Newborn Charity Quilt

Mikayla’s Grace is a wonderful charity in my area of Wisconsin that supports families with a baby in the NICU (neonatal ICU) and those who experience the death of a child or pregnancy loss at hospitals in the Dane County area.

Crafters from all over make beautiful handmade baby items that they sew, knit or crochet and send to Mikayla’s Grace — from gowns, hats, and booties, to baby blankets and quilts. Several times a year volunteers meet to assemble these donations into care packages and deliver them to local hospitals to distribute.

Melissa recently sent out an email asking for several handmade items that are needed for their next assembly day this June, including a special need for larger “newborn-size” blankets and quilts (from 22 to 30 inches square).

I’ve been thinking about devoting a few days to make some of these quilts to donate, and when I saw that this week’s Project Quilting Challenge was “Irish Chain” it was a perfect opportunity to join in on the challenge AND make the charity quilts. I have some pink cotton fabrics —charms, jelly rolls, layer cakes, and squares — left over from other projects. And found some pink flannel for the backing.

My first step was to pull fabrics from my stash that go together. For this little quilt, I found a few left-over layer cake squares with some other yardage.

Layer cakes aren’t ideal for strip quilting the sets for the single Irish chain, but I come from a frugal generation, and wanted to use up what I had. I was able to cut enough fabric to make the strip sets for two quilts. I drafted a quick little pattern on my Electric Quilt (EQ8) software to get an idea of how much background and border fabrics I needed and to make sure it ended up the right size.

The strips were cut 2-1/2” wide (the length of the layer cake) and sewn together in strip sets of three fabrics each (see photo). I pressed each seam towards the floral fabric.

Next, I sub-cut the strip sets 2-1/2” wide and then sewed them together into 9-patches (see photos).

You can see through my window that we’re having a snowstorm today, so it’s the perfect day to be in the sewing room!

The hardest part is finding enough scraps in my stash to coordinate and make two matching NICU quilts. I found just enough of a matching fabric print for a thin border & corner blocks, and just enough leftover green “bee print” to make them…yay! (cause I’m not going out inbthe snow to buy more!)

I’m happy with the pieced top. It turned out to be 25×25 inches. All that’s left is to quilt it and make a second one just like it!

I’m entering this photo in the Project Quilting challenge before I do.

Simple, fairly quick, and I hope they’ll be a blessing snd encouragement to a family and their new little one in the NICU. I know I’ll be praying for the recipients of each one.

I hope this encourages you to dig in your stash and make a quilt for your favorite charity!

Until next time, HAPPY QUILTING❣️

Jane, Mulberry Patch Quilts

Easy Preemie Baby Quilt from Jelly Roll Strips

I’m participating again this year in Project Quilting, and this week’s Season 11.5 challenge is “Give It Away”. TRISH we must be on the same wavelength (LOL)!! Just the week before the challenge I made ten baby quilts for one of my favorite charities, Mikayla’s Grace! What are the chances? See that blog post here.

BUT those quilts won’t count for entry into this week’s challenge. The rules clearly state the quilt has to be made–beginning to end–during the challenge week. That’s not a problem… I see by their website that Mikayla’s Grace is still in need of baby quilts in their “large preemie” size. So I made two more quilts during the challenge this week.

Last time I used leftover blocks to make the quilts. This week I thought I’d change it up by using leftover jelly roll strips from a recent quilting project. I gathered up all the 30s reproduction strips I could find in my stash and started sewing them together.

If each strip has been 42″ (WOF), this would have gone faster–but most of the strips I had left were only 10″ …but it still worked just fine.

My “plan” (and I use the term loosely) was to make two similar baby quilts, each about 22″ square. Why two quilts? Because Mikayla’s Grace requests that donated items be made in sets of two. I also knew I wanted them to look “scrappy”, so I grabbed strips randomly and sewing them together until I had strip sets 11 strips wide (my simple math plan was 2″ finished x 11 =22″)… at least it sounds like a plan.

Once several strip sets were made (and I’d exhausted my pile of strips), I sub-cut them into 2-1/2″ strips and joined the edges together to make four identical really, really long strips.

I laid the subcut strips side by side and offset them by one square–“un-sewing” the last square from the bottom (see photo above) & re-sewing it to the top (see photo below).

I did the same thing with the third long strip, only offsetting it by taking two squares off the bottom & resewing them at the top… etc etc.

You get the idea!

If I had begun with full size (WOF) strips, or if I had more strips left to plan it all out perfectly, I could have figured out the exact size I needed to make the two quilts…but of course I didn’t have quite enough strips, so once I sewed all four long strips together, I simply un-sewed them into four sections and then combined two sections into each quilt…make sense? You can see in the photos how the diagonal stripes change color at their centers. But I don’t think it matters. It makes them more interesting.

