Kick Ass Quilts
Quilting with saved textiles to tell stories, to keep memories and to create community🧡
Tutorials to learn to quilt yourself, custom (memory) quilts to hold on to what's important to you and community projects to share the magic of quilting with others.
All of this with saved textiles and the magic of Quilting. Because we already have enough in this world to thrive, we just need to find the right connections.
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
Kick Ass Quilts
'If you don't help someone in your own life, you don't help the world at large.'
This photo shows volunteers all contributing a block to a community quilt.
We make community quilts from leftover fabricsto give these fabrics a new life. We donate these Community Quilts to young people (+/- 12-30 years old) who could use some extra support, courage, and love.
This way we help young people by letting them feel that they are of value, and that they are good just the way they are. In this way we hopefully also give them some extra strength to take their place in society. Because we need everyone. Both the creators and the young people we help.
Anyone can submit or request a Community Quilt. For more information, visit our website krachtdekens.nl/ or send me a message.
'The craft of quilting for a positive impact on society.'
Quote at the top from the book Komt een land bij de dokter - Michelle van Tongerloo
1 year ago | [YT] | 5
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Kick Ass Quilts
Today was a great day for people who love craft and doing good things for other people.
Because the nonprofit that me and my two fellow board members have been working on for months is officially registered!
It is called 'Stichting Krachtdekens' (Power blankets foundation) and its overarching goal is:
'Keeping the craft of quilting alive to connect people with each other.'
Through this foundation we carry out, among other things, the Krachtdeken donation project. Volunteers make warm, beautiful blankets/quilts from saved textiles. We then give these to young people who could use some extra strength, courage, and warmth. In this way, we extract value from used textiles, and show young people and the makers of the Power Blankets that they are valuable.
More activities will be added in the future where the craft of quilting, saved textiles and connecting people will take center stage.
Be sure to take a look at the website for more information, to sign up if you want to help or to request a community quilt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7LN...
'Comfort and courage for young people with the Power of Quilts'
#quilts #craft #communityproject #connection #newfoundation #powerquilts #communityquilts #donationquilts
1 year ago | [YT] | 3
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Kick Ass Quilts
Spreading milestones and beautiful (community quilt) work
Today we got to share the story of our Community Quilt project during the Utrecht Region Day of the Quilters Guild.
With the Community Quilt Project, we collect quilts that we then donate to young people who are struggling. And that's what this group of quilters wanted to know more about!
In a nutshell, the project focuses on 2 things:
→ Doing nice things for someone else: Community quilts give young people a sense of worth. Also, the makers like the fact that someone appreciates their work.
→ Showing the value of quilting, especially if they are made with “saved textiles” (aka scraps, old clothes, bed textiles, curtain remnants, etc.). Quilting is a way to recycle resources and make beautiful, useful art.
There was also a scoop this event: we are moving forward as a non-profit for this project! Named 'Stichting Krachtdekens' to spread the work we do and get more people involved! We aim to be a positive movement in society with the power of quilting.
We are therefore also grateful that we got the opportunity to share the story during the regional day and that there was such an enthusiastic response.
We received many new Community Quilts which we will give a new home.
→ Would you like to know more about the foundation or support us? Have a look at the website or contact us. Or check out this video: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2...
→ Do you know a young person (+/- 12 - 30 years old) who you would like to give a power blanket to? Send me a message or request one through the website.
'Strength and courage for young people with the magic of quilts'
#krachtdekens #communityquilt #quilting #storytelling Kick-Ass Quilts
1 year ago | [YT] | 8
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Kick Ass Quilts
Making a colourful memory
This is a quilt I made for someone who wanted a meaningful gift for his partner.
The ask was colour and Bohemian style. The clothes they had were all grey and dark. So I added some solid colour blocks. In this way, it has become a colourful quilt where the clothes also can shine.
They were happy with the result!
I love making commissions like this. Because it's a nice creative challenge to turn the clothes that are there into a quilt the client will love.
Let me know if you would also love to turn your meaningful clothes into a quilt.
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
#memoryquilt #sustainablequilter #herinneringsdeken
1 year ago | [YT] | 5
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Kick Ass Quilts
New quilt and new video :D
This time I share how I created this lightning bolt quilt with the scraps of 2 other quilts. Check it out here:
https://youtu.be/e61hWsqI8Qk?si=ELLcW...
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
1 year ago | [YT] | 5
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Kick Ass Quilts
I like birds and I like quilts.
So this seemed like a fitting combination.
This quilt was made for the quilting exhibition in the elzas. That exhibition is finished, so I can share the pictures!
I also filmed a tutorial, but I lost parts of it. So I will have to see if I can still share it.
