HeartStrings quilting

Shortly after I started quilting, I purchased a book on String Quilts (Liberated String Quilts by Gwen Marston). I made several quilts based on the book, and really fell in love with this scrappy style. I took a string quilting class a couple years ago from Laurel Horton through the Minnesota Quilters, and got even more ideas for strings. Then, while roaming the internet several months ago, I found the HeartStrings Quilt Project. This online groups makes string quilts for charities and donates them through the members. What I really like about this project is that you don't need to make complete quilts: there are members who just make blocks, others that piece the tops, others that do the quilting, etc. I fall in the category of quilters who love making blocks much more than assembling, basting, quilting, and binding into a finished top. I donated my first batch of blocks when local members got together locally in October, and the second batch was sent off to the coordinator a couple of weeks ago. I have a bag of strings and a stack of foundation squares so that I am always making some blocks for the group, even while working on other projects. When I have completed enough to fill a post office priority mail box, I ship them off, and another quilter will assemble and quilt them. It's a perfect fit for me, because these string blocks are the perfect stress buster. I don't have to think too hard, but I get the satisfaction of assembling something that ultimately results in a donated quilt. The talented quilters in this group make some beautiful quilts from these simple blocks. And hopefully, the final result is a comforting quilt for someone who really needs one.