I-Spy 🔍 JOEE Quilts

Here are four I-Spy quilts for children in Japan!!! I had help from four quilt friends who pieced the quilt tops!!!

JOEE Info:

JOEE stands for Joyful Opportunity English Education, a non-profit in Japan that is "educating and enriching the lives of the youngest children in Japan's orphanages with drama, puppets, music and storytelling in English."

I hope you'll take the time to watch this beautifully made video introducing JOEE!

Ruth, the founder of JOEE, asked if I could help by providing some I-Spy quilts for use in teaching English. I made two I-Spy quilts back in March--more info on my blog here. Here's a photo of the first two quilts in action:

Recently Ruth requested four more! This time I asked for some help from my quilt friends: fabrics came from a few quilt friends, especially Sandi, who I work with at the quilt shop and is always willing to share her novelty fabrics bin--thanks, Sandi!!! 

And four other quilters who pieced the tops! Let me introduce them and their quilts now.

First off is my quilting cousin, Sue, and the quilt top she sewed together. 

She also provided the backing which was the inspiration for my quilting motif:

Next up is Quilter Lynn, who served as a missionary in Japan for 3 years and has a heart for Japan. 

Lynn also provided some backing fabric, which inspired the quilting motif I chose:

Colorful trucks at work, with tire tread quilting!!!

My third topper is my sister, Quilter Bonnie!

Bonnie provided some fabric backing of sweet children playing! The quilting is "Baby Animals":

There are cows, rabbits, pigs and sheep pictured in the quilting:

My fourth topper is my quilting neighbor, Patty!!!

The backing was donated by my DD2 and once again inspired the quilting--a map of the world! 

The quilting I added is "Malachite", a topography print!!!

Each quilt is made up of 6 1/2" squares--8 squares across by 10 squares down, for a finished size of 48" X 60".

A close-up of each of the quilts!!!

Here's a fifth quilt that is also headed to Japan! Ruth asked for a quilt to use as a fundraiser, also. This was a mystery quilt from a LQS. I made it mainly with Japanese fabrics, so I thought it would of interest to foreigners living in Japan.

Here's a link to the mystery quilt reveal and 15 different versions!!!

You can help out by liking JOEE on their Facebook page here. Also, follow their blog on WordPress here. 

Thanks to my four quilt helpers, and Ruth, who is currently in the USA, these quilts will soon be winging their way to Japan! And a big thanks to Ruth and all the JOEE teachers for all they do for the children in Japan's orphanages!!!

Grace and peace!!! ~Nancy

Check out all the quilt inspiration at Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF, Whoop Whoop, Peacock Party, Finished Or Not Friday, Beauties Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts.