Black Lives Matter Quilt Fundraiser

We raised $1250! All proceeds have been donated to Campaign Zero. This pattern is no longer available in my shop - if you would like a copy, make a donation of at least $5 to an organization that supports the Black Lives Matter cause. Email me a screenshot or a copy of the donation receipt and I will email you the pattern. Thank you everyone for making this possible!

This has been a WEEK. This week has been important for a lot of reasons and I have paused my own content on Instagram to help give space to people who have important things to say. (I will resume regular Tessa QAL posts on Monday - I don't want to leave you hanging!)

I was wondering what I could do to help and quilting is always my go-to reaction, so I decided that one thing I could do would be to make a mini quilt pattern and donate the proceeds.

Black Lives Matter Wall Quilt Pattern - Kitchen Table Quilting

This quilt pattern will only be available through June 10th in my shop and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Campaign Zero. This is a charity dedicated to policy-based police reform. On the 10th, I will make the donation and take down the pattern.

Black Lives Matter Wall Quilt Pattern - Kitchen Table Quilting
The quilt finishes at 30" square and the pattern includes color recommendations for Kona Cotton and Cotton Couture solids (I used the Kona solids in my version), but you can use any solids or print fabrics to make the mini quilt.

I appreciate your help in supporting the Black Lives Matter cause!

5 comments

  1. Black Lives Matter is an abhorrently anti-Israel and anti-Jewish organization, why would you support them?

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    1. Hey Marianne,

      I went to the BLM website and I found no mention of Israel or Jews anywhere on it. (See: https://blacklivesmatter.com/search/israel/). Nor do I hear anything about Isreal at any rallies or on any posters.

      Perhaps you're referring to a 2016 manifesto written by a small group of BLM affiliates -- which no longer exists -- and contained a small section criticizing Israel for it's treatment of Palestinians in a not very tactful manner. Given that approximately zero of the millions of Black Lives Matters followers likely would list Israel in their top 100 concerns and that the current platform doesn't even mention Israel or Jews a single time -- it's hardly fair to call it "an abhorrently anti-Israel and anti-Jewish" organization.

      What I do see are numerous members of the Jewish community calling for support for BLM. Maybe before calling Erica out for something I can promise she has never even heard of - first investigate why so many of the Jewish community are with Erica when it comes to supporting BLM. Here are just a few examples:

      https://jewishfed.org/news/blog/bay-area-jews-solidarity-black-lives
      https://www.jcfhartford.org/NewsEvents/ViewArticle/tabid/171/smid/619/ArticleID/91/reftab/243/t/Why-Black-Lives-Matter-to-the-Jewish-Community/Default.aspx
      https://www.tbespringfield.org/black-lives-matter

      I'm not here to be confrontational and I hope you take my comment in the spirit of support for what matters most - the fair and equal treatment of all people. Have a nice day.

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  2. I agree with Marianne. You need to do your homework before you embark in something like this. God cares for everyone. His love is perfect. Human beings are flawed. We should not divide but unite with one another in love. God is after everyone's heart, not just one's race or ethnicity.

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    1. Belinda, I'm confused at your comment. God loves everyone the same so stop being upset or trying to do anything about the police brutality that is killing so many of his children? What is divisive about a group of people who have suffered systemic injustice for literally 100s of years standing up and saying "enough"? The majority of protestors in the past week have peacefully marched around city streets, holding signs demanding that something be done about police brutality that we've all seen on video and that is undeniable. I would be curious what blacks in America could do to improve how they are treated that wouldn't be considered divisive to you and so many others who appear to be just fine with the way things are now.

      Honestly, the visceral resistance of so many people to ANY efforts to fix wrongdoing and injustice that has persisted for so long is precisely why people who are committed to uniting one with another in love need to stand up and let their voices be heard. And so I'm proud that Erica has decided to support this important movement at this important time. I'm sorry you feel differently.

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  3. Actually ladies, I too did my research. First, I applaud you Erica for your bravery in organizing this truly selfless act of love in a public forum! Erica has chosen to support "Campaign Zero." Campaign Zero has been applauded by government agencies in Houston, Los Angeles, and San Antonio and supported by Oprah and Jack Dorsey (CEO of Twitter). Campaign Zero's main purpose is to search for ways to reduce or end police violence. #8CantWait consists of 8 policy changes including banning of choke-holds and strangleholds, requires officers to issue warnings before shooting (you'd think this was common sense - but no!), and making it mandatory for officers to try to intervene and report excessive force by a fellow officer. I imagine it is as hard for an officer to be a "snitch" as it would be for an officer in the National Guard, or military branch to refuse to obey an order by his "commander in chief." The police tend to stand up for each other. I will not ever really understand why 3 officers can stand idly by while a human being is having his last breaths forced out of him under a police boot. My family lived through WWII in Netherlands - I often wonder how the SS continued to follow horrific orders, what goes through my brothers mind when he remembers a family of 5 being executed in the middle of my family's street?

    It's often difficult to put your own feelings aside and consider only what is "right" - the moral and ethical approach to any given challenge is rarely easy at first, but recognizing the equal value of every human is what God asks us to do. It may not always be what your boss or those you consider to be your friend want you to do. If we want to stop hatred and racism, we must be willing to really put God first. We have to take affirmative action rather than waiting for someone else to do that. The real "fix" will require all of us to be open to listen to each other - agree or not.

    I've always believed in the rights and equal value in every human being God has breathed life into. I struggle with the divisive destruction that has taken place in our not so perfect nation. There's a song in "South Pacific" written in the 50s - "You've got to be carefully taught" - worth looking at and still unfortunately so true! Kids are born innocent and accepting of everyone. They are born colorblind, and yet some of humanity insists they must be carefully taught to hate,to fear, to be afraid of people whose eye's are oddly made, whose skin is a different shade..."

    Erica - you and your husband Tom, who so kindly tried to explain the value of your gift to humanity, are an inspiration! I applaud you today, as I applaud Generals Mattis,Kelly,and Powell, as well as Mitt Romney and Pres. George W. Bush for finally saying "Enough!" Enough dismantling of the Constitution. Enough abhorrent ranting and unlawful inciting speech that would put each of us in jail had it come from us - even the white "us"! Hatred doesn't belong anywhere! Least of all amongst our leaders. Thank you Erica and Tom - for teaching your children to love and for giving me the inspiration to do something myself.
    Monica S.

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