Thirteen volunteers gathered together on Saturday, November 11th (Veterans Day) for the fall quilt-a-thon and nearly 30 comfort quilts were completed with The Power of the Quilt Project label!
As participant Cathie Healy (pictured below) said, "It's amazing to see how many hands touch these quilts before they even reach their intended recipients."
Although not a sewer, Healy has found numerous ways to lend a supportive hand to the project, since its inception in 2003. Cutting, measuring and color coordinating fabrics, making up "take-home" quilt-top kits, pinning, sandwiching and hand tying quilts, and managing the "ironing" station, to name a few. She is the "perfect" volunteer - someone who is willing to learn new things and help out in any way needed.
A SPECIAL TOUCH
We'd like to thank Joe Olinto, owner of Sewfisticated Discount Fabrics in Framingham, Mass. (303 Worcester Rd., Route 9 West), who donated nearly 40 pounds of cotton fabrics to support the event.
Fabric artist and quilter Tobi Hoffman (below) was excited to create a unique, geometric lap robe design onsite using strips from each bolt donated by Sewfisticated.
Seven of the colorful lap robes I created were Longarm stitched by the husband-wife team at Creative Longarm Partners in Marlborough as an in-kind donation - more hands and hearts willing to support this important program. Check out the "Meandering Circle," "Damask," and "Cinnamon Swirl stitch designs in those quilts pictured here.
These comfort quilts and others will be distributed soon to a medical facility in the Boston area for men and women undergoing chemotherapy treatments and children facing hardship who are living in shelters.
Finally, a special word of appreciation to Kathleen "Kace" Wilson of Milton who trekked all the way to Sherborn for the quilt-a-thon. Kace coordinates the donation of teddy bears, pillowcases, toddler blankets and quilts of all sizes created by The Proper Bostonian Quilters Guild to men, women and children in need. She donated four of her own quilt creations this day to support The Power of the Quilt Project. Kace is pictured here "free motion" stitching one of her quilts during the eight-hour event.
If you're interested in participating at an upcoming quilt-a-thon, contact PQP Coordinator Diane McNamara at dimcnamara@verizon.net.
Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome. There are plenty of tasks that don't require sewing or quilting!
If you are a quilter, please bring your sewing machine. Our day usually begins at 9 a.m. and runs to 4 p.m., and light refreshments are always served. Come for as long as you are able, even an hour commitment will help!
The next quilt-a-thon community service event is tentatively planned for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Monday, January 15, 2018.
Happy Sewing!
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