Penny’s Postcard Posse Rounds ‘em up Again. . .

Marine Jets Take off on Friday to deliver 639 Miniature Quilts to Our Troops in Iraq for Halloween

Since Halloween is the most celebrated holiday in the US, quilters have once again dropped everything to create tiny quilts for soldiers abroad.

These pocked-size Halloween greetings, made from bits and pieces of fabric, will take off on Friday headed for Marine Squadrons from Miramar that are part of the 3^rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed in Western Iraq to let them know that people here in the States are thinking about them and praying for their safe return.

The postcards were delivered to Miramar on Friday, October 19 to Sargeant Major Louis M. Espinal (pictured above - on the left). Ed Rush, on the right, is a friend of Penny's who arranged for the delivery.

“Halloween is such a fun occasion that soldiers wouldn’t normally celebrate, we thought it would be a wonderful surprise that would bring smiles to soldiers’ faces and fond memories of Trick or Treating.”

The Marines are excited to be recipients of The Postcard Posse's miniature quilts; probably just as excited as the hundreds of quilters are who made them.

This Roundup included quilters as well as children from a second grade class at an elementary school in El Cajon, members of the College Lutheran Church, the La Mesa Rotary Club, and the staff at North Island Federal Credit Union.

In addition to the fabric postcards that were delivered to Miramar, cards were sent directly to Iraq to soldiers from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Cleveland, Ohio.

The next Roundup is scheduled for Thanksgiving, with deadlines fast approaching i order to get the cards winging their way across the globe for arrival before Thanksgiving day. In addition, quilters will be making cards for Christmas. In fact, fabric postcards have already been arriving for both of those holidays.

While I was at Miramar, I found out that soldiers from San Diego will once again begin deploying after the first of the year. It seems to me that there is no reason to wait until they are already over there. How about if we have our first 2008 Penny's Postcard Roundup start in January so individual soldiers can carry a pocket-size quilt with them as they travel across the globe to serve our country!

More later -Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren

Penny's Postcard Posse Begins Rounding up Tiny Fabric Postcards for Halloween

Tiny fabric quilts are starting to pour into the West Coast How-to-Quilt Headquarters. To date 255 fabric postcards have been received and will be going to soldiers in Iraq at the end of September.

The theme is Halloween. We thought that this fun and widely celebrated holiday would be a good time to just "pop" in to send our Thanks and Greetings to the troops serving in our military.

Photographs continue to be posted at www.Fabric-Postcards.com for this Roundup as well as all Roundups in the past.

Check it out to see what's been sent, and get your creative juices flowing to send a card or two of your own.

No special skill is required, just a few scraps of fabric and your imagination will put a smile on the face of a guy or gal who is far away from home wondering whether anyone is thinking of them.

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
www.Fabric-Postcards.com

www.TheQuiltingCoach.com

2163 Fabric Postcards Rounded up in Penny's Postcard Posse

The 4th of July Postcard Roundup was a rousing success with a final count of 2163.

This Roundup attracted elementary and middle school children as well as Girl Scout troops, a YMCA after school program, and individual quilters.

Several quilters sent in more than 100 each, and one quilter sent in 986!

Pictures are posted at: http://www.fabric-postcards.com/july0407pics.shtml

On a more local front, my home town of La Mesa and the surrounding area - San Diego - ran a story on the local TV news on the 4th of July. You can watch it here:

Local Woman Touches Lives Of Troops Through Quilts - Video - KGTV San Diego

And, my local Assemblyman, Joel Anderson, recognized the work of our quilting community on the Friday before the 4th with a Resolution from the State Assembly.

Thank you to everyone who sent in postcards. To think that we reached 2163 soldiers with a piece of their homeland that they will have forever is just amazing!

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
www.Fabric-Postcards.com

P.S. We're gearing up for the Halloween Roundup. I've been asked to speak at a local middle school about quilting, and I will be taking some fabric postcards for them to decorate. If you have an opportunity like that or can create one - go for it!

Penny's Holiday Postcard Posse

The first shipment of 263 fabric postcards left San Diego today on its way to Mountain Home, Idaho.

There these little treasures will join up with dozens of handmade cookies, packed on a plane and head to parts East for our troops abroad.

It's amazing to see the cards and read the greetings that quilters and their friends have written to the soldiers.

The Rancho Murieta Quilters got together and made a bunch. Bonnie, from Quillows by Bonnie (http://www.quillowsbybonnie.com/) rounded up a hundred of her family and friends and sent cards with greetings. (They are shown in the row on the right in the picture above.)

Husbands have joined in, kids have scribbled their greetings, and maybe even a dog or cat has included their fur with a greeting.

We've seen all sizes and shapes - well, many anyway! From tall, skinny Santas to fat Christmas ornaments, and everything in between. Very colorful, they are.

And the messages on the back. All with words of support, wishes for the holidays and prayers for their safe return home.

Our friends at the base in Idaho continue to be most grateful for all of these little treasures and send their best wishes to all of the quilters who participated.

Our deadline for postcards to be included with the 1000 dozen cookies that are being sent is December 7. But, there continues to be appreciation for fabric postcards for soldiers who are returning to the base, and for families in Idaho who are missing their husbands and fathers.

Send your fabric postcards along at any time, with any theme. "Thank you" cards and "Welcome Home" cards are especially welcome!

More later - I'm back to taking pictures so I can post them at Holiday Postcard Posse Central -

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
www.Fabric-Postcards.com
Quilt Greetings Across the Miles

www.How-to-Quilt.com
Inspiration and Education for Beginning Quilters