Time For UFOs to Leave the Nest

It's been really cold the past few days here in New York  Actually, it's been cold the whole month.  Yesterday, it was nine degrees.  If this is the Polar Vortex, where are the bears?  Shouldn't they be napping up at the North Pole? Why can't they go home and take this weather with them?


Now we return to our original program.

Although I am determined to whittle down my stack of UFOs, I have decided that I don't have to go it alone.  If birds and children can leave the nest, why not quilt tops that are sapping your quilting energy.

One of my favorite bloggers, Debra, has taken on a huge commitment to provide quilts for several very worthy programs.  Two of the projects have a special appeal for me.   The Family Promise Program of Montgomery County, Texas and  Bambi House  (Baby and Mother Bonding Initiative).  The Family Promise Program provides housing for families in crisis.  Families in the program receive training for jobs, budgeting, and parenting skills.  At the end of the 3 month training program, families are placed in transitional housing for up to 2 years.  Twenty families with an average of forty children cycle through the program each year.  Debra has committed to covering the beds of each family finishing the program with a quilt.  That's a lot of quilts.  

Bambi  House, is a program run by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for qualified female offenders.  Inmates in the program receive child development, life skills, infant first aid, CPR, health, nutrition, and substance abuse education. This forward looking program helps to break the cycle of abuse and neglect that often continues through generations.

 I have been overwhelmed with the amount of fabric and UFOs squirreled away in my sewing room, linen closet, under beds, and in my attic.  The load got  a little lighter when I mailed 5 quilt tops to Debra who will quilt them on her long arm and have them ready for the next "graduating class" at the Family Promise Program.

I sent the three Tetris quilts I made during Melissa's quilt along at Happy Quilting.  It was my goal to quilt them back in April, but it never got done.  Debra hasn't quilted these yet, but she will be using them for young boys in families graduating from the program

One of the tops I sent was just started in November.  I used over 100 novelty prints in the blocks.  My original quilt finished at 48 x 60, but Debra will be adding borders to make it large enough for a young boy.

I found additional blocks for a Disappearing 9 patch hidden in the back of a closet. What was originally to be a 53 X 66 inch lap quilt was enlarged and finished at 72 x 85.  Debra has already quilted it and it will be given to a single mom who is graduating the project this spring.

She has given me permission to show a great shot of the quilts when she received them.  

Here is the DP9 after Debra finished quilting it.  Her quilting and photos make my simple quilts look great.

You can see more pictures of finished quilts and the lovely pieced back Debra made for the DP9 on her blog.

More time and room for new projects to fill the spot vacated by the 5 UFOs. If only I could get rid of the Polar Vortex the same way.