2019 -2021 Community Quilts
Community Projects 2019 – 2021 Review
Kathryn Draine, Darilyn Kisch, Laura Perry
Co-Chairs
We started our term as Community Projects Co-Chairs with an idea to organize the Guild storage locker. That was an eye-opening experience! Besides fabric in every size, shape, and color stuffed into any available space, we found unfinished projects, quilt tops needing to be quilted, completed items ready for donation, and kits assembled by previous Community Projects committees.
Challenge #1 – develop a plan to make our vision a reality. We rearranged the carts and tables in the locker to make access easier. We then began to sort the fabric, examining each piece individually and separating it into categories.
Keep – larger pieces of fabric
Treasure Table –smaller pieces of fabric but still usable
Sale – themed fabric to sell at Guild meetings
Donation – fabric appropriate for other non-profits
Recycle – fabric with fading or discoloration
Beginning with the July 2019 Guild meeting, we added fabric to the Treasure Table, sold themed fabric at $1/pound, and added a monthly door prize item of either a bolt of fabric or a trip to the locker to choose 20 yards of fabric.
In August of 2019, we put out a request for Doll Cradle Bedding. Thanks to our Guild members, we donated over 175 sets to Unity Shoppe. Unity Shoppe also received 31 quilts, 48 stockings, and 19 stuffed toys all in time for Christmas.
Other donations in the fall of 2019 included fabric to Sheridan Way Elementary School, quilts to Visiting Nurses, fabric to Eastside Library, and fabric & notions to Art From Scrap.
In March of 2020, Transition House accepted a donation of 48 quilts and 26 pillowcases.
Challenge #2 – Guild meetings were suspended. Due to Covid-19, our in-person Guild meetings ceased beginning with our March 2020 meeting. We needed a new plan! Like everyone else, we were flying by the seat of our pants while learning how to stay safe during Covid-19.
Practicing safe ‘social distancing’, we assembled Doll Cradle Bedding Kits between April and June of 2020. Realizing we needed a way to get them to Guild members, Darilyn devised a plan to put bins on her front porch where members could pick up kits and drop off completed items. This was such a success that the practice continued after we collected all the Doll Cradle Sets.
In August 2020, Domestic Violence Solutions accepted a donation of 12 bed size quilts, 15 pillowcases, 20 adult face masks, and 22 children’s face masks. Also in August, Covid-19 restrictions eased, and we were able to offer shopping visits at the locker to Guild members. These were by appointment only and limited to 1-2 people. We continued offering the locker sales through November when Covid-19 restrictions once again tightened.
Donations were planned in December 2020 for Transition House, Domestic Violence Solutions, Visiting Nurses, and Unity Shoppe. Covid-19 again interfered with our plans. With limited staff at most offices, Unity Shoppe was the only facility able to accept a donation. We supplied them with 175 Doll Cradle Bedding Sets, 2 Christmas Stockings, 12 placemats, and 31 quilts.
Throughout 2020, we continued to sort fabric in the locker and accepted several donations of fabric from the community as well as quilts and other items from Guild members.
In January 2021, long time Guild member, Carol Barringer, passed away leaving her entire sewing room and craft items to the Guild. The donation of fabric, tools, notions, and equipment was enormous and required that we come up with another plan.
Challenge #3 – how to handle such a large donation. We found a place to store everything and while we waited for a Covid-19 vaccine, we sorted and priced the items in preparation for a sale. Meanwhile, our Guild President, Karen Pickford, made a life changing decision to move out of state. She wanted to downsize and donated a large part of her sewing room to the Guild. We were now faced with two amazing gifts.
Covid-19 restrictions eased again in March of 2021 and St. Andrew’s Church agreed to let us hold a sale on their patio. The April sale was a huge success. Thanks to the participation of Guild members and the local community, we raised over $4000 to benefit the Guild.
The bins on Darilyn’s front porch continued to collect donations from Guild members through June 2021. Because of Covid-19, many of the beautiful items donated remain in the locker to be distributed. From necessity, we left placemats, pillowcases, and quilts in the capable hands of the newest Community Projects Committee to send out into the world.
To everyone making our time as Community Projects Co-chairs a success, THANK YOU!!!
Kathy Draine
Darilyn Kisch
Laura Perry
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Monthly Narrative via Coast Lines Newsletter
Community Quilts Committee - Kathy Draine, Darilyn Kisch, Laura Perry
January 2021
Angels among Us Support Unity Shoppe
On December 18, Darilyn and Kathy made a timely holiday delivery to the Unity Shoppe. The staff, wearing branded red masks made by Guild members, expressed their gratitude for the protection and comfort
the masks provide. Coastal Quilters presented Unity Shoppe with two Christmas stockings, thirty quilts, twelve placemats, and nineteen pillowcases.
