In need of quilts for ALS patients!

We are excited from the success of our 7th annual Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS, which began on August 1st 2015. We would love for you to be a part of this wonderful Challenge too!

The staff here at Quilters Dream hope that you, your guild or quilt shop will consider donating finished quilts to the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS for the 2015-2016 year. 

Each year, the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS collects hundreds of quilts to be given to patients living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), to raise awareness about ALS, and to raise money with 100% of the proceeds being used to fund research toward a cure for this terrible disease.  As special thanks to the wonderful quilters who donate quilts to the Hopes & Dreams Challenge, generous companiesdonate tax deductible prizes and awards to help bring fun, excitement, and success to the Challenge.

Our staff works with the ALS Association chapters all over the country who have joined us in our efforts to help distribute quilts to ALS patients.  

We were recently contacted by a chapter who currently has 700 patients and unfortunately receives 7 more each month! They received quilts from us earlier this year and were hoping to deliver more to their patients for the holidays. 

With your support we can provide quilts for ALS patients while raising awareness and much-needed funds for ALS research. We thank you for being a part of the generous quilting community and for considering to give back with us this holiday season! 

For more info on how you can help, please contact us! 

Website: 

http://hopesanddreams.quiltersdreambatting.com/

Call:

 Toll Free 888.268.8664

Email:

 quiltersdreambatting@juno.com

Mailing address:

 Hopes & Dreams 

C/O Quilters Dream Batting

589 Central Dr.

Virginia Beach, VA 23454

***Hopes & Dreams, Inc. is a registered 501 (C)(3) organization.

Contributions are tax deductible in accordance with IRS rules and regulations.

Marcus Fabrics: H&D Grand Sponsor charity quilt!

Marcus Fabrics is thrilled to be a part of the 2016 Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge to support the fight against ALS.  Having quilters take part by creating individual blocks for our own Lucy Boston block challenge at our Road to CA booth in January proved to be the perfect tie-in.

We provided a variety of stripes from our current collections, mostly from our best-selling designers like Paula Barnes of Red Crinoline Quilts, Judie Rothermel, Faye Burgos and others.  Show attendees took the fabrics and supplies from Paper Pieces,returning to our booth with their finished Lucy Boston blocks, which became their official entry giveaways. 

Vicki Bellino, owner of Bloom Creek and a long-time Marcus design partner, took on the task of creating a quilt that would unify the blocks beautifully, and we know you’ll agree that she has succeeded!

Marcus’ Director of Marketing Pati Violick looks on as our retail division President, Stephanie Dell ‘Olio chooses among all of the Lucy Boston block entries for our TEN lucky gift basket winners.

    Now, look at what they won!

Thank You again to all of our participating quilting friends, to Paper Pieces for donating their paper piecing supplies, to Vicky for donating her quilting artistry, and to Quilters Dream Batting for bringing this important cause to everyone’s attention.

To learn more and to see the quilt in progress, catch up on the related blog posts at MarcusMentions.com.  While you’re there, subscribe to our blog posts, and join the conversations for a chance to win other great giveaways!

75 Blocks and Counting! 

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/01/over-75-blocks-and-counting/

Blocks Coming in at Road to CA

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/01/look-at-these-great-blocks-coming-in/

Choosing the Marcus Giveaway Winners

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/02/the-lucy-boston-blocks-winners-more/

Vicki’s Quilt in Progress I

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/06/take-a-peek-as-vicki-creates-the-als-quilt/

Vicki’s Quilt in Progress II

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/06/vickis-als-quilt-almost-done/

The Completed Quilt

http://marcusmentions.com/2015/07/the-als-quilt-is-done-and-it-is-gorgeous/

You can also follow us on Facebook (Marcus Fabrics) , Twitter and Instagram (@MarcusFabrics)

                      #makeitwithmarcufabrics

Lisa Shepard Stewart

Marketing Manager

MarcusFabrics.com

Quilters Dream Angel Batting: A baby quilt for Ivanka.

I made this baby quilt for Ivanka, she works in our warehouse, mainly handling international orders. She has worked with us for 12 years! And in those 12 years shes never been gifted a quilt :(

She is expecting her first grandchild early in the New Year... what a perfect reason to whip her up a quilt!  I had a bunch of baby fabric from scrap packs I purchased from Hawthorne Threads. Their scrap packs are incredible!  They usually send about a 1/4 yd of end of bolt current fabric.  Hawthorne has such a great selection on modern fabrics.  I came up with a nautical theme for her grandson to be. Added in Carolyn Friedlander Widescreen in Crosshatch White for the background.

