Dominating

It was a long-standing joke between my husband and I that if we ever saw the TIV or Dominator from Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers anywhere near our community, we would immediately run screaming the other way as fast as we could. This Sunday was the premiere of this season's Storm Chasers and, you guessed it, they were in Tuscaloosa for the April 27th storms. Running the other way was good advice, but not so funny now, as I sat in my living room reliving the storms through the eyes of the storm chasers as they tried to do what they could to help out in a helpless situation.

As our project draws to a close, I think of all the children we have covered with the beautiful quilts our quilt angels have so graciously contributed, helping out in what seemed like a helpless situation. To date, we have collected 72 quilts from 15 states and Australia. I am still hoping to make it to 100, as we only have 28 more to go. The weather is finally cooling down and there have been several nights where I know those quilts have been not only an emotional comfort, but also a physical comfort to our kids. Thank you all for everything you have done. You are appreciated more than you know.

Rosedale to be covered this week!

I can't believe that it has been just a little over 3 months since the tornadoes swept through Alabama. On the one hand, it seems like it just happened yesterday. On the other hand, so much has happened since then, that it seems like it has been much longer than 3 months.

Many of you have asked about the status of the Bama Bound Quilts project. Some have expressed concern about how long the qifting process has taken. I hope that this post helps answer some of the questions you may have.

I wanted everyone to know a little about the mechanics of the gifting process and where we are in that process. When a quilt comes in for gifting, I document it with photographs and on paper. Each quilt is photographed. It is then given a title and number. A log sheet is created with the name, number, quilter's name and address, state represented, description of the quilt and its measurements. I check to make sure that the quilts are clean, in good shape and meet the project requirements. Once photographed and logged, the quilts are packaged together for delivery.

I made a promise when I started this group that I would try to make sure that each quilt entrusted to me was personally placed in the hands of a child (or his/her parents) affected by the tornadoes. In order to keep this promise, each quilt must be given to the recipient and their name, age, gender, and address logged. Each child is photographed with his/her quilt. Parents must sign that they received the quilt and give permission to use the photos on the blog, facebook, etc.

Please keep in mind that I am the only one photographing, logging and packaging the quilts. While I could quickly prepare and gift small numbers of quilts, it has taken some time to gather and prepare the quilts for the Rosedale mass gifting. I do have help delivering the Rosedale quilts. Debra, the quilt angel, has identified the Rosedale kids, located where they have been displaced to, and mapped a delivery route. Twenty-four of the 45 Rosedale quilts will be in Debra's capable hands tomorrow. She will then deliver them while I complete logging and packaging the rest.

Please keep in mind that this entire process has taken some time for the Rosedale kids, particularly since we did not have all the quilts we needed until mid-July, and they had to be gifted as a group. All the Rosedale quilts should be gifted by the end of the month.

I will post photos as soon as possible. Be sure to check our facebook page for updates.

Michelle

7 more quilts... I love going to the Post Office!

We got 7 more quilts today toward the 45 needed for the Rosedale kids. 5 from Evelyn in CA and 2 from Linda in OH. Add those to the 5 that I got on 6/20 from Anita in NC and 2 from Lois in TX. That makes 14 in the last week. That is amazing!!! Y'all ROCK! Photos to come soon. Don't forget to like us on facebook to keep up with all the details.

xx Michelle

Long time, no blog...

Hi, everyone. I can't believe that it has been over 3 weeks since I have blogged! Sorry, about that, but things have been crazy down here.

Things are going well as far as quilts reciepts go. We are very close to reaching the 45 quilts necessary to cover the Rosedale kids. I am expecting a large shipment today or tomorrow. When it arrives, I will get a firm count and start posting photos.

Thanks to everyone for your patience. Please remember that you can follow us on facebook by liking our page: www.facebook.com/bamaboundquiltspage.

Precious Pairs

Three totes came in the mail today from FL to pair with the ME quilts. These are great examples of how canvas or duck cloth purchased totes can be embellished. Thank you, Lynette, for completing these precious pairs.

Hey, Y'all!

I am so excited to have added MA and AZ to our states list. Our sisters in stitches, Lois in MA, Karen in MI, Karen in AZ, and Jane in TX have all sent quilts in the last week, bringing our grand total to 34 quilts from 8 states! To date, we have covered 10 children from 3 communities.

