do. Good Stitches {A Charity Bee} August Project - Rainbow I Spy

I'm up again for the month of August for do. Good Stitches {A Charity Bee} and I have decided (with Anna Maria's permission of course - thanks Anna Maria!) to have the ladies of the Hope group do Joseph's Square in Square blocks. I first tried this block when Anna Maria Horner started the Rainbow Around the Block project to benefit Tennessee flood victims back in 2010. Anna Maria asked for blocks in 1 color in the Rainbow so I created these:

originally posted here

As I was trying to decide on a color story and looking for other examples of this block I came across Rachel's block that she made for Rainbow Around the Block:

Like the Heather Ross Mendocino octopus print in my orange blocks, Rachel used a couple of novelty prints in hers (Heather Ross Mendocino mermaids and Heather Ross Far Far Away frogs) which got me thinking that a Rainbow I Spy quilt would be really fun! Which then made me think of babies (who am I kidding, I'm always thinking of babies these days). Which made me think that these blocks would make GREAT preemie quilts for my local NICU. They can be used as blankets when they are babies, mats for tummy time, lovies, and eventually for learning, fun, and exploration (point to the frog, the mermaid, the octopus, etc).

Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children is home to the largest subspecialty neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Northern Virginia. Their 75-bed, level III NICU cares for high-risk infants requiring specialized care and observation. They have an incredible team and their hospital has a very low infant mortality rate.

My guild (NOVA Modern Quilt Guild) does 4 drives a year for preemie quilts, each with a different theme, but we are the only guild donating to their facility at the moment and they are always running out.

I'm asking each lady to make 2 or more 12.5" Joseph's Square in Square blocks. For each block they will pick 1 color in the rainbow. They will construct the blocks using solids, novelty prints, and prints that 'read' that color (see Jeni of In Color Order's post on overall color and this post on organizing by color might help too).

Preemie quilts range in size from 29" to 45". If I put nine 12.5" blocks together (3x3) I'm right in that range. There are 10 of us in the Hope circle so if each of us make 2 blocks I can make 2 preemie quilts and have a 2 block start for the next quilt. Those 2 and any extra blocks we make will be used for the 3rd quilt.

The blocks will be arranged like this with a variety of colors and prints:

please note it is not necessary to have a gradient of color from light to dark as shown above

You can download the Joseph's Square in Square PDF here. 

Up to 2 novelty prints can be used in each block but I am asking the ladies to mix in other tone-on-tone prints, tone-on-white prints, or solids with their 1-2 novelty prints so that each block isn't too busy. One other thing, the fabrics, thread, and any other material used to construct the block must be natural (i.e. cotton, linen, etc. but not polyester or other synthetic fabrics) or come out in the wash (permanent synthetic fusibles are not permitted but washables like applique glue sticks are).

It means so much to me that the Hope group is letting me make preemie quilts with our blocks for the NICU babies this month! As always, this is an open project so feel free to join in. For every 9 blocks I receive, I WILL piece them, donate batting, backing, thread, and binding from my own stash, and quilt them.You can email me at threadedmess (at) gmail (dot) com for information on where to send your blocks. In addition, if you would like to donate a preemie quilt of your own design I will gladly deliver it to the NICU on your behalf. Just email me for my mailing address.

Happy Quilting!