Four tops by one sewer

Here are the four quilts by one enthusiastic sewer at the Easton quilt-a-thon. Using the big block (12" block) kits, Grace-Mary managed to complete 4 comfort quilt tops in 4 hours! If only the quilt-a-thon didn't have to end so early, she might have been able to do a half-dozen quilt tops.

Easton Completed Tops

Here are 2 tops that were completed during the quilt-a-thon by two different people attending the quilt-a-thon. The first top consists of 12 big blocks (12" finished) kits, which go together quickly.

The second quilt is from the quilt pattern, comfort by the nines, which is another quilt kit that is available at the quilt-a-thons.

Eston Dec 27, 2008 Quilt-a-thon

At the Quilt-a-thon held in Easton on Saturday December 27, 2008, here are some of the completed quilts that people brought to the quilt-a-thon.

Completed Quilt

Here is one of the first completed quilts at the recent Easton Quilt-a-thon. Everyone loved the brown and white combination.

November 15, 2008 Easton Quilt-a-thon

A great turnout of people for the Easton quilt-a-thon held Saturday, November 15, 2008 at the Parker Terrace center, Easton, MA.

We had had sewers sewing on labels and making quilts along with machine sewers who were busy piecing together numerous quilt tops.

As well, we had a table where participants were tieing quilts.








The next quilt-a-thon is held in December, on Saturday December 27th, 2008, at the Keefe Community Center, Parker Terrace, North Easton, MA.

A New Quilter's Joy at Completing a Quilt Top

Here is Grace-Mary, who has never quilted before, who spent the first part of the morning helping out the group of people pin basting tops to batting and backing. She then decided she would like to try her hand at making a quilt top. By lunch time, she had put together her first quilt top, and she was excited and happy at her achievement.


After lunch, Grace-Mary decided she wanted to make a second quilt top for a comfort quilt, but she also decided she wanted to decide what blocks would make up her quilt top. With her favorite colors being purple and pink, she found sufficient blocks and a border to make this second top. Along the way, Grace-Mary learned to pin her seams for accuracy, and how to use a seam ripper to fix those occasions where she learned about right sides together when sewing.

Thanks to Patty for lending a sewing machine, as well as her expert teaching at beginning sewing.

Grace-Mary is proud of her achievements, and is looking forward to the Sherbourne quilt-a-thon where she hopes to create another quilt top or two, before she turns 12 later this spring.

The Family That Quilts Together

While the Easton quilt-a-thons are held at the Easton senior center, not all quilt-a-thon participants are seniors. Here are some of our younger quilters who worked on creating quilt tops during the quilt-a-thon.


The family that quilts together has fun together.









Here is a quilt top, made not from a ready-made kit, but designed by picking out the individual 12" blocks, along with a border, and then putting it together. What a wonderful way to learn about quilt color and design.







And here is another example of a custom designed quilt top, made by going through the box of 12" blocks provided by Paul, to find blocks which fit a quilter's likes and personality.

I can't wait to see other tops made by these two quilters.

In Memory of Jean

During the Easton Quilt-a-thon, 2 people brought in a quilt donation. Their friend Jean, had been the recipient of a Power of the Quilt Project Comfort Quilt while she was undergoing cancer treatment at Brockton Hospital. Jean asked her 2 quilting friends to make a quilt to return the gesture to another recipient. Here is the lovely quilt that was made in tribute to Jean, a 9 patch, with 4 of the patches done in embroidery to detail the life of Jean.



All the quilt-a-thon participants paused their work to listen to the story of Jean and the marvelous quilt that was donated in her memory.



The closeup shows a basket of yarn and knitting needles, as Jean loved to knit.

Jean's two quilting friends didn't realize that they could attend a quilt-a-thon and help make additional quilts for Brockton cancer treatment patients. We hope to see them at an upcoming quilt-a-thon.

In addition to the quilt that was donated, there was a donation of fabric. So not only do the recipients appreciate the quilts, but their friends and family also appreciate the kind contribution.

Easton Quilt-a-thon Goers Brave the Snow Storm

Turnout was good at the Easton Quilt-a-thon held March 1, 2008 at the Senior Center at Parker Terrace in Easton. Quilters came with their children and grandchildren, all of whom helped out with the various tasks at the Quilt-A-Thon, from pinning tops to backs, to sewing and ironing, the many hands made the many tasks go quickly during the day.




Organizer Patty Locke provided for snacks while we worked, as well as a wonderful lunch of pasta and salad.

We had participants who sewed their very first quilt top at this quilt-a-thon, as well as participants who worked on tops at their second quilt-a-thon, even though they were not even teenagers yet!


It was an amazing day of sharing and caring, and a large number of tops were created, as well as quilts sandwiched, and binding and labels applied.

The surprise of the day was a donated quilt, in memory of Jean, brought in by 2 quilters. (see the related blog entry for pictures and story). Jean had received a quilt while beeing treated at Brockton Hospital, and asked her quilter friends to return the favor.

No one was too young or too old to participate at the quilt-a-thon. Many thanks to Patty Locke for organizing this great event.

Getting Ready for the Quilt-a-thon

Here are a set of 4 tops that Paul put together using donated fabrics. In particular, note the repeating use of the 4 ducks, originally intended for a pillow. The remaining fabrics comprise large scale prints, from horses to dogs and ducks.

These 4 tops are going to the Easton Quilt-a-thon being held March 1st, 2008.

More Using Existing Blocks

Here are 3 quilts that were made using existing blocks in a stash.


The first 2 quilts were made by Ellen, using up some blocks from a block-of-the-month program that she did. Don't they make some bright and cheery comfort quilts?

Perhaps you have some unused blocks laying around that could be put to good use, as a comfort quilt for cancer patients in Brockton hospital, or one of the other facilities that receives comfort quilts from Power of the Quilt Project.

Using Existing Blocks

Here is a quilt put together by Ellen.

She had some blocks from a block of the month that she had worked on, and she decided that she would use 4 of the blocks in this comfort quilt. These 4 blocks comprise the center row of blocks. By use of a border on each side of the center column, notice how the blocks stand out and catch your eye. Ellen added some fabric blocks to make 2 additional columns on the left and right, and finished it up with a nice border fabric. She backed the comfort quilt with a piece of polar fleece, and quilted it using some fancy stitches on each block. Bright and cheery, sure to bring comfort to a cancer treatment patient.

Do you have some blocks laying around? Why not put them to good use by either making a comfort quilt, or donating the blocks so one of the volunteers can turn those blocks into a comfort quilt.

2008 MLK Quilt-a-thon Quilts

Here are some of the quilts from the recent quilt-a-thon on January 21, 2008 (Martin Luther King day).



the first two quilts are the standard 9-patch pattern, but the quilt top maker stopped at the strips of 3, instead of further cutting into the 9 patches. This enables a top to be completed quicker, and it adds interest to the quilt. Also, no points to match in the 2" squares in the 9-patch.








The 3rd quilt is composed of 35 blocks all cut from the strip sets. These could be left-over pieces from other quilts, or just from 2 1/2 inch strips.
















The 4th quilt is a nice example of taking the 6 1/2" blocks of fabric, and arranging them in a pleasing pattern.