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 Always remember...

The COVID-19 global pandemic has forever changed the face and heart of our EARTH.  Without discrimination, COVID has destroyed millions of lives and livelihoods.Quilters around the world have rushed into action to construct face masks, gowns, caps and other protective gear. At a time when we want to gather together, we are encouraged (and sometimes ordered) to stay apart.




One year from now, five years from now, one generation from now, how will you remember COVID?  What stories will you tell your children, grandchildren?  


 

                              Join Us -- and Join Other Quilters Across America


Remember, back in the day, we met friends and kept friends as pen pals.  We communicated by writing letters, telling of our daily activities, sharing secrets and securing life-long friends.

During this pandemic, we are fortunate enough to be able to communicate through cell phone and internet technologies, but there is still a place for good old-fashioned pen pals.

While you construct your COVID FRIENDS quilt, you will sending and receiving fabric scraps from quilters across America.  Share your COVID story with your new quilting friends.  Meet your new pen pals online during (optional) ZOOM quilt alongs.  Who knows, maybe someday soon, you will have the opportunity to meet up with your quilting pen pals at a quilt show or festival.  And maybe, just maybe, your COVID FRIENDS quilt will be hanging in the show.
Quilters will select (9) block centers from (10) block options.  Each block center tells part of the COVID pandemic story.  Check out the blocks and background options on our COVID Friends Story webpage.

COVID Friends sign up will be open to July 12.  The fabric exchange will take place July 13-27.  The cost to join is just $40.  Your membership will include:
     COVID Friends pattern
     Quilting Pen Pals
     *Fabric Exchange postage costs to distribute to the other quilters
     Private Facebook Group
     Fabric exchange prompts
     Block 1-2-3 Quilt Along Zoom August 17
     Block 4-5-6 Quilt Along Zoom September 21
     Block 7-8-9 Quilt Along Zoom October 19
     COVID Friends Show & Tell Zoom November
     Quilt Along Video Library

*Quilters who do NOT want to exchange fabrics can also participate in the COVID Friends quilt.

Dig into your stash and be prepared to exchange fabric with (up to) 80 quilting friends.  For each exchange, you will provide: 

     (1) 2-1/2"x 20" strip
     (1) 1-1/2"x 20" strip
Your total fabric outlay will be less than 4-1/2 yards -- but don't forget that you will also have to plan for postage costs to send ONE flat rate envelope with your fabric strips to Stitchin' Tree.

For your own quilt, you will need to add 
     (8) yards background fabric
          your choice: white, off white, cream, gray,
          black, or any color you choose
     (2-3) yards coordinating fabrics

Choose Quilting Pen Pals with YOUR Fabric Preference

Bright and Cheery Cotton
Blenders & Prints

$40
Bright & Cheery Batiks

$40
Deep & Rich Cotton
Blenders & Prints
$40
Deep & Rich Cotton Batiks

$40

 

Red,
Orange, Yellow, Green,
Blue,
Violet,
Turquoise


Red,
Orange,
Yellow. Green,
Blue, Violet,
Turquoise




Red, 
Pumpkin,
Gold,
Green,
Blue,
Violet,
Teal

Red, 
Pumpkin
Gold,  
Green, 
Blue, Violet,
Teal
                                  SPECIAL BLOCKS & THEIR MEANINGS
 And here are the blocks that we are proposing for the   quilt...  Remember, we could have some changes  before   the quilt is complete.  In some cases, the blocks are   public domain designs with known names.  In other   cases, we have created a block to fit the story.  We have   designed 10 blocks, but you will only need 9 for your   quilt, so you get to choose the blocks that resonate most   with you.

This story begins in Wuhan China... 
Chinese Lantern block

Travelers from China arrived in the US and opened a Pandora's Box.
Pandora's Box block

And soon, the pandemic found its first metropolitan epicenter -- the Big Apple, New York City
Apple block

Soon we heard the sad stories of babies who were separated at birth from their mommies 
Baby Bunting block

And very quickly, we were pressed into service to make masks for health care workers and other heroes.
Mask block
 
Lacking the option to hug each other, the hand symbol of the heart has become a common sight.
Heart block

Historically, crises cause people to renew their faith, but the pandemic kept us out of houses of worship and away from our faith families.
Cross block

In the midst of the pandemic, a tragic murder occurred spotlighting centuries of racial oppression.
Anvil block

Social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine have become our new normal.
Attic Window block

And throughout the pandemic, we've made new friends in new ways.
Friendship Star block
 




COVID-19 Friends Tribute FAQs

Participation


How do I participate?
You can sign up through Stitchin' Tree or any of the participating quilt shops.  The deadline to participate in the fabric exchange is July 27.  But you can sign up to participate without the fabric exchange after July 27.

