Quilts for Japan

My local guild, Front Range Modern Quilt Guild (Colorado), is participating in Quilts for Japan. I found out that some of the quilting magazines published in Golden, CO have a "sister" relationship with a popular quilting magazine in Japan. I mailed my quilts off on Wednesday. I tried this approach to this gift,  I spoke about this (sending a quilt to Japan to the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami) to both of my children, ages 12 and 16. I asked them to pick, from their quilts one they would like to give and to tell me why they wanted to send that particular quilt to someone in Japan. My son, age 16, chose his favorite baby quilt. Pale blue with a corded binding and colorful balloons floating all over the top. I don't think he actually remembers this quilt from his childhood, but he is a softie for little kids and he thought that it  might make a little one smile. My daughter, age 12, picked a bright colorful flannel quilt (this is the quilt she takes on school trips when she is away from home without her family- I had to stop myself from saying, "are you sure?"). She had heard on the news that it was cold still in Japan and this was the warmest and softest quilt she had. And for myself, I sent the quilt that started it all- my first. All the quilts were washed and dried and lovingly packaged with a note to whomever gets them. I was sniffling when I packed them up, not for their loss, but that both of my children were really thoughtful about their selections. This is what you hope for as a parent right? I would have LOVED to make a few more, but mainly, I REALLY wanted my children to be part of this gift. Enough already!  Here are the pictures of 2 of the 3 quilts we sent. (I have no idea why I do not have a photo of quilt #3- the baby quilt with the colorful balloons, I though I did).

my daughter's selection

My first quilt, and my selection