How to host a Quilt-in Event

Step 3 Gather your supplies

This is another area where the flyers can come in handy.

We have had a great deal of luck gathering supplies from Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

You may have to pay a small fee for some of the supplies but you’re still helping a good cause.

We have been able to negotiate special rates because we were buying lots of supplies.

Plan for a place ahead of time where you can store your donations.

I can’t emphasize this enough!

You are about to be overrun with local crafters and old women who want to clean out their craft room. YOU WILL GET DONATIONS!

In fact, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place to get together with a small group and do some general sorting prior to your actual Quilt-In.

This is what you’ll need for supplies:

·         Twin sized bed sheets (backing)

·         Scrap fabric (for quilting)

·         Sewing thread (for the sewing machines)

·         Yarn/Embroidery Floss (to tie the quilt top and back together)

·         Large eyed needles (for tying the quilt top and back together)

·         Rotary cutters (for cutting your quilt top strips)

·         Rotary cutter mats (for cutting your quilt top strips)

·         Scissors (cutting thread and evening edges)

·         Iron and Ironing Board – have at least one of each.

·         Boxes (for storage, sorting and moving the supplies around the event)

·         Door Prizes (these can be anything you can gather or make to give out during the event)

You will notice that batting is NOT listed. We have been making our quilts without batting for various reasons.

1.       Expense: Batting is very expensive and it’s hard to find someone willing to donate it.

2.       Customs: If you’re sending the blanket overseas, customs will rip open the quilts and ruin all your hard work.

3.       Cleanliness: If you’re giving these to the homeless there can be significant problems with bedbugs, fleas, and lice.

It’s really better to avoid the batting so they don’t have a place to nest and flourish.