Quilters are very generous people. We love to make quilts for our family and friends and for those in need, or as a way of saying "thank you" to our wonderful military people. The quilts represent our loving and giving guild. Below are basic requirements for our most often requested charitable quilts. You can make as many of these quilts as you like, because the need is always there. We have many beautiful stories of how much these quilts have meant.
Quilts of Valor are Quilts made for service members and veterans touched by war.
Basic requirements for Quilts of Valor Quilts
Neo-Natal Quilts - usually donated to Stafford Hospital.
Basic requirements for Neo-Natal Quilts
S.T.A.R. Quilts (Stafford Thimbles Are Responding) - STAR quilts are the charitable arm of Stafford Piecemakers Quilt Guild. Many of the quilts are donated to the Stafford County Sheriff's Department to be distributed to adults & children in the community at their time of need.
Basic requirements for STAR Quilts
The STAR Quilt minimum size has been updated to 55" by 65" unless another size has been requested. There is no Maximum size. They may be used by a person in need for warmth or comfort. The requirements for the neo-natal quilts remain as outlined above. Quilts may be machine quilted or tied. Please label it "Made by Stafford Piecemakers Quilt Guild"
STAR Quilts often receives offers of donated fabric. Unfortunately, some of the fabric that we have received is just not suitable to incorporate into a quilt. Although each of our quilts is ultimately donated to charity, we still want the end result to reflect well on the guild. With this goal in mind, we have the following suggestions to evaluate whether the fabric would be appropriate for the STAR Quilt stash:
· Cotton/cotton blends will be accepted
o No sheer or thin fabrics
o No upholstery grade fabrics
o No holiday fabric
· Flannels
o No fleece
o No furs or piled fabric
o FLANNEL CANNOT BE USED FOR NEO NATAL QUILTS
· Fabric should be clean
o No Stained or damaged fabric -- no one will want to work with this fabric and no one would want a completed quilt from this fabric
o No fabric with excessive pet hair/or odors (smoke/moth balls/musty)
· Fabric should be useable
o Well constructed Orphan blocks are OK
o Quilt tops and partially pieced tops are OK
o No tiny scraps or appliqué "swiss cheese" leftovers. It is too labor intensive to turn these into useable pieces
· Batting
o 100% Cotton or 80/20 blend batting will be accepted
o Prefer larger pieces and nothing smaller than 24 inches wide
· Notions
o Notions cannot be accepted. As with other donated items the guild receives, these items will be placed on one of the front tables for members who may be interested and if no takers, the notions will be donated to Goodwill.
· Patterns, especially easy strip or charm square patterns are welcome!