Our friend Barbara has two daughters in the Asheville, NC area and in a couple weeks she will be traveling from New York to NC to help them. And we can help by donating baby and kids quilts to the cause. When Barbara actually arrives there I will provide her mailing address and anyone who would like to help can mail a crib quilt to her for distribution to those with babies and small children. When you’re getting ready to mail your quilt, attach a card with your name and address so the recipient knows how far the quilt has traveled.
And we can help! When Barbara gets settled I’ll ask for quilting supplies and fabric to be donated to the quilters who live in the mountains who have been making beautiful quilts for many years. All their quilt making supplies were lost in the storm and we all have so much! I plan to start filling a box now so that when Barbara is ready I can send it immediately. Watch the blog for further details.
Reader photos
Here is Farmer Tim combining corn across the road tonight – just look at the dust! Eerie looking, huh?
You know how I feel about pressing – I think the back of the quilt is as important as the front side. Here is the back of my pink log cabin – all pressed flat, no flipped over seams! Next is preparing the backing and then putting it on the longarm.
Moe – tell us about Hailey Baly and how she’s doing.
What are you watching on Netflix that you liked? I’m watching The Tourist right now – first season was very good, I’ll reserve judgement on the second season until I’m finished.
Rita – how’s your knee, your daughter, your brother?
Have you seen this? It covers the side of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
And to close…..
I just had a random thought, and San, you may be able to answer my question. Could we perhaps send Small stuffed animals with the quilts for comfort? The poor children have lost so much.
Hi Mary,
Baby and kids quilts are a really great idea.
I’d hold off on sending any quilting supplies unless you know of someone who has specifically asked for them. Why do I say this? Many have lost entire homes. Communities are without power or water or a way to flush toilets. At this time basic supplies such as water, food, and fuel are needed. Many types of volunteers are there and more are heading in.
Please sign on to the following web site to hear daily reports from people who are manning the front lines.
bpr.org/online-streams-blue-ridge-public-radio
Click on the BPR News button on the right.
Thank you everyone for your assistance and concern. San / Murphy, NC
San – Barbara asked for quilting supplies next spring. I never said she was asking for them now – she was asking for baby and kids quilts – when she got there. She has a home there as well as two daughters. Where did you read that I was asking for quilting supplies now? I never did.
Thank you for saying this. I felt similarly. San is from North Carolina and I figure she has a good idea of what is going on. I appreciate any resource that helps me understand the devastation that has occurred.
Carla – San wrote me an email saying I shouldn’t do this and that when in fact I never said, not ever, that Barbara was asking for quilting supplies now. She is considering next spring, not now. Anybody realizes they have no use nor interest in quilting supplies, right now when their homes are gone!!! Small quilts for babies and kids is what she asked for – she has a home there and two daughters living there so I trust her to know what is needed. I like the suggestion of a stuffed toy very much – harder to ship however unless it’s small.
I have to say, when I read the conment mentioning the quilting supplies, I had the thought of “now?!”, because the comment didn’t give a specific time. I can’t speak for San of course, but I’m guessing she emailed to ask you not to send quilting supplies and not to tell you not to send the actual quilts which she said was a great idea. Of course I can’t speak to the tone of her email but perhaps it was coming from the same place of confusion that I felt initially. My heart hurts when there is needless strife among us. I’ll end there. We should be busy sewing.
Barbara, when the time comes, could you please let us know if there is a best option for which delivery service to use when sending the packages? I was wondering if USPS will be running well, or if FedEx or ups might be better. I’m glad we have time to get some quilts made. I’m so thankful for a way to help from way up here.
Mary, we really enjoyed Bodkin and The Perfect Couple, both on Netflix.
Oh I can’t wait for the address to send quilting supplies to the mountains!! I am having to stop quilting due to a health condition and I want my stuff to go to people who need it! Thank you thank you thank you!! 👏🎉 My heart aches sooooo bad for those affected by the hurricane 😥 I helped out during Hurricane Katrina and it was life changing – I’m so thankful my church made many trips south at that time. So much heartache and yet I was amazed at the people’s fortitude! I look forward to hearing more about Barbara, the quilts sent and where we can send our supplies! Thank you so much!!
Kelli – I’m sure these women will appreciate your quilting supplies and won’t that make you feel good? Watch the blog – Barbara will let us know when to send things.
Thank you so much Mary!! My heart aches 💔 for these people
I will update tomorrow on my family updates. This post is all about helping those most in need as it should be. Love ya all for being such good company!
My granddaughter and husband live in Asheville. She is a RN at Mission Hosp. She stayed at hosp from Sunday evening until Wed evening…easier than trying to get back and forth and gasoline was hard to find. It is so sad to see pictures of the devastion in the mnts and to know of all the lives lost. We can donate for basic needs and also, quilting supplies.
