!

In the meantime, Becky, I send you huge virtual hugs and quilters, bloggers all over, if you get a chance to use one of their designs which are free, seriously consider donating a few dollars to CBOTB because a lot of time goes into creating those wonderful backgrounds!

Please Help Us by NOT Posting Anonymously!

I recently over the week-end received a message from a lady telling me she had a quilt to donate. However, the email contact she gave comes back with an inability to locate message from my provider.

I am not familiar with her provider so I do not know if it was typed incorrectly or something else happened, so I am asking all of you, please if you leave a comment and need me to reply, do not leave an anonymous comment.

You can leave something in your post like goofy at yahoo dot com
or goofy@ yahoo dot com or contact me via email if you do not want your email published for which I totally understand, but please don't be anonymous.

Thank you so much and to those who don't hear back from me, that is probably what is happening!

Blessings!

Another Beautiful Quilt on its Way!

I cannot sing the praises long enough or high enough to these amazing women who reach out to help our unseen heroes and their family members!

This quilt was made by Bev S. for Kelsa who is the niece of a dispatcher who was in a severe auto accident and is still in the hospital.

Kelsa's aunt was about to retire when the accident happened and is now also caring for Kelsa's two young daughters ages 4 & 7.

This is an amazing quilt and I am so thankful to all of you.

If you haven't gotten involved with Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 yet, please consider making a quilt.  Posting our link on your blog, talking to your quilt guild about us or even your local quilt shop!

It is my goal to be able to stock up on quilts and when we have a need just go to the shelf and mail them off, I can't do this alone, it takes all of us!

Thank you Bev!

Meet Julianne, Our Featured February Charity Quilter

When it comes to getting involved with Layers of Hope - Quilting 911, Julianne is another one of those quilters that just jumps in and asks, 'what can I do to help.' When I asked for a February featured quilter to step up, she volunteered and as you get to know her, you will see just how special she is!

As always, my questions are in purple, answers are in black!

1- How long have you been quilting? How did you get started in quilting and tell us about the very first quilt you made. 

My first official quilt finish was in 1994.  I had asked my mom for a box of fabric scraps and I sat down one day without a pattern and cut triangles and squares and arranged them how I liked and paired it all with muslin.  It was fun because there are a lot of fabrics in the quilt that were pieces of clothing that I wore growing up and some baby clothes  with Hollie Hobbie fabric that I remember my oldest niece wearing. Its a treasure.

2- I find for me I don't like making the same quilt over and over and while I lament the time spent on applique quilts, I find myself drawn to them. Do you have a favorite quilt pattern or 'go to,' pattern you find yourself drawn to?

I  would say that I really love making scrappy Arkansas Crossroads quilts and postage stamp quilts, I love the look of both of them.  I also have another couple of scrappy quilts that I just figured out how to do myself that I use a lot. I am just drawn to any sort of scrappy quilt, I like them all bright and happy!   I always ask any quilter friends for their scraps and usually they are happy to oblige me!  I use Bonnie Hunters scrap user system, (For those like myself who love organization, I included the link) I have many plastic bins full of all the different size squares...so there is always lots of variety to choose from.  I am always taking those last small scraps of each project and cutting them into the different size squares for each bin.  I also save my fabric crumbs that are too small for the scrap system and make Victoria Findlay Wolfes "made fabric" for blocks.  Those are super super scrapilicious!

3- What type of sewing/quilting machine(s) do you own? If you have more than one, which is your favorite or which do you find yourself using the most and why?

  OMG.  I have a lot of machines,(this seems to be a pattern for quilters, lots of wonderful machines)  I love love love vintage machines. (I have an old treadle machine that was given to me, now if I can figure out how to wind the bobbin!) I have many vintage Singer machines and a Dressmaker and a Kenmore.  My favorite and best girl is my Singer 301A that was given to me by my mom, her name is Betsy, shes a beauty and she just purrs!!   I use her for all my piecing.  I also have a white Singer Featherweight left to me by my mom, shes a beauty, her name is Trixie. (I must be the only quilter who doesn't name her sewing machines...aside from the treadle, the former owner told me it needed a name...she is Mercy after my grandmother)  She sews wonderfully too, shes my "on the go" machine.  Then....(insert groan here), I have a Tin Lizzie 18 Longarm machine.  It has been a thorn in my side since I have owned it.  I have had it about 2 years and have not completed one quilt on it because it has been nothing but a headache. (This doesn't sound good!) My goal for January was to clean the garage out enough to set it up once and for all.  We got about halfway there....but she will be up and running soon, I am determined to learn how to use her!   Practice Practice Practice!!  (Whew! Now I feel better!) I have charity quilts to make!

4-Tell us about about yourself, your family...do you have a blog? Do you work outside the home? Do you have children and if so, how many/how old? Any pets? In this section, you share as much or as little as you would like. I always state unless you use names on your blog, do not use them here! Safety is the key!

