I grew up in Pennsylvania near a Mennonite community. While I am home for the holiday I was lucky enough to get a tour of a facility where the Mennonites make quilts either to raise funds for their own work or to give away both domestically and internationally. Can you believe they make 25 quilts a week just with volunteers who come in to sew? They have an amazing setup. Want to see?
They have this fabulous prep room with a gigantic cutting table and storage for all kinds of fabric that has been donated.
Since so much is made with donated fabric, most of their quilts are scrappy. Scrappy, when done well, looks so great!
They have a long arm machine but primarily use frames for communal hand quilting. So, depending on the size of quilt they have several different frames ready to go.
This Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt was on the frame for quilting while I was there. They are echo quilting (by hand) around each "flower". It's going to look great when they are done!
Not all of the patchwork is done by hand, so they have rows of donated machines ready to quickly put a top together. Wouldn't this be a great way to get together with your quilty friends for a good chat? Check out that log cabin quilt in the center.
I'll just toss this one in because I loved it. Pretty pretty.
So at any point they have several quilts on the go. There were four prepped while I was there. Some for quilting, some for hand tying. Depends on how quickly they want to get something finished and sent out. It was really amazing.
I was totally impressed with their setup and wish I lived closer to volunteer. They send hundreds of quilts out to needy families while still providing a community for the local quilters. What could be better? Well done, Mennonite Central Committee of PA! Wish I could be a greater contributor to your efforts! xx
23 comments:
Wow, looks so awesome!
Enjoy your time with your family Cindy & have a lovely Chrismas & holidays :)
Wow! That would indeed be an interesting place to visit. Thanks for the tour.
This is the most amazing place I have ever seen. Do they have a web page that I could look out? I'd like to get some tips on how they put this together and how they get donations. These women are fantastic. Thanks, Etty
That looks truly impressive. I think all of us would like to live close to somewhere like that!
They have made some beauties there. Just imagine getting one of those? A wonderful set up, and it must be great to be able to be a part of it. Thank you for the tour.
Wow that is a great setup! Thanks for sharing those quilts look beautiful!
Thanks for your tour Cindy - they must be very giving women but I'm sure get a lot out of their giving too! Would be a great place for a bit of socialising.
Enjoy your visit and come home safely!
Wow! It looks like an amazing place! Thanks for showing us. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday x
Wow, Cindy, for a moment there I thought that was your studio!! Fabulous set up.
what an amazing idea! how cool would it be to have one of those close by
Thank you for the amazing insight to the work and lives of these industrious ladies.
Josie
U.K.
WOW! That is so cool! Thanks for sharing about your visit! I had no idea such a cool place existed!
What a creative hub! Would be v.inspiring working amongst those talented women. It's about time you got your own wee Bee group up and running! Jxo
wow, that's so cool to see
very cool - where abouts is this? I'm familiar with kutztown area and places are around there - my sisters in college in pa but i'd love to check this out!
How inspirational and such beautiful quilts!
Oh wow, wish I could go there to volunteer! What a fantastic set up.
Oh wow, what a fab idea! Such a great way to keep a craft going, keep a community going and give back to others all in a oner! Thanks for the tour :o)
What a brilliant place!!
Wow! That looks like such an amazing place :)
Katy
x
Oh Cindy, thank you so much for this lovely post. Love all those quilts and what great lighting they have.
I loved this post. I can't believe I missed it--way behind in reading... The big donation quilt I am currently working on will raise money for the very same organization--Mennonite Central Committee. So cool to read about it here.
Very cool post! I like it a lot.
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