Stitching for Good

Angels Gather Here

2010-05-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

OK... so I'm thinking I like the name of this quest to be something like "angels gather here" or "home through the night"... something that captures the heart of the families. anyway, I'm getting off to bed, but my wheels are spinning. I've got a lot of work to do to get the ball rolling. Progress wise... I have a possible quilting group that may be inclined to join us and several independent people (like myself) that want to contribute. I'm excited at the response. Considering I've only shared this on CraigsList in San Diego, it looks like a "go" here. More to come later.

What do we need to do?

2010-05-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, in order to really get this ball a-rollin', we are needing to make blankets... as many as we can get. The sizes vary. Premature blankets are around 12"x12". Regular baby blankets go up to 36" x 36". Anything in between is great. Pick a pattern you like. Anything from a simple straight knitted blanket up to a fancy fancy is fine. If you crochet, you can pick whatever stitch you like. Beginners might just do a simple single or double crochet blanket. If you're more advanced, you can do whatever is your favorite. The only requirement: love. I'm going to be setting a goal here in the next week or two, and will have some statistics to share too. Thank you in advance to those who might be joining me in this.

What is this all about?

2010-05-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Not everyone is fortunate enough to take their baby home from the hospital once the baby is born. We can reach out to these families by knitting, crocheting or sewing blankets to give them so they can take home as a token memory of their precious angel. I'm looking for a few good men and women to help in this cause... I haven't come up with a name for this cause. I was inspired by a number of other organizations that have started this, but haven't had success in reaching any of them so I think they must be discontinued. Check out "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep", an organization that captures these babies' last day, hours, minutes with their families. In this same way, we can give these families something tangible to hold onto once they say "good-bye for now" to their baby. These blankets can serve as the cherished blankie or lovie that many babies lay claim to. They affirm that their baby was born, lived and was loved for their short life. These families need these gifts of love to help them heal; I've heard it said, "to help them cry". I'll be in need of crafters, yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks, yarn needles, packaging materials, and shipping expenses. I'll be keeping you all up to date on the hospitals, churches and other organizations that jump on board. I've already spoken to the SD area coordinator for the "NILMDTS" organization and she said her photographers will use the blankets in their photo sessions. For now, I'd like to focus on the San Diego area, but eventually I'd like it to grow into something nation-wide... one that people can actually find, contact and receive communication from.