Monday, January 30, 2017

Call to action - Quilts for Québec

Updated to add: We have received all the quilt blocks we need for this project - thank you to all who contributed! If you would like information on how else you can help, please see our most recent blog post

Yesterday there was an attack made on members of our community... a gunman entered a Quebec City mosque during prayers and opened fire, killing 6 people and seriously injuring at least 5 others.

Intolerance and hate have no place in my definition of 'Québecois(e)' or 'Canadian', and as our Prime Minister recently said, "Our diversity is our strength." With that in mind, this act of terrorism simply will not stand and in the hopes of sending a little comfort and strong message of support to our neighbours in their time of need, we are doing what we do as a quilt guild - we are making quilts. 

We will be collecting house quilt blocks to make quilts that remind the recipients that this is their home, that they are an important part of this community and that we, their neighbours, are here to support and protect them. We would like to have at least enough for the families of each of the victims who lost their lives in the attack (6 so far), and ideally enough for those who were injured as well, although we do not yet know the final number. 

Image courtesy of Craftsy

If you would like to make a block (or many), here is what we need:
  • blocks should be 12.5" square
  • solid and non-figurative print fabrics are best (ie: no images of people or animals)
  • it would be nice to have the background fabric be a light neutral (white, light grey, cream, low-volume prints, etc) if possible  
  • the house can be as simple or as complex as you like, feel free to improvise and customize (examples and tutorials below)
  • bring your completed blocks to our Feb 14th meeting or to the Feb sew-in on the 18th
We would like to start constructing the quilts after our meeting later this month, and for those mailing their blocks in, please try to have them in the mail to us by March 11th.

Also, we invite you to share pictures of your blocks on social media, and please include the tag #quiltsforqc so we can see your wonderful work! :)

We are also accepting donations of backing fabric and batting for finishing the quilts, or money to be put towards the purchase of those items, if that's more your speed... please send us an email (mtlmqg@gmail.com) and we can arrange something that works for you. :) 

As for the blocks themselves, there are many different kinds of house blocks you can make ranging from simple to complex. We want our quilt villages to be beautiful and varied! Below are some house block tutorials to get you started; you can also do a search for "house quilt block" on Pinterest or Google, and if you have an idea or tutorial to share, post it in the comments!
I know quilts can't fix everything in this world (wouldn't it be wonderful if they could?), but it never hurts to remind people that they are a valued part of their community, and that their neighbours support them. We appreciate any help you can give us in sending that message! :)

24 comments:

  1. All projects have been put on pause as I will be sewing house blocks tonight ❤

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  2. I live in the US, but Montreal is my hometown. I will make some house squares :)

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  3. Live in the US, willing to assist. When do you want them returned?
    Carol_Berge@msn.com

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  4. I was forwarded this by Cynthia Horst, above. I also grew up in Montreal but now live in Augusta, Georgia and started our chapter of the MQG here. I am very happy to contribute and will send some blocks along. Please keep us updated as to your needs.

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    1. Please send us some of your lovely weather along with your blocks ;)

      We will definitely post updates to the blog as things progress. For now, we're happy to have you help out and if you have any questions just send us an email!

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  5. I will sew up a house block or 2 for sure - former Montreal we.

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  6. Je demeure à Lévis et suis coordonnatrice pour La Courtepointe des Chutes... On aimerait bien vous aider ! Je communique avec vous par courriel pour les détails dès que j'aurai contacté les membres de mon groupe.

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  7. My understanding is that art in the Islamic faith does not include depictions of people or animals (or sometimes even plants), and it may be a good idea to advise MQG members making blocks to choose fabrics carefully to avoid people/animal prints in the fabrics that they choose to use for these blocks. I am not Muslim, but I did have a conversation about this specific topic with a friend who is. She also said that she thought that the quilts would be accepted in the spirit in which they were intended, and also suggested that the Arabic word "salam" meaning "peace" would be a lovely and fitting motif to include in the blocks, either transliterated into the English alphabet or in Arabic script/calligraphy.

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    1. That is correct, which is why I included this in what we need for the blocks: "solids and non-figurative prints are best (ie: no images of people or animals)"

      For the text, we won't ask anyone to include text in their blocks, but we will certainly include something along those lines on the quilt labels when the quilts are finished. :)

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    2. So, just to clarify, no leafy or floral prints either? Thanks

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  8. I am a Canadian (Thomasburg Ont.) currently in Fla. I'm sending a block, but may not make it there for "Feb. meeting"... hope there will be acceptable.What day is the meeting?

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    1. Not a problem! We won't start construction of the quilt tops until late Feb and will be working on them into March so you have plenty of time!

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  9. Hello, when are you thinking you will need the quilt block by? Thanks!

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    1. We'll be starting to put the quilts together by the end of Feb, so ideally we'd like the blocks by the beginning of March.

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  10. Fabulous. Look forward to sending a block from my home. Namaste
    Vickie

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  11. AssalamuAlaykum, I'm so thrilled to hear of this project and I feel blessed to be able to contribute as a member from Orlando Modern Quilt Guild. But the gratitude is to all of you who mobilized to bring this beautiful gesture to fruition. May God reward each and everyone of the participants for this act of generosity and kindness. Ameen.

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  12. I'll be joining in from Nova Scotia. A beautiful gesture! I'm so glad that a friend pointed this out to me. All the best.

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  13. I am going to whip up a bunch of blocks this weekend!!

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  14. I just popped three blocks into the mail today. You should have them in a few days. Thank you so much for thinking of, and co-ordinating, this project. Just a beautiful gesture.

    Christine McAuley, Toronto

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  15. Just heard about this.... are you still accepting? I would be sending a finished quilt if you would like... I sent to the Pluse nightclub in Orlando last year... This is a wonderful thing you are doing!

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    1. Barbara - we are still accepting contributions, but are wrapping up that part of the process - we ask that blocks be in the mail to us by the end of this week. For completed quilt tops and finished quilts we will need them in the mail by the end of the month... so it depends on how quickly you think you can get it done! ;)

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