Ahhhhhhhhhh....

This is a picture of the project I have been working on for the last year and its nearly finished! This quilt was the brainchild of Alfie Chico, who is now my friend, but when she called me out of the blue to ask me to help with this project, I was totally caught off-guard. Alfie had been looking for a way to raise funds for our local library and originally wanted to raffle off a quilt. She was inspired by a children's book, similar to a coloring book, but with pictures you could customize to your own interests. One of the pages had a bookshelf with books on which you could write you own titles.

After some thought, Alfie, Debby Recker and Paula Kelly, the head librarian at the Whitehall Public Library, realized the quilt would probably bring in more money if the project was approached from another direction. Rather than selling tickets for a chance to win the quilt, they decided for a $100 donation to the library, the donor could choose a title for one of the books on the quilt. The quilt will hang in the Whitehall Library next to a companion book in which each of the donors got a page to say why they chose their book and what it means to them. This made it possible for more than one person to choose each book.

I was the last one brought into the project, but since I have more experience with quilting and machine embroidery, they allowed me to take the helm. After I designed the quilt, Alfie, Debby and I got together quite a few times to embroider the titles. Once the book titles were finished, it took me about a week to put the quilt top together. Then I was able to give the quilt top to my friend, Cathy Werner, of Your Fairy Quiltmother, who did the actual quilting. She did a dense allover design that should hold up well over time.

The quilt was unveiled at the Whitehall Public Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration held at The South Hills Country Club on Sunday, May 5th, 2013. It was well received and after a few finishing touches, it will be ready to hang in the library for the next 50 years and, with luck, many more!

I can't wait to visit it!

Library Quilt Update

I had the chance to work on the window for the quilt being made to raise funds for the Whitehall Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so I decided to post a picture of my progress. The center of this quilt will be on display at the Whitehall Community Day on August 25th so you can see it up close and check out some of the details we are adding. We have had quite a number of books chosen so far but if you would like to have your favorite book featured on the quilt there is still time! What a wonderful way to share a favorite family story or commemorate a loved one. You can choose the book you've read a million times to your children or grandchildren or one that has special meaning to yourself. For more info visit the Whitehall Public Library's website http://www.whitehallpubliclibrary.org/ or contact me via email at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Library Quilt underway!

I have been asked to help construct a quilt to benefit the Whitehall Public Library as well as celebrate its 50th Anniversary! Plans are already underway and we are excited to get to work. But we can't do too much until we know what books will be featured on the quilt. The quilt has been designed and we have a list of books, so far, but want to make sure people are aware of this project and let them know they have the opportunity to get their favorite book represented on the quilt, too!

The actual quilt will be a book shelf/shelves with 50 adult titles and 50 children's titles. It will hang in the Whitehall Library and be displayed with a companion book that will feature the names of the people who chose the books and their reasons for their choice.

We have a lot of special details planned for the quilt so it will definitely be something to see when it is finished. The deadline to get your book choice in is August 31st, 2012 so we will have enough time to construct it and have it ready for unveiling in the spring of 2013.

Feel free to contact me via email for more information: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Or contact The Whitehall Public Library
                  100 Borough Park Drive | Pittsburgh, PA 15236
                  412-882-6622
                  www.whitehallpubliclibrary.org Email - whitehall@einetwork.net