Nautical scraps.  Orange chevron fabric for contrast.

Atkinson Designs Texas Two Step blocks.

I went with Atkinson Designs Texas Two Step  for the pattern.  I love this pattern! Includes all sizes from Baby - King and is sews up quickly.  From start to finish ... cutting, ironing, layout, sewing, quilting and binding - exactly 12 hours - not too shabby.

Texas Two Step layout.

One day, I will have a design wall.  For now, I use the floor... or the bed :)

I chose our Dream Angel Flame Retardant batting in Select Mid loft.  I have never worked with our Angel Batting before.  I'm pretty much just a cotton or poly girl.  I was blown away by the Dream Angel! It has very smooth, almost silky hand.  Check out the picture below.

Dream Angel is made of fibers that are specially engineered to be flame retardant.  The fibers are inherently flame retardant with no chemical additives and no PBDEs;  And because the flame retardancy is extruded into the fibers, not sprayed or added on to the surface, you can wash your quilt as needed without degrading the flame retardant quality of the fibers.  

Dream Angel has been tested by an independent laboratory and meets both international standards and the NEW DRAFT CAL 604. 

To pass the Cal 604 draft - a quilt sandwich was made using cotton fabric and one layer of Dream Angel batting.  The sandwich was laid on and elevated screen.  The top layer of cotton fabric was set on fire.   To pass the CAL 604 Draft the Dream Angel had to act as a flame barrier - to which it performed beautifully!   The bottom layer of cotton fabric used in the tests were not burned and did not catch fire!

Dream Angel Select Loft.

Which backing.

These were the contenders for the backing: Shannon Fabrics Cuddle Dimple in Beige, Angela Walters Textures fabric in Crosshatch Silver, or unknown stashed flannel.  I really wanted to use up the flannel, but the color was all wrong and I just didn't have enough.  Went with the Cuddle Dimple. The contrast of the beige backing on a mostly white quilt worked perfectly.

I quilted two rows of simple straight lines to outline the blocks. 

Stitch in the ditch Acu-feed Walking foot.

Machine sewed scrappy binding (time constants!)

Finished!

Share with us your experience with Quilters Dream Angel,  we'd love to here from you! If you'd like a complimentary sample of Quilters Dream Angel, please contact us at quiltersdreambatting@juno.com or toll free 1-888-268-8664.

Quilt Guilds and Quilting Bees

One of the best things about quilting is the quilting guild.  I remember my mother joining together with a group of about a dozen ladies from her church, laughing, praying, and quilting in what, at that time, was called her Quilting Bee.  Sometimes they would meet at the church but often it was held at someone’s house – food was pot luck and the hostess would provide wine, “pop” (I was raised in the North), or other brews, and I would sometimes be present to witness this wonderful group of ladies who quilted love, fun, and laughter into every quilt they made.

The bees in this vintage ad look
like they are having a good ole time! The quilt
reminds me of CandyLand!

At church this past weekend, we had a “ministry fair” where people tried to recruit workers for their particular project.  I work with the senior high youth group so I made up flyers and posters about the youth and the fun events coming up.  As I walked around the ministry fair, I found a signup sheet that said, “Come quilt with us this Saturday to finish a quilt and pray for Rebecca who will be graduating this year.”  I froze, shocked, and tears came to my eyes – Rebecca is my daughter!  While I will be camping out this weekend with Rebecca and other youth from my church, a group of wonderful women will be quilting love and prayers into a quilt made special for her. 

Here at Quilters Dream Batting, we know how important quilt guilds are to the life of quilting.  It is a place of bonding and fellowship, where much more than the love of quilting is shared.  We want to support all quilt guilds, from the hundred member well organized groups to the small gathering of ladies who get together once in a while for fun.

  
In return, we receive many thank you notes from quilters who are so grateful and appreciative! We love the modern quilt guilds with their eclectic “out of the block” styles and we adore the traditional guilds as well as the informal bees!  We love that ladies (and more gentlemen it would seem) are getting together and keeping this artwork thriving for the next generations to enjoy.

 

Do you have a special guild or bee that you belong to?  Please let us know about your guild, and we will be thrilled to send free “door prizes” and samples for your next meeting!  Share with us what your guild has been working on and what makes your group special – we would love to hear your stories, and we may even feature your group on our blog!

 

Email QuiltersDreamBatting@juno.comwith your name/guild, phone number, shipping address, date needed by and active member count for your box of goodies (let us know when your next couple meetings so we send them in time!)

 

Happy Quilting,

Jane