Closet Crafters donate quilt to national Quilts With Love project

The Closet Crafters at the Carson Valley Community Food Closet have donated a quilt top to Quilts With Love, a grassroots group in Republic, Mo. The group sends quilts to servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The project was started in 2003 when a serviceman in Iraq wrote his mother requesting a warm blanket. In response his mother and a friend posted a request on the Home & Garden TV message board for quilters to send quilt blocks.

The request turned into the Quilts With Love Challenge. The challenge is open to all quilters in the United States to see which state could send in the most squares or quilt tops. The Closet Crafters joined in and completed a colorful top that was sent in this month to represent Nevada.

Following specific size requirements for the blocks, quilters from around the United States send in their completed quilt tops to be assembled and quilted by volunteers at QWL. The first year they were able to send 40 quilts. As the project continues a total of 764 colorful quilts have been sent overseas.

The challenge runs from July 1 through Sept. 25, 2006. To date, enough tops have been received to make 173 quilts. The strips of fabric were sewn in a diagonal pattern to form a multi-colored square. The 12 1/2-inch squares are assembled to make a 56 x 84-inch quilt for a military bed. To learn more about this creative way to support our troops, e-mail Maggie at: quiltswithlove2003@yahoo.com. Even though the challenge is nearly over, the donations are accepted all year long.

If you are interested in joining the Closet Crafters to make a variety of projects for our yearly craft fair on Nov. 4, contact Eileen Boettiger, Food Closet director at 782-3711. The crafters meet on Friday mornings at the Food Closet at 1255 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville.