We give a lot away as quilters. The first thing that comes to a lot of
quilters’ minds over this statement is money.
And indeed we do give a lot of our hard-earned cash out for fabric and
patterns and machines and classes.
We also give away a lot of quilts. Almost every quilter I know of richly blesses
her family (and quite a few of her friends) with the quilts he or she makes.
Quilters are giving folks. If we feel like an organization or a person
needs a quilt, we usually step right up to the batting box and either pull a
quilt out of our stash or put one together.
And that’s wonderful.
Let me encourage you to continue to do so. And if you quilt and haven’t blessed some of
these organizations with the work of your hands, let me tell you straight up,
you’re missing a blessing.
There are national organizations such as Project Linus
(quilts for kids) and Quilts of Valor (for those that serve in our Armed
Forces) that accept quilts. If this
sounds like something that’s right up your alley, be sure to go to their
websites and read the requirements before whipping up your quilted
donation.
If local needs tug at your heart, call your community
hospital and ask if chemo patients need
quilts to keep them warm during their treatments, or if their children’s wing
needs quilts or even the newborn and maternity department have a need. Be sure to clarify what is expected: Do they want the quilts washed before you
bring them? Are rag quilts okay? What size is preferred?
The local law enforcement folks are another organization
that may appreciate quilts (and teddy bears and/or dolls) for the wee ones they
are involved with. Removing a child from
an abusive environment is hard, and sometimes something warm and wonderful to
hang on to and snuggle goes a long way.
Other organizations have needs that don’t involve quilts
so much, but if you are a person who loves to sew regardless of the project involved,
Project Alight has a need for mastectomy pillows. These pillows take two small pieces of
flannel and something to stuff the pillows with. Be sure to go to their website and read the
size requirements. Hospice often needs Fidget Blankets for their Memory Wings. Brenner’s Children’s
Hospital loves colorful pillowcases for their patients. And of course there’s the Pillowcase Dress
project for the girls of many third world countries.
Lastly, and the one that tugs at my heartstrings the
most, is the need that some hospital have for preemie burial gowns. Many times these young hospital patients don’t
get the chance to go home with their families.
And many times either the parents can’t afford a tiny gown to put on
their child or there just isn’t one available that’s small enough. If you feel that this is a need you would
like to fill, contact your local hospital and see if that’s something you could
do for them.
And if you’re an animal person, here’s something you may
want to check into. Many of the local
animal shelters need dog beds. Save your
scraps and use them to stuff a dog bed that you make. Shelters also may have specific sizes in
mind, so do call them before blessing our furry friends with anything.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are quickly approaching and
most of us are fortunate enough to have to buy gifts for family and
friends. We look forward to dinners and
parties and turkeys and trees. We are
blessed. But there are many that are
struggling with circumstances beyond their control that we can bless with the work of our hands.
Be that blessing.
Love and Stitches…
Sherri
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