Canada's Big Quilt Bee

I've mentioned Canada's Big Quilt Bee on numerous occasions.  It's hosted by the Canadian Quilter's Association.  

Logo for Canada Big Quilt Bee

The goal is to donate 1,000 quilts to Ronald McDonald houses across Canada. The deadline - mid-June.  Don't forget that Quilt Canada is fast approaching - June 14 - 17.  If you're in the area, you MUST attend.  There are some amazing quilt displays, amazing booths (including Northcott!) and lectures by ME. And there are other classes and lectures as well!  More info on all this in the next day or so!

As I visited various guilds over the past year on my lecture tour (doesn't that sound so official, but I was just doing my trunk show!). Anyway, the response from EVERY guild that I visited was incredible. I want to say that the participation rate from guild members was the highest I've ever seen for any kind of activity.  I'm not sure what the percentage was for our guild, but it was high and I believe in total, that over FIVE HUNDRED blocks were made by the members. That's a LOT of blocks, given that our membership is about 160?  

Those blocks were then made up into quilts.  I think that we ended up with 40 quilts. That means that most quilts made were the small ones that used 12 blocks. I want to say that about 3/4 of them are quilted.  I don't have the exact numbers as the final tally was being bantered back and forth last night. I hope we get a final tally before we make the donation. HEY - I like numbers.  Give me a firm number!

Mississauga Quilter's Guild - donation for Canada Big Quilt Bee

Same quilts - other side

And I have one of the quilts at home that needs the binding sewn on which is going to happen tomorrow.

Jane, who was our fearless leader was able to get fabulous prizes and those were drawn last night.  I don't think I made even one block for this project, but I did make blocks for the quilt that is being donated by our retreat group. I assembled and quilted that quilt which just needs to be bound, but do you think I can find the binding?  It's made, but where is it???

However I did assemble one quilt for the guild and quilted it and I'll be spending some of my precious time tomorrow to get the remainder of the quilts quilted and bound as well as donating whatever materials are missing to complete them so I think I helped as well!  It's a super place to get rid of those larger batting scraps that are hanging around. These quilts are small - it'll be perfect - a win-win all around. So while Helen Anne is busy quilting, I'll be prepping and Jane will be sewing bindings!  How much can we get done in a couple of hours?  A LOT cause I'll be cracking the whip!

Jane and Vanna (I mean Heather) handing out the prizes

While Jane did an awesome job moderating this portion of the program, Vanna (Heather) entertained us with her antics!

Handing out the Northcott bundle of Sesquicentennial fabrics

It was an amazing display of coming together for a great cause!  I'm proud of what my guild accomplished (although they could have quilted more quilts!). I'm proud of all Canadian quilters who participated.  And it would be so cool to see all the quilts together, but that isn't possible.  However I hear there might be something equally interesting about this project at Quilt Canada. This is just a rumour at this point - I can't wait to see if it's true.

Anyway on that note, there's so much to do today, I'm not sure where to start. So I'm just going to grab the first thing on the top of the pile and try to get it done. That's what I've done the last couple of days and I can't seem to get past the top two items which isn't good!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!