This quilt is made from scraps and a very fancy pink dress I once got gifted at a shop. I told them that I quilted with clothes. So the lady rushed to the back and gave me this dress with gorgeous fabric she was unable to sell 😆. I love it when things like that happen.
The remainder of this fabric was used in the pink scrap quilt I made for my spiritual teacher.
Check my page for a picture of that quilt, tutorials and more sustainable quilting inspiration 😃
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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Kick Ass Quilts
With Kick Ass Quilts, we make the world a more beautiful and kind place with the magic of quilting.
We do this by sharing stories, community quilts, memory quilts and workshops. And today I want to share a little more about why we use quilts.
Because often I am at odds with the world. I am angry at everything and don't want to do anything. That comes from insecurity and trauma. You see, sometimes things happen in life that make you build up vulnerabilities. In childhood, or as an adult through grief or other extreme events.
Those vulnerabilities can turn into discontent with the world, anger, disconnection, and numbness.
Quilts help me stay soft. And to continue to seek connection with myself and others.
That's what the magic of quilts is.
One way we help others with quilts is our community quilt project. These are quilts that volunteers make from saved textiles. We give these blankets away to young people who could use some support.
To help young people keep softness. And connection to the world around them. And to give them the strength to find and take their place in society.
These pictures show the new shipment of Power Blankets that have come in. We are very happy with the efforts of all the volunteers who make these for us! And it is nice to hear that volunteers also feel fulfilment through this project. This motivates us to continue making the world a more beautiful and lovable place for everyone.
→ Would you also like to become a volunteer and make Power Blankets?
→ Or maybe you would like to request a power blanket for someone?
Send me a message or check the website for more information
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
kickassquilts.org/tutorials/community-quilt-tutori…
1 year ago | [YT] | 8
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Kick Ass Quilts
Once upon a time I had an online quilt college.
It was a place where people could go to learn how to quilt with clothes / saved textiles online!
However, the software was very costly, and I did not have many people following the classes. Also, marketing my quilt college made me sad because of fear of failure and I didn't like all the marketing tricks people taught me. Besides, my mental health wasn't, and frankly still isn't, very good so the pressure of having to produce and perform was too much for me.
So quilt college shut down.
However!
I still have all the materials. So I am reviving those classes on my website and youtube so you all can still learn to quilt from me :) . Because seeing my work makes me happy and making the magic of the art of quilting I love so much accessible to as many people as possible makes me happy.
So I am reviving the old part of quilt college on my website for free! So you can all go there and learn at your own pace.
This video is the introduction of the intermediate class where you learn how to make a 'Lap Quilt Sampler to Save the World'. Check out my website to find more:
kickassquilts.org/tutorials/sampler-quilt-introduc…
And if you'd like to reward my efforts or if you like to support my mission of making the Magic of Quilting accessible to everyone, you can support me through Patreon or Ko-Fi. Let's see if this strategy works.
ps. Compliments and encouragement are welcome too. It's been a long life for me so far and it makes me really happy to hear people value what I create.
' Societies trash will be our treasure'
1 year ago | [YT] | 3
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Kick Ass Quilts
Another 10 community quilts have found a home through KLEM!
Because that's one of the things we do as Kick Ass Quilts: we give community quilts that volunteers make to young people who could use some strength and courage.
The picture shows 3 of the community quilts that were handed out. Beautiful to see how one young person immediately wrapped the first power blanket that came out of the bag around him and would not let go. Moments like that show us that the project works and is important.
Because that's what our community quilts are good at: hugging people and making them feel like they're allowed to be there.
And you know what makes it even more fun? KLEM organises activities for youth to help them integrate into society. And one of them is house clearances. They saved some textiles we could use! Because we always work with saved textiles. After all, everything and everyone has value.
Thanks @Desiree for this connection!
→ Do you also know a young person or a group of young people you wish a quilt for? Then send me a message.
→ Would you like to support our community quilt project? Then contact me as well
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
2 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 10
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Kick Ass Quilts
More than a year ago, Kick Ass Quilts was involved with a handcraft project in Uganda.
It was with the local Moise from the local organisation SSPI and Gijsje from the Comfort Blanket for Our Planet project. Our part in the partnership was teaching the people to quilt.
There was a bigger project of a compound and a school to teach young and old to be sustainable while also teaching them life skills.
And while my life took a (temporary?) turn to work on my health and wellbeing, the involvement of Kick Ass Quilts sadly stopped.
However! The project did not, and phase 1 has been completed! So I am happy to share this video today explaining the details.
And if you want to donate or to learn more about this project, go here:
www.comfortblanketforourplanet.com/foundation/
or here
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2...
PS. I heard there is still some quilting budget left, so maybe we'll get involved again in the future!
'Society's Trash will be Our Treasure'
2 years ago | [YT] | 1
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