I love sewing – playing with fabrics and textures, taking time to create something completely unique. I just don’t like KEEPING any of the stuff I make because, well, we have enough stuff around our house. What inspires me most is creating to give to others. So when I found out about Quilts for Kids (and, originally, before it disbanded the Downy Touch of Comfort program which was similar), I was immediately committed.
Quilts for Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming fabrics into patchwork quilts to comfort children facing serious illness, trauma, abuse and natural disasters.
This organization, which you can read more about here, encourages people to use their talents, using fabric scraps that otherwise may be thrown into landfills, to make quilts for kids in need.
They offer kits for purchase, which will provide a pattern and the necessary fabrics, or you can use your own fabrics and one of their patterns.
This was the first quilt I made for Quilts for Kids, using this jellyroll quilt pattern here:
This actually went to a baby I personally knew, but was made using an Amy Butler quilt pattern that I LOVE:
I realized that both quilts were definitely for girls (which may or may not be related to the fact that I am a boy mom), so for the third quilt I created something specifically for a boy. This was made using a simple pattern provided by the organization:
There are specific requirements for the quilts, including size and loft/batting. So do be sure to read all specifications first, especially if you are not following one of their patterns.
If you are a new quilter, these are great beginning projects. The quilts aren’t large, the patterns aren’t too complicated. Start by reading this tutorial on beginning quilting.
I will say it is somewhat disheartening that (unlike Compassion in which I have a direct connection with my sponsored child), I don’t know where my quilts ended up or, indeed, if they were gifted at all.
But overall, I love striving to create one quilt a year to bring joy to a child somewhere in the world who needs love, even one I never see or know. I am frequently reminded of how lucky I am that my sons are as healthy as they are. So many parents and children face illness and challenges I can’t even comprehend. The act of using my time and energy to create a blanket of love may not be much, but it is something I can do.
Read more about Quilts for Kids here:
www.quiltsforkids.org