Making Lemonade out of 2020 Lemons
Kathy, Darilyn, and Laura want to thank the Guild members for their support of Community Projects during the last year. Your willingness to share your time, talents—and stash—with others has been amazing. Your support of our meeting fabric sales and locker visits have added over $3000 to the Guild’s coffers. Hundreds of quilts, cradle bedding sets, pillowcases, and placemats have been distributed in our community. You have made lemonade out of a lemon of a year!
And for 2021? Pillowcase kits and panel kits are still available on Darilyn’s front porch. Fidget quilts are in demand. All quilts—adult or child, large or small—are appreciated.
December 2020
November was a busy time in the locker! Make it a 2021 Resolution to contact Kathy Draine for a reservation date and join in all the fun. Kathy, Laura and I would like to thank all the Guild members who faced this challenging year by putting “pedal to the metal” for our community. The numbers of doll bed sets, quilts, pillowcases and masks distributed to local agencies this year warms our hearts. Be proud. Stay safe. Quilt on!
November 2020
Unity Shoppe Cradle Kit Donations
The cradles made by the Unity Shoppe woodworking volunteers are treasured by each child who receives one. Cradle Kits are one of the Guild's many Community Projects. In support of this project, our members created 166 quilted cradle kits that were delivered to the Unity Shoppe on October 7th by Darilyn Kisch and Kathy Draine. Thank you, CQG members!
This timely donation allows the shop to get cradles ready for the Holiday giving season, just around the corner. Thousands of children are invited to Santa’s Toy Shoppe each year to shop with their families for Holiday Toys and warm clothing. We treasure this unique Santa Barbara community asset that provides an exemplary, sustainable support system in times of need.
Remember the fabric shopping BBQ before quarantine and seeing all the eye candy of color, pattern and texture and the feel of fabric between your fingers? Ahh, the delight of decision making. We can make that happen again when you shop the locker! Fabric is $5/yd. Masks are required and gloves are available. Contact Darilyn Kisch to make an appointment. Several members have already enjoyed their shopping spree. See the pictures below.
What’s next for Community Projects? PILLOWCASES!!
Standard size, made with cotton or flannel, for all ages, will be donated to Transition House, Domestic Violence Solutions and Unity Shoppe. Look on the Guild website under the “community “ tab for several patterns, including a Missouri Star video tutorial for the magic pillowcase pattern. Please wash the pillowcases before dropping them off at Darilyn’s porch. A limited number of kits are available on the porch as well. Many thanks for all your donations. Keep them coming!
October 2020
Locker Shopping
Tired of looking at the same stash? Need some new inspiration? Want to shop in a safe place?
Curious about “the locker”? If youvanswered “yes” to any of these questions, keep reading! Beginning October 12th, the locker will be opened once a week, by reservation, for one hour of fabric shopping bliss for one Guild member. Thousands of yards of fabric will be available at $5/yd - 1 yd minimum. Most of the fabric is on bolts and in flat folds of three yards or more - think backings! Lots of beautiful focus fabrics, some blenders and holiday prints. Reserve your fantasy TRIP TO THE LOCKER now! First come, first served. Contact Darilyn
FAQs
Prefer to shop alone? Great! Besides a Community Projects member you will have the whole locker to yourself. Need a second opinion? No problem. You may bring one friend with you! Masks requiredv- gloves will be available. The locker is located in Goleta off the Patterson exit. All fabrics are $5/yd, tax included. Cash or checks accepted.
Cradle Kits
Drum roll please! You have done it! OVER 150 cradle kits have been completed and returned.
Once again Guild members have stepped up to the plate and produced the cutest doll bed quilts, mattresses and pillows ever. Many thanks to all that participated. If you are still working on a kit, no hurry. We will accept finished sets any time and store them for next year. The makers of the wooden cradles notified me they have already started the batch for 2021. I would ask that if you have basic kits (quilt batting, pre-made pillow and mattress foam) leftover to please return them.
UFO's
UFO? (UnFinished Object) PIGS? (Project In Grocery Sack) WISP? (Work In Slow Progress) PHD?
(Project Half Done) WIWMI? (Wish It Would Make Itself)
Regardless of what you call them at your house, they exist in the locker too! Can you help? There are 10 tops ready for quilting (backing and batting ready). This Chinese Lantern pattern has several of each block already completed. Just needs sashing and a border. This cute boat pattern has several blocks done in two patterns. We have included material for sashing and borders. Interested? Contact us!
September 2020
 
On Friday August 21st, Community Projects Chairs Darilyn Kitsch and Kathy Draine teamed up
with Karen Pickford and Rochelle Schneider to deliver 12 beautiful adult quilts, 15 bright cheerful pillow cases, 22 children's and 20 adult cloth masks to Domestic Violence Solutions (dvsolutions.org). This organization provides safety and support for individuals and families affected by domestic violence. They were grateful and excited to receive these much needed items. This is a shining example of the many ways our members are able to provide comfort to our community.
