QUILTS FOR FREEDOM | Meet the Quilters – Sari Bari

Welcome! The 2019 Sari Bari Quilt Auction has officially begun!

We are now featuring handmade quilts for Auction and Raffle from more than 13 quilters around the world! These amazing, skilled quilters donated their time to create these stunning pieces of art. We will be running two back to back auctions with 6-7 quilts in each auction. Note: Only auction ONE quilts are live. Auction two quilts go live Monday, October 14th!

All the quilts were created from recycled Sari's and the proceeds from the auction directly benefit the women of Sari Bari and the programs that support their freedom journey. Click here to bid on a quilt, or here to enter the raffle for the Sari Bari quilt.

All Lined Up | Made by Reba

This is the Sari Bari contribution to the Quilt Auction and is up for raffle. Purchase as many tickets as your heart desires! Pieced together by a woman who has freedom, Jillik, and hand-stitched by Reba. This king-size beauty tool 3 weeks to hand-stitch. Created out of new sari scraps this quilt has all the colors of the rainbow. Filled with a cotton sari, the front and back are both pieced giving you a choice of which colorful side you like better.

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Star of the Show | Made by Cathey Newhouse

"I made my first quilt at age 11 but began seriously quilting (and learning what I was doing!) about 22 years ago. I like all aspects of quilting and do everything from piecing to quilting on my home sewing machine. I really enjoy learning new techniques and experimenting with different types of quilting. I was eager to participate in the Sari Bari quilt auction because I wholeheartedly love the Sari Bari organization and what it does. I made a quilt for the auction about 5 years ago and was honored to be able to participate this year again."

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To The Carnival & Colorlicious | Made by Maddie Johnson

"Christel, Casey, and Maddie live in Minnesota. Christel, mother of Casey and Maddie, and her sewing machine were integral in teaching her daughters sewing skills as kids. Clothes (even the bridesmaids dresses for Casey's wedding) were mostly their specialty but a few quilts have been in the mix of creations. All three women have a heart for fair trade and ethical products and are honored to be able to partner with Sari Bari to serve in this way." This quilt is up for LIVE auction in Fort Wayne, Indiana on October 18th, 2019.

The Little Engine That Could | Made by Melissa Burkhardt

"My name is Melissa Burkhardt. I am from a small town in Wisconsin. I just recently started quilting as a therapy for myself. Having been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia years ago I have tried to find my own way to deal. Crafting takes my mind off of the pain. I do all of my work on a single stitch sewing machine, no fancy quilting machine yet! The quilt I made for this auction has hand-tied knots on each of the 4 corners of the pattern. With every hand-tied stitch, I was reminded that women, kids, men, humans are "knot" for sale. I am hopeful that this quilt finds a home with a little baby and a grateful family."

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The Dream Coat | Made by Krista Helton

"My name is Krista Helton. I live in Tampa, Florida and have been quilting for 13 years. I started to learn how to quilt after my grandmother passed away in 2006. I was her oldest granddaughter of over 20 grandchildren. Quilting has been a tradition in my family for many generations so I wanted it to continue. I eventually started my own business and now I make memory quilts for customers doing something I am passionate about every day. I heard about the Sari Bari quilt auction from my cousin who does mission work in Thailand. When I read about the purpose behind the Sari Bari mission I wanted to use my talents to help out."

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The Garden Ladder | Made by Amanda Kenney

"Patchwork and quilting are my way of expressing thanks for good things that have happened in my life. Making a quilt gives me the opportunity to think about the person or organization I am making it for. I have been quilting for over 25 years and during that journey, I have met women who are always willing to help others. Making a quilt for Sari Bari was an easy decision as women working together to help other women make perfect sense. The quilting community is always sharing information so I heard about making quilts using recycled saris from a fellow Irish quilter and was delighted to get involved. - Co. Limerick, Ireland"

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The Sari Stunner | Made by Cynthia Whitnell

"My name is Cynthia Whitnell, I am a wife, a mother of 4 children and I currently live in the United Arab Emirates. I have been quilting for more than 10 years and have enjoyed all the opportunities it has offered me to grow more as a person and member of the worldwide community. I help support Sari bari through this auction for many reasons but primarily because these women and many like them could be any of us or our daughters. This contribution of myself is to encourage these women, that they are loved, respected, and admired for their courage and ability to overcome."

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What A Beautiful World & Pleasantly Purple | Made by Kristi Smith

"I’ve loved quilts since I was a little girl growing up in the country in West Texas. Some of my earliest memories are waking up under a particular patchwork bound in bright saturated yellow. After not doing well in my home economics’ clothing sewing projects, I thought maybe sewing wasn’t for me until I made my first tiny lap quilt, and then I was hooked. They’re not technically perfect or even square, but they bring me so much joy to recycle and combine colors and get to the binding: my favorite part. I love hand-stitching so much, which is also another reason I love SB work; they inspire me on so many levels. I think the auction is a wonderful chance for people who don’t create quilts to be involved in the wonderful ministry of Sari Bari, and it gives us fans a chance to give back."

Bid on Beautiful World Bid on Pleasantly Purple

My Freedom Journey & Sweet Lavender | Made by Tomomi McElwee

"I started my quilting life about 17 years ago on a hand-cranked antique Singer sewing machine. In the beginning, I didn't have a clue how to do it but gradually, by teaching myself through books and magazines, I became a confident quilter. I have now been teaching quilt making for about 10 years, both locally and nationally, in Ireland. I have set up a dedicated quilt studio where I can make quilts and teach quilt making, which also serves as a quilt shop, stocking a large range of modern cotton fabric, threads, and quilt-making supplies. The concept of Sari Bari is absolutely brilliant and, from the moment I heard about it, I wanted to support it. So when I heard about quilt auction this year, I quickly volunteered. I like quilt making especially with challenges; working with those beautiful Sari fabrics was definitely the toughest one!"

Bid on Freedom Journey Bid on Sweet Lavender

Red Like My Heart & Feeling Fall | Made by Mothers and Daughters Quilt Ministry

"My name is Sarah Pennell. My quilting journey began when I was a child. I grew up in Northern Ohio where the winter can be quite cold; that was when the quilts came out. Sleeping under those old quilts sparked a love for them. When my mom retired from teaching, she took up quilting. It was then, as an adult, I decided to try my hand at quilting as well. My first attempts taught me the importance of adding for seam allowances so the blocks were the correct size and not mini blocks. Over the years, my sisters and I would get together and quilt with our Mom. We made family quilts, wedding quilts, and baby quilts. Six years before my Mom passed, she and my Dad moved in with my brother. Over those last years, my Mom spent her days cutting and sewing nine-patch quilt blocks. We would all work together to turn those patches into quilts. Though my Mom has been gone for a number of years now, she is still my quilting inspiration. My sisters and I continue to use the blocks she sewed to create quilts to give away under the name "Mothers and Daughters Quilt Ministries." Helping and sharing with others whatever you have is a value our Mom instilled in us all. Making quilts is one way to give back and share with others."

Bid on Red Like My Heart Bid on Feeling Fall

Thanks for reading more about our fantastic quilters this year! We hope to see you again soon bidding on one (or more!) of these beautiful pieces of art.

Oct 01, 2019