It's all about our Furry Friends with Island Batik

As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am always eager to see what challenge we will be given each month. Well, we had two this month - Happy Galentine's Day in the early part of the month and now my VERY FAVORITE CHALLENGE. It has to do with our furry friends and I couldn't be more excited. 

In 2016, Island Batik joined forces with an existing group of industry partners and supporters of the Petfinder Foundation to create the Piece for Shelter Pets (PFSP) initiative. 

 
This initiative supports the Petfinder Foundation, a "public charity that works to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets by assisting animal shelters and rescue groups across North America", through financial contributions made possible by the sale of fabric, thread and other quilting related products. PFSP sponsors include The Quilt Pattern Magazine (which created The TQPM Kennel Quilt program after Hurricane Sandy in 2012), Island Batik, Aurifil Threads, Quilty Box, Benartex and Hancock's of Paducah.

The TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team is a volunteer group (over 1100 volunteers) sponsored by The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) that springs into action ( or "stitches" into action?) when disasters strike, sewing small Kennel Quilts for animals in need while they are separated from their humans and possibly injured. Creating Kennel Quilts is a way for quilters to help our animal friends in times of need by doing what we love. TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team supplies Kennel Quilts to shelters across the United States and Canada. To date over 10,200 Kennel Quilts have been distributed. Learn more here  and enjoy seeing these precious Kitties and Puppies!

       GUIDELINES

Dimensions must be 12” x 18” finished. As these quilts will be used by animals, please read the complete list of guidelines here for making safe Kennel Quilts.

 
Island Batik asked us to make some Kennel Quilts for our local shelter or donate to a shelter in need.

I looked through my box of gorgeous Island Batik fabrics and came up with the "Purrfect" colors for my Kennel Quilts.  Do you see the little rolls of fabric in the left of the picture! The fabrics in the rolls are 5" x width of fabric (WOF). I decided to make my "Rails" pattern which is one of the  FREE patterns on the TQPM Kennel Quilt page.

 I chose six colors which looked good together and I started to work.

 I cut each strip into 2 1/2" x WOF. I then sewed three strips together. Next I cut the three strips into six  6 1/2" x 6 1/2" squares.

I placed the squares together in a rail pattern.
This picture doesn't show how vibrant the colors are. They reminded me of Mardi Gras colors which are purple, gold and green! I have been seeing a lot of that lately as we are in Mardi Gras season! Love those King Cakes!

I then sewed the squares together. See how lovely these colors are.

I made four Kennel Quilts using six 5" x WOF rolls plus I had one little piece left over from each quilt. 

See the little piece to the left of the Kennel Quilt. 

 

There are four of those leftover pieces and I will use them to make mug rugs for my friends as they are just the right size. So how much fabric did I have leftover from four Kennel Quilts and four mug rugs? See below. How neat is that?
















  Here are my four Kennel Quilts.

While I was making the Kennel Quilts, there was a call to help a shelter in Florida that had rescued over 56 puppies from a puppy mill. So I knew where these Kennel Quilts were going. 

I added these four to some others that I made (always like to have a stack ready to go and it is a great way to use up my lovely Island Batik fabric scraps). So 35 Kennel Quilts will be delivered to Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport, FL. This just happens to be my local shelter so I am delighted to help.

I love making these Kennel Quilts and the shelters love receiving them, particularly our furry friends.  It is so nice that so many Industry professionals have come together to help these animals in need and to help the Petfinder Foundation with their generous donations.

I want to let you know that you can help too. On March 18th and 19th which is National Quilting Day Weekend, The Quilt Pattern Magazine is going to host a virtual Kennel Quilt Retreat. We will be able to all work together that weekend and share our progress with our Kennel Quilts with other quilters and animal lovers at this virtual "online" retreat.

Onyx from Missouri Humane Society

Island Batik, Aurifil, Quilty Box, Benartex and Hancock's of Paducah are going to have some wonderful goodies to give away. If you have never been to a retreat, but always wanted to go, this is your chance. You don't even have to leave home to enjoy this retreat as it is all online. 

You can get all the information on the retreat here. The goal is for the group of quilters/animal lovers to make at least 100 Kennel Quilts or more at this retreat.  I hope to see you there as it is a great way to help our animal friends doing what we love together.

Thank you for stopping by.

Until next time,

Nan