Searching Out Simple: I Mustache You a Question

So I have a thing for mustaches.

On my espresso cups.

I put some on a bunting in my shop.

We had some in our family pictures two years ago. {photo by Overson Photography}

And recently I made these two mustache quilt blocks. They are for Danielle's Can't Grow a Mo' Sew a Mo' flickr group. I first heard about this while reading Lily's Quilts.

I'll let Danielle tell you her story and more about the quilt blocks.
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Hi I'm Danielle Coolbear Jenkins from D J Coolbear, thank you to Rebecca for asking me to guest post about I project that I have started – Can't Grow a Mo' Sew a Mo'. I am collecting moustache blocks to make into at least 1 quilt to be raffled off at the end of November to raise funds to donate to 2 very worthy charities; Movember and Mary Potter Hospice (Wellington, NZ).

At the end of February this year – 3 months to the day after turning 60 my birth father died, after battling Prostate cancer which had spread to his bones. For more about why I started the project take a look at the Can't Grow a Mo' Sew a Mo' page.

I was discussing the need to do something with my mum – and came up with the idea of a charity quilt, well actually 2 charity quilts; one made by me in the UK and one by her in NZ. I am very passionate about splitting the money raised by the quilts equally between the 2 charities donating to Movember means research into cancers and supporting Mary Potter Hospice means supporting the Palliative care that is provided when the cancer can't be removed or treated and becomes terminal as it did with my father.

After writing a guest post on Lily's Quilts last week the request for blocks to be contributed has spread through out the ether of the Internet – as far as I know from the blocks I have received and seen photos of in the Flickr group there have been 15 blocks made in just a week - I have already received 5 of them and there are more in the post winging their way to me from Canada and Australia. Bringing the total with the 5 that I have made to 20 – already!

In NZ no blocks have been received yet – but I'm sure they will be pouring in soon enough as the word has also spread like wildfire throughout patchwork, quilting and knitting groups all over the country.

So the guidelines for the blocks are: Moustaches - any size, shape, style - as long as they are moustaches only - finished with a frame - ie the quilt will be a rouges gallery. The moustaches can be anything you want - cotton, felt, faux fur, embroidered – as long as they are firmly attached to the block. A block rectangular or square - including a frame - up to 12 inches (plus seam allowance). Have fun with the moustaches and the frames. If you need some inspiration take a look at the Flickr group.

• Blocks are to be square or rectangular - as it will make it easier to fit all the blocks together whilst maintaining a rogues gallery look.
• The finished block sizes - anything up to 12 inches, so 12.5 inches with seam allowance.
• The finished block must have a frame, of any design - as simple or fancy as you like. Pieced, appliquéd or even embroidered or painted is great as long as the fabric used for the block is 100% cotton.
• Any colours you like.
• Draw inspiration from the Mo's of the men in your life or from famous Mo's - If stuck for inspiration I have drawn up a few (can you guess the Mo's - some are a bit obscure).
• Mo's can be made of which ever fabric you want to use - blocks and frames however to be 100% cotton as it will make it easier to piece the top.
• Machine appliqué with topstitch is probably easiest - especially with some of the fancier moustaches.
• Blocks are to be back to me (in the UK) by the end of the first week of October at the latest. So I have time to piece the tops and get the tops to the quilters in time for launching the raffle at the start of November.

Thanks to Amy for suggesting the Sublime Stitching free embroidery pattern.

If you would like to contribute a block to the project either my quilt in the UK or my mum's in NZ email me at: danielle@djcoolbear.co.uk and I will send you the mailing address/es. Also please join the Flickr group and post your blocks. And here's a button to spread the word even more.