Our friend, Debra, in Tuscaloosa has identified a pocket of 45 children, primarily from the Rosedale Community of Tuscaloosa, that need to be covered. I have 2 tops completed, one in the works and fabric bought for a 4th. That leaves 20 quilts for immediate need.

The children in this particular public housing community lost everything. Your quilts w/toys and totes are greatly needed and will be appreciated by these children more than you may know. Please keep 'em coming. I love getting those orange keys and yellow pick-up slips in my PO box!

Tote and Animals Needed

I received several amazing quilts from a quilt guild in ME. I cannot gift them yet because there were no totes or animals included. I love these quilts! They are adorable. Can anyone volunteer to get together totes and animals? Lynette from FL has already agreed to get totes and animals for the construction, firetruck and construction quilts. That means that there are 6 more we need help with. Totes can be handmade or or purchased. If they are purchased, please make sure they are good quality (ie canvas, nice fabric, etc) and add a pocket for the animal and place the animal inside the pocket.

Concord Child Covered

We were so happy to be able to cover 20 month old Eli. Eli lived with his parents in Concord, Alabama. His home was destroyed in the same EF4 torando that went through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Eli and both of his parents were hospitalized. Eli suffered from a skull fracture, but will recover. You can still see that one of his eyes is black from bruising.

Eli was covered by a prayer quilt made by St. Paul UMC, Cpt. 690 Prayers and Squares Ministry, from South Carolina. May God bless and comfort you, Eli.

First Group of Kids Covered!

Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of meeting with 3 families whose homes in Coaling, AL were destroyed in an EF 3 tornado on the morning of April 27, 2011. This tornado came in the predawn darkness and was a ominous foreshadowing of the events to come later in the day. Six kids from 3 families lost their homes and most, if not all, their possessions in the storm.

Bama Bound Quilts made contact with a neighbor in the Magnolia Springs subdivision of Coaling. She generously opened up her home to us and provided a meeting place for us to cover these children. All six kids were given quilts with totes and storm buddies made by quilters in 4 separate states.

Covered by TN and Covered by MI

Covered by MI

Covered by MI and Covered by TX

For more photos, Find us on facebook www.facebook/bamaboundquiltspage.com.

Tennessee Cutie

Check out this adorable zig-zag quilt and hand made bunny from Jenn in TN. It will be hard to let this one go!

Covered in Love by...

I am so excited about how this project is progressing. We have received 15 quilts from 4 states. There are many more committed to the project. I have identified 13 kids in 3 communities to "cover." Keep 'em coming: there are so many kids to comfort and bless.

Don't forget to include a quilt, tote with pocket and stuffed animal. It is fine to buy a tote and embellish it rather than make one, just be sure the one you send is a nice one (ie thick material, canvas, etc). It is fine to name your quilt. I am giving the ones I have received names and I will soon run out of puns and alliterations.

One unexpected benefit for me has been the diversity of styles and quilt patterns that I have been exposed to. We have discussed on facebook, the prospect of creating an e-book with quilt photos, quilt patterns, bios of the quilters, photos of the kids with their quilts and the kids' stories. If you are interested in being included in that aspect of the project, please let me know. There is certain info I will need to collect from you to include in the book.

Below are photos of most of the quilts received to date:

Covered in Love by Florida

Covered in Love By Maine

Covered in Love by Michigan

Covered in Love by Texas

Package from Maine

FYI, there has been a problem with the Blogger program. Several posts were removed from the blog and then had to be reposted by Blogger due to technical issues. Although the posts were restored, the comments have not yet been reposted. Hopefully, they will be back up soon. If not, please know that I value your comments and I am not the one that removed them.

On a very high note, I received a big ol' package from Maine today! Two baby quilts and three older kids/teen quilts. Thanks ladies at Cotton Weeds in Freeport! I will post photos as soon as I can.

You Are Covered in Love

A new quilt from Dianne in TX has arrived. The quilt is called "You are Covered in Love." It is a Curious George theme with a tote and stuffed monkey. Already have this one picked out for a little boy in Coaling. Keep 'em coming. You are truely covering these children in love.

The First Quilts Have Arrived

The first quilts have arrived. They are adorable! These three lovlies came from Lynette and Devon at http://www.whatahootquilts.blogspot.com/. They did not name them, so I am calling them "Flower Power" #1, #2, #3. The one with the dog is going to a little 3 yr old girl in Pleasant Grove who lost her home. I LOVE looking in my PO box and seeing that orange key! Can't wait to see the others on the way. We have about a dozen kids identified so far from 3 communities.