I am married to a goofy guy named Tim, we met on the internet and have been married almost 14 years. (Second person I know that has an amazing marriage who met on the internet!)  He supports my fabric hoarding/quilting craziness!  He holds my place in line at the cutting counter (sounds like our system, the kids pick the number at Joann's, I see where it is compared to where they are at, we choose the fabrics, when they call my number, the kids go stand in line if it is a long one to hold my place) and drives me all over the place to buy fabric. (My husband and the grands see fabric and do their best to head me off!) Hes a keeper!  He has made 3 quilts himself. (Now this is cool, would love to have him as a featured quilter one day!)

I was a teenage mom, I had my son a month before I turned 17.  His name is Justin and I am so proud of who he has become. He is married to a wonderful girl named Kasey and they have one daughter Jayden who is 3, and the sunshine in my sky and a baby boy on the way in April! Yay!  Can't wait to meet our new little man! (We share something in common here and my oldest is now an amazing 40 year old...did I just age myself?)

Hence the name of my blog "Quilting with Calicos", I do have many cats.  4 of them are calicos.  Suki, Koi, Puka & Dahlia.  Then I have 3 older cats, Mecca, Lucy and Floosie.  Its ridiculous!  Then we have 3 dogs.  Duke is a German Shepard/Golden retriever mix, he is 12 yrs old.  Then we have two Black Lab/Rottweilers named Jacey Mae who is 10 and Maggie LaLaLoopsyLouWho who is 6!  We have a hoard.  Its a little crazy!  We love our four legged kids! (I love the kitty on your blog page, precious! All I can handle is our dog and one cat!)

5- If you have children, do any of them help you quilt at all?  My granddaughter (12) has been helping tie quilts since she was around 3 or 4 and now she sews strips for me.

My granddaughter Jayden (Beautiful, precious little girl) is always wanting up on Grans lap to help me sew.  She loves to sit there and I help her feed the fabric through the machine. Its so sweet...she definitely wants to learn and I definately will be teaching her as soon as shes ready!


6-You have been such a blessing to Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 always there to help us out, do you make quilts for other charities and if so which ones? I love to showcase quilting charities and hope to have a side bar for quilters to locate ones they may not be familiar with!

I make quilts for a AIDS Bike run every year.  A family local to me has a dinner and silent auction to raise money for AIDS so I always send them a quilt or two each year to raise funds.  I also send 1 patriotic quilt a year to my sister in Arizona who holds a raffle for her local VFW.  Then I make 9 patch blocks for children with Cleft Palette. (This is amazing, I have a friend who adopted a precious little boy from China, he just went through another Cleft Palette surgery, strong children these kids are!) A lady makes them into quilts and each child who has surgery receives a quilt when they go home.  Then of course, I send quilts on behalf of Layers of Hope quilting911!

7-If you are married, what does your husband think of your quilting?

Hes very supportive...especially when I sell a quilt! LOL!  He actually helps me a lot snipping chained pieces, counting units and drawing diagonal lines, holding up quilts for photos....and of course he helps out at craft fairs too.

8-Where do you live? Share with us quilt shops in your area, local attractions for someone who may want to visit your area. For us in coastal WA it is the Pacific and rock outcroppings in the ocean or majestic Mt. Rainier!  Seattle always is up there as well!

We live in the Sierra Foothills just east of Sacramento.  We have one fantastic quilt shop called "High Sierra Quilters" that has lots of wonderful fabrics, an entire color wall, tons of batiks, lovely flannels etc! The owner Doug is a riot...worth a stop if you are ever in the area. (Our family may be down in California area sometime in the future, I have family in Chico!)
 

9-What is your favorite notion? I believe daily mine is a seam ripper...hahaha!

I have this acrylic clear 1/4" ruler that is about 6.5" long that I got at Joanns, I use it ALOT!  Also, my purple and blue marble seam ripper that was a gift from a friend!

10- Tell us anything else you might like...as long as it isn't political I will share. Favorite recipe, Bible verse, quilting anecdote, quote, etc.

Well, I  love to cook and bake and last year I won a Blue Ribbon at our local fair for my English Toffee.(Awesome!)  It is so good, its pure butter!  I make it to sell and I do pretty well each year. (I am thinking about doing this with my pumpkin bread...our scouts were in a bazaar and I make pumpkin dog biscuits, they went quick!) I am always bringing treats to work or baking to support my daughter-in-laws dog rescue at a bake sale.  My little granddaughter Jayden loves to be in the kitchen with me dumping the measuring cups, mixing, licking the beaters, taste testing the final results and playing in the dishwater.  Shes my little sweetheart! (My grands are older now, but still love the kitchen. One of my granddaughters favorite pics is of her and my mom and she is covered in flour from trying to help my mom coat her fried chicken!)

To see some of Julianne's beautiful quilts and that precious granddaughter, please check out these links and make sure you say hello to her and let her know you came from Layers of Hope - Quilting 911

http://quiltingwithcalicos.blogspot.com/2014/01/flying-geese.html

http://quiltingwithcalicos.blogspot.com/2013/12/postage-stamp-love.html
**Wow!! I think I know where all my extra smaller scraps are going to go from now on!**

http://quiltingwithcalicos.blogspot.com/2014/01/scrappy-trip.html

http://quiltingwithcalicos.blogspot.com/2014/01/paper-piecing-fun.html

A huge thank you to Julianne. I hope you enjoyed reading about this amazing lady and hope you stop by and visit her blog and share this with others!