August 2020
Doll cradle kits are now available! Stop by my front porch and help yourself to BASICS kits which
include a pre-cut foam mattress, a completed pillow and an oversized batting square for the quilt top. We also have separate bundles of rough cut (oversized) fabrics for the quilt top and back, mattress and pillowcase. Use your own stash with the BASICS kit or enhance the fabric bundles with pieces fromyour stash.
Remember: while additions like buttons, glitter, and faux furs may look cute to you, these cradle bedding sets are being used by small children (think of choking hazards) and must be able to withstand multiple washings. These items are available from 8 am - 8 pm everyday.
You are welcome to drop off any completed cradle sets (or other community quilts) on the porch as well. Should you not be able to come to my porch, I am happy to come to yours - just let me know what you need. My address is in our directory.
July 2020
Kathy Draine admiring a bag of doll bed bundles ready for distribution by July 15.
Have you noticed all the fabric companies are introducing their new 2020 Christmas Collections? The holidays will be upon us before we know it. Time to plan ahead! We have begun preparing doll bed quilt kits. Over 150 pillows have been made (thanks Mom!). Batting is being cut along with fabric for quilt tops and bottoms. Mattresses and pillowcases have been coordinated and bundled. We will have a two-part kit this year. One bag will have just the “inners” - batting, mattress, pillow and instructions. This will make it easy for those that prefer to use their own fabric. If you want to use the pre-bundled fabric, you can choose what you like and add it to an “inners” bag. In keeping with social distancing, pick up and drop off will happen on Darilyn’s front porch.vKITS WILL BE AVAILABLE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, JULY 15th.
Transition House still has a need for more baby and kids quilts. We are also collecting lap size and larger quilts to restock our inventory. Please remember to have a guild label attached. Labels, including iron on ones, are available on Darilyn’s front porch beginning July 15th. Also remember to wash all Community donations before delivery. Questions? Need batting for a community quilt? Don’t hesitate to call us.
May 2020
The Community Quilt locker is still accessible and neatly stocked with thousands of yards of fabric and batting - we are just waiting for your call! Used up all your funky stash, but on a roll with mask-making? A new box of novelty fabrics was delivered to Karen Pickford’s porch last week. Swing by her house, be inspired by her beautiful yard and pick out some “new to you” fabrics. If you have completed quilts to donate, contact us for pick up. We received word last week that the Adult Ed woodworkers (makers of the doll beds) were able to finish 150 cradles before classes were stopped. We are now putting together kits for distribution beginning July or August.
April 2020
February’s locker shopping tour was won by Linda Bird! She came to the locker prepared to finish several projects and left with 20 yards of assorted fabrics to accomplish those goals and even enough to start a new project! Go Linda! As we all settle into our isolation routines, many of you are digging into your stash, hoping to keep busy with sewing projects. Community Quilts is always collecting Quilts (large and small, adults and kids, veteran), placemats and pillowcases. You make it, we will find it a home! The most requested items are Fidget Quilts. They are fast and easy to do and use up scraps and all those odds and ends notions you just cleaned out of you sewing room. If youneed a refresher, search You Tube for “fidget quilts”. A few of of my favorites are: Sew Very Easy (Laura Coia) , "Build Your Own Fidget Quilt” and Man sewing (Rob Appel) “Fidget Quilt”. These are not designed to keep you warm, but to give your hands something to do. Remember to keep them small - no larger than 36 inches. Use any kind of fabric and notions but they must be washable. Depending on the status of the April and May meetings, a central drop off place will be announced by e-blast. Stay safe, stay sane.
March 2020
Diana Hamilton, who won the mystery bolt in January, chose a beautiful blue Stonehenge. They say you subconsciously wear clothes to match your quilts. Check out Diana’s top! Linda Bird won the door prize for February - a trip to the locker to choose 20 yards of fabric. Congratulations!
 
During the March meeting, we will be selling themed bundles of fabrics and panels for one dollar per pound. The Community Quilts committee hit a milestone in February. After nine months of hard work, we have finally touched every piece of fabric in the locker. We have sorted fabric for the treasure table, Art for Scrap, our $1/lb sales, donations to other non-profits and the trash. And we still have thousands of yards of quality fabrics looking for good homes. Would you like to “shop” the locker? Buy door prize tickets at the general meetings - you could be the next lucky winner!
