Grant Update

For those of you interested... I have received the Dream Big Grow Here grant check, and am now busily talking with various video production freelancers and businesses to choose the best option for making a Stitchin' Mission video.

The best use of time and money will be to videotape all five lessons in one day. That means gathering a dozen or so people as "students," five changes of clothes for me, and lots of sewing to show "one" quilt in various stages of completion. I anticipate that one quilt will eventually produce about six identical quilts!

It's all a little daunting at the moment, but my hope is that in the next few weeks I'll be able to make a decision about who will film, edit and produce this video. Videotaping will likely be toward the end of January, 2011. It's also my hope that the video and a printable coordinator's guide can be sold as a download through the Stitchin' Mission website.

I'll keep you posted!

Dream Big Grow Here Award Presentation

Another Stitchin' Mission Scheduled

Stitchin' Mission #24 has been scheduled at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa. Please join us!

Get more Stitchin' Mission information, and register here. Note that childcare is available.

Another Fine Finish!

On Monday evening (Nov. 1), another highly successful Stitchin' Mission concluded at Sheridan Park United Methodist Church on Des Moines' east side. Twenty people, including a father/daughter team, participated in lessons. The quilt count stood at 35 on Monday evening, but with a turn-in date of Sunday, Nov. 14, it's expected that the finally quilt tally will be nearly 40. What a wonderful show of support for babies born at Broadlawns Family Birthing Center!

And, what a beautiful display of quilts we'll see at the church from Nov. 20-30! I hope everyone in the Des Moines area can stop by for a look.

Our last lesson included lots of stories and laughter. Everyone's enthused about participating in another Stitchin' Mission.

Here are some of our quilters with their quilts. Unfortunately, several quilters were unable to make it to the last lessons. 

These three ladies are all related to one another, and even work at the same place!

Marilyn, Hollee, Joan

Karen, Phyllis, Sharon

Mary Kay, Beth, Ranae

These are some of the wonderfully helpful, and generous-with-their-time Rebekahs.

Norma, Angie, Michelle

Deb

Co-coordinator, Anita

Thank you all for making Stitchin' Mission so much fun! It's a double blessing that it blesses not only us who make quilts, but also the recipients. We are most definitely better togther!

Me - Linda

A Fine Finish!

Stitchin' Mission #23 concluded Tuesday evening at Martensdale Community Church. What a wonderful group of participants! Look at all those bright quilts and even more bright, smiling faces.

The quilt count isn't yet final since a few remain to be finished, but it looks as though approximately 35 quilts will be divided between children in LaMesa, Mexico, and Ruth Harbor, a Des Moines home for unwed mothers. Gorgeous!

These two Stitchin' Mission co-coordinators did an excellent job of planning and welcoming everyone to their church. Thank you both!

Linda B.

Renee S.

Nor would Stitchin' Mission be successful without the talented guidance offered by these dedicated Rebekahs. And they made quilts too! Wonderful!

Deb D.

Michelle T.

Norma H.

John 17:21 says, "(Jesus speaking) I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you." (NLT)

In every Stitchin' Mission, women and men, from a variety of beliefs and various denominations meet weekly, and together become the one that Jesus prays we will be. 

My prayer is that Stitchin' Mission will continual to be an occasion to join in community, regardless of our denominations, and be our opportunity to work together in service. In doing so, Jesus' prayer is answered.

Amen.

Third Class - UNsewing!?

I don't have any photos to share from last week's two Stitchin' Missions, except for this one taken by Susan, the coordinator at Sheridan Park United Methodist Church.

One of our quilters discovered she'd loaded her sewing machine bobbin backward, so the piecing stitches pulled out like basting. Several people offered to help with unsewing, so the quilt top could be resewn more securely.

Without pointing out the "victim" of the sewing machine mistake, here we are, left to right:

Abigail, Michelle, Linda (me), and Merri Jo.

Thanks quilters for helping one another. We're so much better together!

Stitchin' Mission Rotary Cutting Lesson

With two Stitchin' Missions happening simultaneously, we've got plenty of photo opportunities. More people than time to snap photos!

Everyone, in both classes, learned rotary cutting during the second lesson. The following are photos of students and Rebekahs (helpers) at Sheridan Park United Methodist Church, on the east side of Des Moines.

L-R: Joan, Hollee and Marilyn

Maddie and Jerry, a father-daughter team! 

Phyllis

Mary Kay, and "Rebekah" Norma

Merri Jo

"Rebekah" Michelle, and Pat

 And at Stitchin' Mission #23 at Martensdale Community Church...

L-R: Beth, and SM#23 Co-Coordinator Linda Brewer

L-R: "Rebekah" Deb, and Susan

L-R: Emma, "Rebekah" Deb, and Holly