Newsletter – January 2013

Rectory Quilters Stir It Up!
You’ve heard of stir-up Sunday; well this was stir-up Monday, a pudding basin full of Christmas fabrics well stirred and made into Christmas quilts for Poole and Southampton hospitals. Rectory Quilters based in new Milton organised a wonderful day where lots of sewing went on along with a few laughs an lots of chat. With their help we are on target to meet the 40/50 quilts to gift over the Christmas period.

Point-to-Pointers
Alison Still collected from lovely quilts from a group in Galleywood, Essex. The ladies meet near the old race course and very appropriately call themselves Point-to-Point. As well as having made individual quilts, they had also done a workshop for the foundation technique where they had all made blocks featuring dogs which were subsequently sewn together and donated as a group quilt.

Sew4others Heart Quilt
Once The sew4others meeting coincided with Macmillan’s coffee morning so we invited others to come along to our meeting to show them what we do. As well as raising £220 for Macmillan we encouraged visitors to have a go at making a pin cushion, a Christmas coaster, and sew a heart for Project Linus. The hearts were stitched onto purple squares which were in turn joined together to form a quilt. This quilt has now gone to the North East Derbyshire Women’s Aid Refuge.

Letter from a social worker
Elspeth in Lanarkshire received the letter below from a local social worker:

“I just wanted to let you know how much K loved her quilt. I told her you had made it especially for her and no-one had one exactly like hers. She immediately wrapped it around herself and twirled and twirled all around her room grining from ear to ear while rubbing the fleece section against her face. Everyine in the children’s home had to be shown her ‘special quilt’. She then very carefully folded it so that ‘my huge’ were clearly displayed and gently laid it on her pillow. Thank you again for making this wee girls day so very special.”

Baby Lucas
“I just wanted t send a short note of my appreciation for the beautiful snuggly blanket which my ten month old son received while he was in Wishaw General. It certainly brightened up his little cot in hospital and, I’m sure, his little cot at home for a long time to come. It certainly brought a smile to both our faces. it also reminded me of the gift of a little hooded towel we received when he was born. Again your kindness was very much appreciated. Many thanks, Andrina and Baby Lucas”

News from West London Branch
Six The Thameside Sewing Bees recently presented me with a batch of quilts, having taken on Project Linus as their next charity project. In addition, one of their members kindly quilted three tops I had sandwiched but not had time to quilt. I came home with 13 quilts- all beautifull sewn – just in time for a delivery to Your Sacntuary (a Surrey women’s refuge). I’ll also be delivering 10 quilts made by 1st Oatland Guides from Woking. It’s a lways nice to hear of youngsterssewing, let alone quilting, so thesequilts are very special.

Do you have any stories or photographs for the next edition of the newsletter? Please do send these in to share with other volunteers.

Happy Quilting.