Mary, I’m here in Iowa sheltering from Helene. We live in Asheville and were blessed to not have damage to our home. The damage to our beloved mountain home is beyond imagination. My husband is home (he’s a marine and not daunted by rough living) with the dogs and doing whatever he can. My church is meeting as we speak (even without all utilities) and will decide after worship how we can do our part. We are guessing monetary donations will do the most good and we’re hearing that non-profits aren’t ready for physical donations yet as there is no storage. Asheville Buncombe County Christian Miniistries is already a big provider of services in normal conditions and is working hard to help folks now. Our outstanding food bank, Manna, was inundated but are still at work to feed people. I feel guilty for not being home but with my MS my legs are useless for hard work. Know that as a now North Carolinian, we all appreciate your prayers and thoughts.
Pam from NC ( and temporarily in Nevada)
Wonderful to send baby quilts and quilting supplies to western NC. In the meantime, to help with more immediate needs like food, water and shelter, donations to North Carolina Disaster relief fund would be helpful, according to friends of family who are in that area.
I don’t have any quilts ready but I have plenty of supplies. I’ll be watching for the address, we’ll have those ladies back quilting before they know it. Hugs,
Mary, thanks to you and your reader, Barbara for giving us a way to help. Its most important to pray, of course, but the giving of your own blessings in whatever way you can is putting feet to those prayers. I know there are some finished children’s quilt tops in my stash that can be quilted this week and sent on where they are needed.
Patti in Florida please keep us posted on how things progress in your area. Love all the quilts you manage to get done. You’re amazing!
thank you, barbara in mo. appreciate it. will post about my situation in next post. thanks, patti in florida
Please tell us how Barbar’s daughters are. Thank you.
I have been waiting to hear when quilters would start sending quilts. This is the first I have heard on this disaster. I dropped out of my local guild but that’s another story. I will be watching and waiting for an address and will spread this among my quilty friends. I am headed to a retreat in the morning for 4 days and will be out of the loop but will catch up when I get back.
I don’t have any quilt things but do have embroidery items. Do you think these would be wanted. I also have been a hoarder (collector) of scissors that I would be willing to part with. I know this is a major undertaking and don’t want to send items that aren’t wanted.
Angie – Barbara will give me more details when she’s ready to accept these items – I would think scissors would be extremely valuable.
I am happy to know of a concrete way to help. I have some quilts ready and lots of fabric.
Mary, check out Bodkin on Netflix. It keeps me on the treadmill (I only watch when I exercise).
mary, the back of your quilt looks great. i’ll let you press all my quilts. patti in florida
hi everyone. it is most generous of barbara to volunteer to distribute baby and toddler quilts to the people in the ashville area. it could turn into quite an endeavor.
i love the quilts and runners today. that witches quilt is so great. it should be at my house. i keep meaning to make it for myself and just keep putting it off. love biscuit’s halloween costume. guess that lion should have been smarter about stealing food from that camp upteen years ago.
i have sad news. hurricane sesason is not over until the end of november. tropical storm milton is in the gulf of mexico and it’s trajectory is across central florida. it is expected to hit florida around this coming wednesday. i hope it hits here or further south and does not turn north into the big bend of florida. they are still so raw from helene. i’m not really hoping it will come here, i just don’t want it going there. storm is projected to be a category 3 which is pretty big. i’m sure the news will be full of almost non-stop coverage come tuesday. it is aiming right at us. will be stocking up on batteries, water, non-perishable foods. we have two small refrigerators upstairs that i think i’ll have mr. ed bring down so we can use them. i’ll start stocking up on ice tomorrow. there are lots of things to do for prep that have been drilled into us over the course of the last 43 years (omg, i didn’t realize i’d been here that long!). you can’t wait til the last minute or all the supplies at the stores will be gone. people panic immediately. i try to keep things around so i don’t have to send mr. ed to the store. i saw something somewhere, can’t remember where, where a family had used all their empty jars and filled them with water, put on lids. those could come in handy for so many things. one of the things they always suggest we do is fill the bathtub. when there is no water, you can use it to flush the toilet.
it’s been so crazy around here with p.t. people, home care nurses, etc., doc visits and then my angel group, that i am exhausted. the only thing i accomplished today was to square up a small sandwich size bag of squares that came home with me – most were 2.5″. i have another baggie of triangles that i will think on. i have some ideas. someone asked me yesterday how i get so much done. i do it in 15-30 minute segments – sometimes less. it all adds up and i’m using pre-cut pieces i already have cut and ready.
mr. ed brought in a steak dinner with baked potatoes, salads, steamed veggies for dinner. it was wonderful and i’m stuffed. i’m sure it cost a pretty penny but i don’t care. after a week of mostly sandwiches it was worth every bit of it.
happy quilting to all, prayers for all the people affected by past week’s weather. patti in florida
Patti, I was thinking about you this am when I heard of the strom heading your way on Wednesday. Still picking up the mess in NC in Asheville where my 2 daughters live. Be safe and let us know how it go.
My heart breaks for all those in western NC and eastern TN. They had all that rain the week before the hurricane hit. When I get back from this trip I will start pulling some things together.