Quilt Fundraiser to Stop Gun Violence

Donate $25 in order to get a chance to win this handmade Star Quilt. All proceeds go to the "Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence".

I am a mother of three teens, a childbirth educator, and an artist/quilter. On December 14, the day of the horrific shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, I turned to creative handwork as a way to process and cope with the news. I began making a star quilt block for each of the victims at the school. It has become a kind of meditation for me-- to sew these stars-- turning to my fabric, needle, and thread as I feel all the varied emotions (rage, grief, confusion, fear, tenderness) this event has uncovered in me. Stitching together this quilt is a healing process for me.

In addition to tending to my own heart, I also want to tend to the larger community by supporting awareness, action, and change in order to reduce gun violence in our nation (especially against children). To this end, I will be giving away my Star Quilt of Remembrance to one randomly selected participant in this fundraiser.

This quilt is made from beautiful 100% cotton batik fabric, and is approximately 4 x 6 feet- not quite twin-sized, but perfect for a baby or lap quilt, or for hanging on the wall. Most of the materials for this quilt are from my own "stash;" I have only purchased the blue background as I didn't have enough of one fabric on hand. Mostly, I am using what I have on hand, in order to stay true to the tradition of quilting: making something of meaning and beauty out of whatever is around. While I am a fairly experienced and skilled quilter, this quilt is not professional quality; the stars are intentionally "wonky" and my points won't match, but it is made with mindfulness, love, and intention. Because my style of quilting tends towards the modern and improvisational, I do not have a pattern or specific plan. I am letting the quilt emerge as I go along. I will share photos and progress reports throughout the coming month on my blog.

Details: 

~Each donor of $25 or more will be eligible to win the quilt. Multiples of $25 will be entered the corresponding number of times (for example: $100 = 4 entries). Of course, donations of any amount are welcome! 

~Entries close on January 21, 2013, at noon (Pacific time), (deadline extended from January 14) using a random number generator. Winner will be announced later that day.

~Winner must claim quilt within 48 hours of being notified, or another winner will be randomly chosen.

~There are three additional gift levels, for donations of $100, $250 and $1000. See details above.

~Donations are tax-deductible, to the full extent of the law.

~International donations are most welcome. Quilt and rewards can be shipped anywhere in the world.

~Read more about The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence here, here, and here. (The Wikipedia page includes a list of 48 participating organizations, which include religious organizations, child welfare advocacy groups, public health professionals, social justice, and political action organizations.)