I didn’t have quite enough subcut strips to make them square, so I added a strip to each side.

Both quilts are backed with the softest cotton flannel, sewn right sides together, then turned right side out, with just enough quilting in the ditch to hold the layers together nicely.

Off these go in the mail to Mikayla’s Grace in McFarland, WI. I hope they’ll bring comfort to a little one in the NICU of one of our area’s hospital, and that these quilts will offer love, hope, and comfort to their families as well.

Do you have some jelly roll strips left over? Why not consider making a baby quilt for Mikayla’s Grace, or a charity near and dear to your heart? I hope this blog has inspired you to give it a try!

Need more ideas? Check my blog on using your leftover blocks here. Or click “Charity Quilting” under “Categories” on the right side of this blog to see even more ideas.

Enjoy! I’d love to see what YOU create.

And I’m excited to see all the charities supported and ideas by the wonderfully generous and talented quilters make for Project Quilting this week.

Until next time, HAPPY QUILTING!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts

Charity Quilts from Leftover Blocks

Every year I like to make little quilts or knit tiny hats for Mikayla’s Grace. So when they put out an urgent request for specific needs, I signed up to fill the need for 10 medium size baby quilts to support families with small infants in the NICU (Neonatal ICU).

I had some leftover quilt blocks that worked perfectly for the center of each quilt. The “Fantasy Folk Art” fabrics by Contempo (Bernatex) are so beautiful, and I had enough coordinating fabric for the extra borders..

It’s a snap to figure out the math using EQ8 (Electric Quilt)…make a one-block layout and add borders until you reach the desired size. So easy.

Each center square finished about 8 inches, so by adding a 2 inch (2-1/2″ cut) white border around it, and then a 4 inch (4-1/2″ cut) border from a coordinating print, they turned out just the right size…about 20 inches square.

For some I made the second smaller border of a coordinating print and added a third white border, slightly larger than the first one.

Each baby quilt was finished with a soft cotton flannel backing, attached by sewing the edges right sides together and leaving an opening large enough to turn it right side out. I hand-stitched the opening closed.

A simple “stitch in the ditch” with my walking food and Aurifil cotton thread near each border was all the quilting necessary.

My hope is that these quilts will encourage and comfort those families going through the emotional stress and heartache of having their tiny baby in the NICU.

Do you have any extra blocks from your projects? Why not consider using them in a baby quilt for Mikayla’s Grace, or for a charity close to your heart?

Until next time, HAPPY QUILTING!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts

Quiltsy Team Charity a Day for National Quilt Month

March is National Quilt month!
My Quiltsy Team (a group of quilting artists who sell their work on the Etsy.com website) is celebrating by featuring a different member each day and the charities they support.  So today I’d like to share photos of donations I’ve just finished up to give to Mikayla’s Grace.

Mikayla’s Grace is a local charity in my area that supports families with a baby in the NICU (neonatal ICU) and those who experience the death of an infant at hospitals throughout Wisconsin by providing NICU care packages that offer both practical and emotional support for parents.  They also reach out to comfort women who experience miscarriages.

I’ve knitted quite a few preemie hats throughout this past year, but when a call came out for special small items, it was an opportunity for me to try a new technique…combining quilting with crochet!  I’ve seen quilts that were made up of squares with crocheted edgings and then put together like a granny square afghan.

So, starting with small squares of cotton and soft flannel, I made little tiny quilts by sewing them right sides together,

with a quarter inch seam (leaving an opening to turn)

And then turning the right side out and top stitching around the edges.

I found yarn was too thick, but white pearl cotton was just the right size, to do a blanket stitch around the perimeter of the square.

That gave me something to anchor my crochet edge stitching to.  And then it was a matter of crocheting whatever edge stitch I desired around the entire square for several rows.

Here’s a few simple edgings done in green baby yarn (top) and blue cotton yarn (bottom). I liked using the soft baby (or sports weight) yarn the best.

And here’s a few more in coral and mint green.  You can see I tried to use the yarn to do the blanket stitch (one on the right), and although I like the look of it better I found it very difficult to thread and poke through the edging, so I went back to using the pearl cotton.

By folding, they make the cutest little wraps—you can see how small they are next to my hand…

Next I decided to make some little quilts for preemies out of some beautiful cotton fabrics and soft flannel.

Squares put together and backed with soft flannel.

Aren’t the chicks cute?  I love the bright, cheerful colors.  And here are a few more pieced in strips across the quilt with soft minky fabric on the back.

Last but not least, I added a couple of tiny knit afghans that I made out of soft yellow baby yarn with a blue crochet edging.  Can you see the “heart” created by the pattern? So fun.

