Val from Pink Please! String Quilt

Val from Pink Please! is quite the talented quilter and has been showcasing her talents on Moda Bake Shop with her darling Floor Pillows and Play Mat.  So cute!   Today she's sharing a quilt with a lot more meaning and purpose, and it was a collaborative effort.  I so admire Val (and all of you) who take your talents and do so much good with them.  It is something I am striving to do more of myself.  Anyway I will let Val tell you about the quilt and Heroes Foundation.  Also, she posted HERE how well the quilt did (!!!!!) so check that out when you're done!! Also make sure to stop by Pink Please! and her shop with darling custom tooth fairy pillows.

What started out as one quilt block made from scraps and a plea to have some friends help make a few more, has turned into one incredible quilt, full of stories, that is ready to be auctioned off at The Night Under the Stars Gala benefiting the Heroes Foundation on Feb. 25th.

I dragged my Dad (and his camera) over to the railroad tracks by his house to take some fun shots.

(Thanks, Big John!)

Ok, the quilting on this is just amazing!!!!  Tammy Lawson, of Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Super Bowl, what what, offered to donate her time (4 hours!), her batting, her thread, her long arm quilting machine, and her skills to put this quilt together. Watching her free motion quilt this was mesmerizing!  I can not comprehend how she quilts this without drawing the pattern on the fabric.  If anyone in the Indy area needs long arm quilting services, contact me to get Tammy's info. You will not be disappointed!  She even let me sew on her machine while I waited.  We called it a Sewing Play Date!

Check out this video I took of Tammy in action....

I LOVE the little ribbon block that Charlotte of Lawson and Lotti made. 

It makes a statement without saying a word!

If you made a block(s) on this quilt will head over to Flickr and tag it here?  It should be fun to see everyone on there.

My friends in charge of the auction thought a throw pillow would be a nice addition to the quilt.  I chose 4  blocks that were extras sent in that I thought went nicely together and made this pillow.  I put pink pom poms around the edges and now I don't think I'll ever be able to make another pillow without them.

The silent auction committee thought it would be nice if I would write up a little somethin' somethin' about this quilt to put in the brochure that everyone will receive the night of the Gala.  Here is what is submitted:

When I first became involved with the Heroes Foundation Silent Auction Committee, I knew I wanted to make something special to donate to such a wonderful cause.  Modern Quilting is a passion of mine and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to use my art to raise money for others.  I posted a request on my blog asking my sewing bloggie friends if anyone would be interested in helping me make this quilt. Each person could make one quilt block using their scrap fabric and send it to me with a note telling who their block was in honor of.  I was very nervous that no one would want to help me.  To my surprise, within 48 hours, 45 women had responded that they would like to contribute.  Not only did these women send one block each, but many sent two!  Coming from as far as Australia, the stories behind each block will tug at your heart strings!  Some blocks are in honor of lost parents and spouses, some are in honor of those currently fighting, and one is even in honor of herself, a woman currently going through chemo and radiation.  This quilt has helped me see that cancer does not discriminate.  Everyone all over the world is fighting this ugly disease and the 46 of us hope that we can use this disease as an opportunity to make something beautiful, that will hopefully raise money for those who need it.

~Val Campbell

Blocks have come from: England, Australia, and The United States (Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Kansas, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.)

***Thank you all that contributed.  I am honored to have put this together. The quilt earned $1000 at the auction!***

xoxoxo

~Val~