Featured: Charity Quilting Bees

The online community in general is such a giving group of people - and the Virtual Quilting Bee community is no exception.  Here's two Quilting Bee projects I've come across recently with a charity spin to them - both are awesome groups and both great opportunities for you to get involved in something that helps get a beautiful handmade quilt into the arms of someone very deserving.

Rachel (stitchedincolor on Flickr) started do. Good Stitches {a Charity Bee} when she wanted to make something beautiful and practical for children in need.  Her original group consists of quilters collaborating on quilts for the Wrap them in Love group, a charity providing quilts to children around the world.  Here's a little more about the bee in Rachel's words:

"do. Good Stitches is becoming a multi-circle group, with each sewing circle consisting of 10 members. Each circle will make quilts to benefit a specific charity. For example, my current bee members are group "love". Their quilts are being made for Wrap Them in Love. Two new circles are soon to launch: "peace" with quilts benefiting children in war-torn countries and "faith" with quilts benefiting a Christian orphanage in Africa. My goal is to keep adding groups! I welcome new stitchers and quilters to contact me about joining in or simply make a request to join from our Flickr group page. I am also looking for circle "hosts", who will lead these groups by keeping track of the quilting schedule. Charity suggestions welcome! Please let me know if you are passionate about getting involved, and would be interesting in hosting a circle."

She has lots more information about the group & how to get involved on the do. Good Stitches Flickr page, so make sure to visit them there.

Rainbow around the block is another charity bee collecting blocks to be made into quilts benefiting families in Middle Tennessee that lost their homes to the severe flooding this Spring.  Fabric designer Anna Maria Horner is the driving force behind this project, which is accepting 12.5"x12.5" unfinished blocks in a monochromatic color scheme in any patchwork style that you'd like.  What I love about this project as well is that Anna Maria had her kids color a quilt block on paper that she then turned into a quilt block tutorial for you!  So far she has Isabela's Argyle Quilt Block (.pdf) and Joseph's Square in a Square Block (.pdf) - both which are darling.  Here's a little more information from the Rainbow around the block website:

"Not everyone can be on the front lines of an effort like flood cleanup and rebuilding, but we believe that there is always a way to help. So many families lost their homes, cars, and all their belongings during the floods of May 2010 in Middle Tennessee. As they begin their rebuilding process, we hope to combine the efforts of generous quilters nationwide in order to make as many quilts as possible to distribute to families who are in need of new items for their homes. It is a simple mission, but its one that we hope will be far reaching and one that will give homemade comfort to as many people as possible."

They have both information on their blog as well as a great Flickr group showing the blocks made so far.

Both of these groups are doing great things and if you have any extra time or fabric, I know they'd love for you to get involved.  Tell them Quilting Bee Blocks sent you!