How much does it cost to join?
The cost for the COVID-19 Friends Tribute Quilt is $40 -- payable to the participating quilt shop that you are joining through.

What does the $40 include?
Membership in this quilt along includes
COVID Friends pattern
Meet new quilting pals
Fabric exchange
     *Fabric Exchange postage costs to distribute to the other quilters
Private Facebook Group
Fabric exchange prompts
Block 1-2-3 Quilt Along Zoom August 17
Block 4-5-6 Quilt Along Zoom September 21
Block 7-8-9 Quilt Along Zoom October 19
COVID Friends Show & Tell Zoom November
Quilt Along Image Library     
Quilt Along Video Library

Do I have to be on Facebook?
No.  We have created a Facebook group for the COVID-19 Friends Tribute Quilt participants, but you do NOT have to be on Facebook in order to participate.  If you are not a Facebook follower, you will be able to follow along through traditional email posts, blog posts, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and the websites of participating quilt shops.

What if I get started after July 27?
No worries you can still participate in the quilt along, receive all of the patterns, and participate in prompts and Facebook group.  You may be too late for the fabric exchange, but we (and the other participating shops) will work with you to make sure you have plenty of fabric for the quilt.

Fabric Exchange


What are the fabric exchange groups?
Stitchin' Tree is coordinating fabric exchange in for fabric groups.

  • Bright & Cheery Blenders/Basics
  • Bright & Cheery Batiks
  • Deep & Rich Blenders/Basics
  • Deep & Rich Batiks


How do I participate in the exchange?
You will be exchanging fabrics with 80 quilters, which means that you will have to cut (80) 1-1/2”x20” strips and (80) 2-1/2”x20” strips of fabric to share, for a total of 4.444 yards.  note -- this is equivalent to (40) strips that are cut in half on the fold.

You will send all (160) pieces of fabric to Stitchin’ Tree.  Mail the package by July 27.  The strips should fit in a Flat Rate Envelope, keeping your postage costs under $9.  We will make copies of your information sheet and provide copies with each fabric set (one 1-1/2” and one 2-1/2” strip) shared with others.  You will receive a package by return mail that includes (80) fabric sets and information sheets from other quilters. 

Do I have to participate in the fabric exchange?
No.  Quilters can choose to participate in the COVID-19 Friends Tribute Quilt without participating in the fabric exchange.  If you want to use your own fabrics only, you are welcome to do so.  For example, if you wanted to create the quilt in 30's reproductions, we have no exchange that meets your needs, so you would use your own collection for the entire quilt.  

Do I receive a discount if I do not exchange fabric?
No.  The price for the COVID-19 Friends Tribute Quilt along is the same whether you exchange fabric or not.

Can I cut from one fabric for the exchange or does it need to be a variety?
You will cut a variety of colors.  Depending on the fabric selection that you signed up for, you will be cutting a minimum of (5) 4” cuts (1-1/2” + 2-1/2” strips) of each of the following: 
  • Blue
  • Green
  • Red
  • Pink
  • Purple
  • Yellow
  • Orange
  • Teal/Turquoise 

You can choose to cut (5) strips from the same fabric, or choose (5) fabrics from each of the color ways.

What if I don't have all of the colors that are represented in the quilt?
If your stash does not have all of the colors represented in your quilt, check with your friends to see if they want to share their stash with you, or visit your local quilt shop for supplies.

How will you protect my privacy?
You will receive (1) form to fill out to send with your fabric strips.  Stitchin' Tree will duplicate a portion of the form that will indicate your name and city/state to be distributed to others in the the exchange.  That way they will know where the fabric came from.  The rest of your contact information (address, email and phone number) will only be used for shipping purposes, and will not be collected for marketing purposes.