When a couple at church had a very complicated pregnancy that ended in a stillbirth, a friend asked me if I would help make a memorial baby blanket for them. More than that, she asked if I would help her organize a community quilting event that would allow others to participate. I agreed of course.
This last summer, I had taught my first ever quilting class to a small group of women who were residents at a crisis pregnancy center. The success of that had started me thinking about other ways to do group quilting with some meaningful purpose attached to it, and this seemed like a perfect next step.
My friend provided the venue. I showed up with some tools and pattern ideas. About 20 other women also showed up with snacks, sewing machines, and fabric. Surprisingly, it was the teens who were most eager to do the sewing and the moms that were most willing to cut and iron and keep the social “flow” going. I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing, so I was a little shocked when it actually worked and we had a finished quilt top by then end of the evening!
The square with the baby feet in the middle is special. Though the baby died at birth, the family made ink foot prints at the hospital as a memorial. My friend got a copy of the footprints and sent it off to Joann’s to be made into a fabric swatch. I was then able to work it into the final quilt top.
Creative Joy 