Greetings friends! I’m really happy to announce that I had baby Chloe two weeks ago today. I’m a little sleep deprived, but we are all healthy, happy, and home. In other Craft Hope news, I’ve got a couple of pictures to post of the children in India and will get them up here on this site very soon. Also, the sock monkeys have been delivered and I’m working on getting pictures for you as soon as possible.
**Quilt pattern compliments of Malka Dubrawsky.
Today’s the big day! I am proud to announce that we are starting Project 5 today which will benefit homeless children. This time around we have partnered with Margaret’s Hope Chest to provide QUILTS to these children.
The deadline for this project is November 15th.
Margaret’s Hope Chest was born out of tragedy. Margaret Herrema was a spunky 81-year-old wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and volunteer quilter who was murdered in the parking lot of a grocery store in April of 2005. What prepared her family to walk the long and painful road of violent crime? Nothing. What guided them through the days and months of grieving and confusion? HOPE. Hope that there were people who cared.  Hope that good would triumph of evil. Hope that her death was not an end but a beginning.
Margaret’s Hope Chest is a quilting non-profit organization that serves other people in seemingly hopeless situations. We strive to share with people around the world the HOPE that we have been given.
Over the past two years they have given over 100 quilts to children, adults, families, and organizations. Each quilt has joined a journey- a journey of sickness, death, abuse, fire, disease, disability, or new beginning.
This summer we stepped out in faith when we agreed to provide a quilt for each child in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Public School system who is homeless during the Christmas season. The exact number will not be clear until November but considering the economic climate in Michigan it will more than likely be high (200+). Consider the journey of a homeless child. No house to walk into at the end of a long day, no couch to cuddle on and read books with mom or dad. No kitchen to walk into and help themselves to a snack. No bedroom to sleep in- nothing to give that child the security that a home brings.
**Quilt pattern compliments of Kathy Mack.
What might a handmade quilt mean to a homeless child? It might bring warmth to a 5-year-old boy in a drafty room.   It might give hope to a 12-year-boy who never had a handmade gift before. It might give comfort to an 8-year-old girl who wants something pretty to snuggle under.
This project is easy. We are calling this quilt pattern HOPE SQUARED. Make a quilt out of squares. Any size, any number, any color. Use up some scraps. Dig out your kid-themed fabrics and pair them with some bright solids. Please consider that all ages of children will be receiving these quilts-boys and girls.   Base the size of your quilt on the size of the child you have in your mind as you create it.  **If you are new to quilting and don’t know how to finish and bind a quilt or if you have limited time, you can construct the top of the quilt (the squares) and send that to them and they will gladly finish the rest for you.
The word excitement doesn’t even come close to describing how they feel about being this month’s project. I am hopeful that many of you read this and feel led to join Margaret’s Hope Chest as we bring hope to children, one quilt at a time.
*****
There are now two quilt patterns in the sidebar that you can use for this project if you’d like. The Take Along Quilt was designed by Malka Dubrawsky and the Eye Spy Quilt was designed by Kathy Mack. Both of these wonderful women graciously donated the patterns for the Craft Hope book to donate to charity. Please feel free to use these patterns, but do not sell them. Also, we’d love your feedback on the patterns as we are in the process of writing the book.
We have two locations to mail the quilts, one in Canada and one in the United States. Please leave a comment on this post if you’d like to participate and I will send you the mailing address.
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[...] first, I have a quilt to finish, and some ornaments to get started on (And, apparently, a work table to clean off, or [...]
I have finished mine, and would like the US address.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to help someone in need.
please send the US address.
thanks!
I just came upon your wonderful site and would love to participate in a future project. Please keep me updated! Best wishes!
Could you please send me the US address, too? I was so excited to find this project this morning and have already completed a quilt top from my stash!
I have a quilt ready to go! Please email me the address at my email I left.
If you extend the date I can get you another boy quilt too, just let me know!
forgot to mention I’m in the US.
Nikole
This is such a wonderful idea! Could I please get the U.S. address to send my quilt? Thanks!
Please send me US and Canadian addresses. I have 2 quilts ready to send, and a sister in Canada with some to share.
I have 2 quilts ready to send, and a sister in Canada with some to share. Please send me US and Canadian addresses.
Hi there! I am wanting to involve a small group of girls (6 to be exact- ranging from ages 5-11) on one of these projects. However, I am certain that we cannot do this quilt one- because I just discovered it and our next meeting time is Monday the 16th. I wanted to ask if you have in mind the next project and if you do, I was wondering when it would be posted. Or perhaps you could emial me and tell me what it is- I just want to get them started on something this coming Monday- but not sure if it will work for you. Please let me know! I just LOVE the blog and the idea behind the blog!!!!
would i please be able to get the address to ship a quilt to?
thanks!
would i please be able to get the address to ship a quilt to?
thank you!
I mailed my quilt today via Priority Mail. Hopefully it will make it on time.
mine is almost finished and ready to be mailed…can you send me an address?
Could you please send me the address? I just finished my quilt today- it will be great for an elementary age boy. Thanks- Cathy
my sister and i are going to try and make the deadline. could we get the us address?
thanks!
I would love to participate! Unfortunately, I can’t meet the November 15th deadline for this project. When will the next project be posted?
Can I get the US address? i am finishing up my quilt tomorrow and then I will get it in the mail ASAP tomorrow afternoon…
Thanks!
[...] been working on-and-off for the last few weeks on a quilt for the latest Craft Hope project. About three days ago, I had pretty much lost my enthusiasm for hand-sewing the binding, but I [...]
I would like the address also please!
My quilt will be on it’s way today. Could you resend me the address that it need to go to? Thanks.
What is the US address??? Can we mail on the 15th or do they need to BE there on the 15th?
[...] Despite the madness of the past couple of weeks, I was able to meet my scaled-back goal of shipping two quilts off to Margaret’s Hope Chest. [...]
I have 2 quilts for craft hope-where do I send them
[...] just finished up Project 5, benefiting Margaret’s Hope Chest and the children in the Grand Rapids public school system. [...]
[...] of oneself, of ones time for others. And what a lovely organization that we are grateful to be partnered with, led by a woman with a heart as big as [...]
[...] I basted one quilt which has been languishing in the to-do pile after the last craft hope project, and started sewing the bindings on another. There are still three more to go, but I will be so [...]
[...] a lot of love sent overseas. We sent a gaggle of sock monkeys to children at a burn camp. We made quilts for homeless children in Michigan. We collected 3,904 items for charity!! WE did [...]
this is amazing! i’m too late, but i’ll be sending a quit to The Hope Chest anyway!!!!
Oops, i meant quilt