February 2020
Diana Hamilton was the lucky winner of January’s mysterybolt. No, it wasn’t red bandana fabric. That is just the mystery packaging! Try your luck for a bolt of fabric from the locker again in March. Each general meeting we willnalternate between raffling a mystery bolt and a trip to the locker to pick out 20 yards. So come prepared to buy doorprize tickets in February for a locker trip! Also in February, by popular demand, we will be selling 1 yard cuts and flat folds (3 plus yards for $1 per pound. Thanks for your support. Looking forward to seeing you at
the February meeting.
January 2020
Congratulations to December’s locker tour raffle winner, Heather Georgakis. She won a visit to the Guild storage locker to choose 20 yards of fabric! As we enter 2020 (Y2K was 20 years ago?!) our thoughts turn to New Year’s resolutions. One of the most popular is “Get Organized”. Let Community Quilts help you!
Over the years the locker has collected a mismatch of containers. At the January meeting we will be selling a medley of “BINS, BAGS, BOXES and BUCKETS” to help you meet your New Year’s resolution goals.
Calling for all unfinished Community Quilt kits! Start 2020 without the guilt, frustration or pressure of seeing those plastic bags staring at you day after day. Have a cradle kit leftover? Or a veterans quilt kit that you really wanted to make but just haven’t had the time? Maybe an old kit with fabric that doesn’t thrill you anymore? Bring them back to us. We are happy to recycle, upgrade or store them as needed.
December 2019
Unity Shoppe re-opened with much fuller shelves thanks to all your wonderful talents! Coastal Quilters donated 177 cradle kits; 48 Christmas Stockings; 31 quilts; and 19 stuffed toys to help put smiles on the faces of our neighbors. Thanks to so many who have done so much. You have made a difference in our community.
At the December potluck one of the door prizes will be a trip to the locker where you can choose up to 20 yards of free fabric. Wouldn’t that make the holidays jolly! There will be no fabric sale in December (we will be too busy eating!). In January we can help you attain your New Years’ goal (organizing the sewing room, of course) by selling bags, baskets, bins and buckets.
October 2019
Cradle kits continue to be our main focus. Thanks to all who turned in kits at the September meeting. The “cradle thermometer” shows 100 kits completed! We appreciate those that supported the locker fall fabric sale. I foresee beautiful autumn placemats and seasonal wall hangings in the near future. Speaking of the future, the holidays are less than 100 days away! The October meeting sale will feature holiday fabrics. Snowmen, trees, Santa’s, holly and wreaths all available for $1 per pound! Be sure to stop at the door prize table. It’s Mystery Month! A bolt of fabric secreted from the locker and carefully wrapped in brown paper will be
raffled. Curious? Buy those tickets!
September 2019
Many thanks to those of you that bought stripes and flannels at the August meeting. I know the fabrics are so happy to be chosen for your special projects! The sale fabric theme for the upcoming September meeting is “Fall Favorites”. Think changing leaves, warm reds, golds and a full spectrum of greens. Look for fabric with bats, cats, and witches hats to inspire your Halloween creations. Remember, Community Quilts fabric sells for $1 per pound — that’s about 30 cents a yard, folks!
Cradle kits will continue to be featured. We need 165 by the November meeting. Christmas stocking kits will be available this month, also with a November deadline.
August 2019
Our thanks to all of you who made the July picnic such a great success! 73 Veteran Quilts were accepted by Joanne Deck for Visiting Nurses and Hospice Care (VNHC). A whopping 82 pounds of locker fabrics were purchased! The sale table was virtually bare by the end of the evening. For those that didn’t make the picnic (or for those that didn’t buy enough) we will have another $1 per pound fabric sale at the August meeting. The theme will be stripes and flannels.
Congratulations to special drawing winner Edalee Keehn! She won a trip to the locker where she can choose up to 20 yards of fabric. There will be future opportunities to visit the locker – check the door prize table every month.
Our immediate community focus is Doll Cradle kits for the Unity Shoppe. We need 165 sets ready by the November meeting. Kits with and without fabric will be available for the next three meetings. There is also a request for more Fidget quilts by VNHC. Thanks again for your support.
July 2019
We are shaking things up this year! The guild storage locker has thousands of yards of fabric just begging to be fondled and stitched and created into something beautiful. Our goal is to get these fabrics out into the sunshine and into our talented hands.
One fun way to move fabric will be to raffle an escorted trip to the locker for one lucky member and a guest, where the winner can choose up to 20 yards of fabric! This will happen at the July picnic so come prepared to buy lots of tickets at the door prize table.
Also at the picnic we will be selling special fabrics for $1 per pound. Such a deal! For July we will have African, Aboriginal, Asian and batiks for your shopping pleasure. We will be located in the library and open at 5pm. BYOB (bring your own bags).
Our first charity project will be the Unity Shoppe cradle kits. Stop by the CQ table (after buying raffle and fabric) for kits, patterns or with any questions.
Community Quilts Committee - Kathy Draine, Darilyn Kisch, Laura Perry
|
