The best way to improve your skills is to make more quilts. Practice does make perfect. But what are you going to do with all these practice quilts? The solution is to make charity quilts.

It is a win-win situation. You benefit by improving your skills and maybe testing out a new pattern. The charity receives a regular supply of quilts. The recipients feel loved. Three places to check out to donate are Project Linus, Sunshine Guild and Church Groups

Project Linus

According to the Project Linus web site, the mission of the charity is to provide comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans.

The organization has chapters throughout the nation and sponsor a blanket day. Besides quilting, you can also crochet or knit a blanket. An advantage to working with this group is that you will not incur any shipping costs. It will also give you a chance to meet quilters in the area.

Their requirements are listed on their the Project Linus where you can search for a local chapter.

Sunshine Guild

If you are more interested in having an impact outside your community, join the Sunshine on-line Quilt Guild. This group works primarily with the two the charity Wrap Them in Love and the Rotary program named Wrap-a-Smile.

If you join, you will be amazed at how quickly you are swept into this supportive and chatty group. You do not even have to finish an entire quilt. You can send in just the quilt top and there are members who will finish them and then send them on to a charitable organization.

The downside is that you do have to pay to ship the quilts and/or quilt tops. That is the only downside to choosing this group.

Church Groups

You may check if your local church has a quilting or sewing ministry. These ministries will usually focus on missions and meet on a regular basis.

A church group is a great way to start quilting. You’ll learn by just being around the most experienced quilters who can stop bad habits before they form.

Now you have three resources to get you started on making quilts for charity. By adding charity quilts to your quilting schedule, you will end up with so much more than you give.