I hope these small gifts bring love and comfort to the families they go to!

I’m so blessed to be a part of such  great Etsy Team.  Each member is not only creative, but so caring and generous.  Just this past month when one of our members found out about a need for quilts for victims of fires in Tennessee, our Quiltsy Team immediately went to work and made 67 quilts to donate to them–yup SIXTY SEVEN!!  An amazing group that I am so thankful for.

Until next time,

HAPPY QUILTING!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts

4 Baby Quilts in 4 Hours with 4 Fat Quarters +: Tutorial

Make 4 baby quilts

I wanted to make some soft and cuddly charity quilts for Mikayla’s Grace, and came up with this idea. I hope you’ll give it a try the next time you want to make a baby quilt for charity, or for a friend.  It’s easy to whip up all four in an afternoon of sewing, and are great for giving to charity, or to keep on hand for gifts for friends (new moms & grandmas).

Ok, so you’ll need a little more fabric than 4 fat quarters–you’ll need an additional 3/8 yd for the center strip on top, and some fabric for binding & backing–but it all starts with 4 coordinating fat quarters.

I happened to have purchased a packet of coordinating prints I found at “Pineapple Fabrics'” vendor booth at the Quilt Expo in Madison (“Over The Top – Bonus Quarter 5 Pack”, no longer available) and added a bit of yardage for the backs from my stash. It’s fun to use soft flannels and “minky” or “cuddle” fabrics as backing material. See if you can find fabrics from your stash to use, or purchase fabric from the list below.

Fat quarter fabrics from the pack

To make four quilts, here’s a list of the coordinating fabric you’ll need:

• 4 fat quarters of coordinating cotton fabrics (for the fronts)
• 3/8 yard of coordinating cotton fabric (for the fronts)
• 1/4 yard (of 42-45″) cotton fabric (bindings)
• 1-1/4 yard of cotton flannel (backings)

I like to wash & dry all my fabric before starting to be sure nothing bleeds or shrinks.  But many quilters opt not to wash it first.  It’s totally up to you.  However, I would advise that you wash the flannel–as flannel usually shrinks quite a bit.

Stack the 4 fat quarters one on top of the other (right sides up) on your cutting mat, and with your rotary cutter & ruler, cut:

• Two 3-1/2″ strips, and
• Two 4-1/2″ strips

From the extra yardage (3/8 yd), cut:

• Two 6-1/2″ strips (WOF=width of fabric) & subcut these in half so you’ll have four 22 x 6-1/2″ strips.

Cut the binding out of the 1/4 yard:

• Cut 1-1/2″ strips WOF (you’ll get about 6 strips)

Cut the 1-1/4 yd cotton flannel into 4 squares, each just a little LARGER than 20 x 20″

Cut strips through all layers

You’ll have enough strips to make four quilts!

Once the strips are cut, you’ll need one 6-1/2″, two 3-1/2″, and two 4-1/2″ strips for each quilt–so take some time to be sure you have “stacks” of the required strips–each pile of strips should contain 5 different fabrics.

On the backing, find the center mark on two opposites sides and place a pin or mark.  Find the center of the short ends of a 6-1/2″ strip and pin or mark.  Lay the backing on a flat surface wrong side up.  Then place the 6-1/2″ strip right side up on top of the backing, matching the center pins/markings.  (Yup, you’re right, you’re putting wrong sides together).

Lay 3-1/2″ strip against one long edge of 6-1/2 RST & pin

Next lay a 3-1/2″ strip right side down (RST) along the raw edge of one long side of the 6-12″ strip you just laid down.  Pin and sew 1/4″ along.

Sew through all layers with a 1/4″ seam

Lay it back on your ironing board

Flip open and press

Take it back to your ironing board and press it open.

Then take the remaining 4-1/2″ strip and lay it right sides together along the raw edge of the 3-1/2″ strip you just sewed and pin…and stitch.

Repeat–working from the center strip out

Do the same on the opposite side of the center 6-1/2″ strip until the entire backing is covered.

Until all the backing is covered

After a final press, take it to your cutting mat and square it up, making sure the backing and top align around the edges.

Give it a final press, then trim/square up

Join the short ends of your 1-1/2″ binding strips together (as you normally would for a quilt) and fold over one edge 1/4″ to the wrong side and press.  Sew raw edge of binding to the quilt sewing it to the BACK first with a 1/4″ seam, using the same procedure as for any quilt.  Cut and join the edges together and finish sewing.

Cut binding 1-1/2″, press 1/4 on one side & sew to BACK

Now turn the binding to the RIGHT side (top) of the quilt and pin or clip to hold.  Using a serpentine stitch (or zig zag), top stitch the binding in place.

