I spent a few hours this weekend planning out my next few quilting projects and wishing I lived closer to a giant fabric warehouse where I could look at every shade of cotton solid next to every other shade instead of fretting about whether “mustard” or “curry” or “sunny” (which, to be honest, all look pretty much the same online) would go better with a particular print.

Then I woke up this morning and stumbled across an old Craftsy blog post on quilting for charity, and remembered that the reason I took up this hobby in the first place is not to make works of impeccable art but to make usable things—things that people can toss over the backs of their couches, curl up with when watching a movie, find their cats tunneled under when they come home from work, and spread over their beds each morning. (If they happen to look nice, too, well—that’s a plus.)

In that spirit, I’ve signed up to make a quilt for Quilts for Kids, a project that works with hospitals and shelters across the country (PDF) to donate handmade quilts to kids who either have life-threatening illnesses or are survivors of abuse. Quilters can sign up for a free kit, which comes with a pattern and all the necessary materials (donated by fabric companies or paid for by other organizations), or can buy their own fabric to use. I’m excited to make something truly usable, and I can’t wait to get started.