Another wonderful use for orphan quilt blocks and fabric crumbs is the making of charity quilts. My quilty donations go to the Cat Clinic of Chattanooga where these little quilts are used in the cubbies where the cats and kittens recover from surgeries and medical procedures. My kitty quilt pile grew to 6, so it was time again to visit the kitties!
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| Six kitty cuddle quilts ready for drop-off at the Cat Clinic of Chattanooga. |
The finished size of the kitty quilts is approximately 25" x 27". They're small, manageable, quick and fun to make. In addition to comforting the cats, a quiltmaker can benefit by
- practicing free-motion quilting on them.
- trying out new quilting techniques—such as ruler work or curved piecing.
- practicing binding by machine.
- testing decorative stitches or new quilting motifs.
- and using orphan quilt blocks and scraps to create something useful and appreciated.
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| Charity quilts made with orphan quilt blocks and scraps. |
I combine orphan blocks and various fabric bits to produce colorful patchwork menageries. Dr. Toumayan, the veterinarian and founder of the Cat Clinic, says both the kitties and the clinic's staff enjoy the bright colors and fun novelty prints! I usually put flannel on the backs of these quilts for an extra snuggle factor.
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| Flannel fabric is often used on the back. |
Upon my arrival at the clinic, it didn't take long for Mooch, the current office cat waiting for his forever home, to check out the delivery.
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| I got to meet Mooch at the Cat Clinic. |
Mooch is a sweet, friendly cat. He and his brother would make great additions to anyone's family! Oh, and he likes quilts.
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| Mooch inspects the new quilts. |