Topstitch from the front using serpentine stitch

See how the serpentine stitch allows it to “catch” on the back?

It looks good on both sides

Faster than hand stitching and it looks nice from the front or the back.

Four quilts! (Notice: I didn’t cut enough binding so 1 is different)

Repeat the process to make the other quilts, and TA-DAH!  You have FOUR beautiful 20×20″ baby quilts ready to go!

My backings are different colors because I used up 20″ scraps that I had on hand.

Aren’t they cute and cuddly?

I donated these to a charity called Mikayla’s Grace…  I’m hoping they’ll cheer some parents of newborn preemies.  Their mission is to support families with a baby in the NICU (neonatal ICU) and those who experience the death of an infant at hospitals in Wisconsin by providing NICU care packages and angel memory boxes that offer both practical and emotional support for the parents.

What’s your favorite charity to send your quilts to?

I’d love to hear from you–

And if you make these, let me know if you have any questions.

Until next time,

HAPPY QUILTING!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts

Blanket Wraps for Mikayla’s Grace, Ready to Go…

I found a tiny diaper pattern through Tiny Tears and decided to make matching diapers to go with each blanket wrap. Just email them and they’ll send you a pdf pattern with instructions.

After cutting & sewing the patter pieces right sides together, I found pinking the edges easier than just trimming.

Turn them right side out…

After topstitching, each one is folded and pinned.

So sweet, so tiny…

Set #1—with pieced blanket wraps.

Set #2—pink, soft and cuddly.

Set #3—baby blue

Set #4—aqua, soft and cuddly.

Ready to send off…

If you’re interested in making blanket wraps for Mikayla’s Grace, see my previous blog or go to their website here.

Next, I’m going to be doing some experimenting with rulers on my Tin Lizzie quilting machine!

Until next time, HAPPY QUILTING!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts

Blanket Wraps for “Mikayla’s Grace”

I was watching an episode of “Nancy’s Notions” and found through their website “Nancy’s Corner” a link to “Mikayla’s Grace”.  After reading the more, I decided to set aside Sunday afternoon to sew “Blanket Wraps”.

Mikayla’s Grace, started by Mike and Melissa Terrill, was created with the mission of giving comfort and support to parents with a baby in the NICU (neonatal ICU) and those who experience the death of an infant or pregnancy loss at hospitals in Wisconsin…and they serve many of the hospitals right here in my city.   Did you know that 1 in 4 women experience a pregnancy loss?  Just this past year, over 10% of the babies born in Wisconsin were born premature.

Since 2011 Mikayla’s Grace has donated 431 Angel memory boxes, 420 NICU care packages, 50 Christmas NICU care packages, 310 Baby Loss Comfort Packages (for early pregnancy loss less than 16 weeks), 400 baby blankets, and 400 gowns with matching booties and hats to hospitals in Wisconsin.

After looking over their website of suggested handmade items requested—see website here—I decided to make several 10” Blanket Wraps.   Aren’t they sweet?

There’s a great PDF step-by-step guide and a YouTube video at the website provided through UtahShare.org.

I started looking through my soft flannel stash, added a few new pieces from the store, and ribbons.  They ask that you create two blanket wraps that are identical.  Here’s how I did mine…

To make two matching blanket wraps, all you need are four 10” squares (2 from the outer fabric; 2 from the inner lining).  Cut one lining square in half diagonally (use one and save the other for the 2nd).

Zig-zag or serge the cut diagonal edge, and fold over 1/4” and top stitch

With both pieces right side up, place the triangle on top of the matching square & baste the edges…this creates a pouch.

Then (with right sides together) join the outer square to the lining/pouch squares, leaving an opening to turn.  Trim the corners & turn right side out.

Press and top stitch around the outside, being sure to catch the edges that were open.

Repeat to make the second one, and you’re done!  So easy and so sweet.  Use a ribbon (attached to the back) to fold & close.

I’ve made 8 so far, and plan to make a few more before I sent them in.

I tried piecing the outside square of two of these (upper left above), using 30’s reproduction fabrics with white muslin (2” squares), but using soft flannel for the lining.  I’ll have to check with the organization to see if that’s acceptable…as a quilter, I really enjoyed trying it.  Otherwise, all the rest are done with two contrasting but complimentary pastel cotton flannel prints/solids.

Wouldn’t they be cute with a little lace around the edges? …a decorative stitch?  …or a different ribbon?  Each pair takes about 45 minutes to make—so they’re quick and easy.

If you love to sew, consider creating some of these blanket wraps—or other items on their list—for donation to Mikayla’s Grace, or similar organizations in your area.   They also have patterns to knit and crochet on their website.

Until next time, HAPPY QUILTING!!

Jane

Mulberry Patch Quilts