Because you Matter: quilts for kids!

Yay! It’s happening!

Because You Matter: quilts for kids is alive! This is a project that I have been thinking about for months and months. And I’m finally getting started with my first quilt. Why? Because I know what it feels like to be a lost child. And because I know how good it feels to matter. And because I want to make a difference.

Each Because You Matter quilt will be made for a specific child to keep for his or her very own. These are children of all ages – toddler through teens – who are living in emotionally precarious situations. They may be foster children. They may be the children of single parents struggling to keep things together. They are all children who are having a hard time and who could use the gift of a handmade quilt to wrap up in for the simple reason that they matter. They just matter. And so do you!

I am finally able to get started because of the generosity of my friend Carrie-lyn. I told her about my idea, and she went home and cleaned out her fabric stash. Because of her encouragement and gift, I believed that it could really be done.

I have started my first quilt. It will be going to a teenaged girl. I have made 5 blocks so far – you saw them a couple of posts ago! (remember I said they were part of a very special project?)

And since November is my turn in the We Be Learning Bee, I’ve asked my hive-mates to each make me one block in this same pattern. The finished top will be the very first Because You Matter quilt. I am so excited!

I have also hooked up with Quilts for Kids (see the button on my sidebar), and they will be helping me make a second quilt. I want to be ready so as I learn of each child I will be able to work fairly quickly and not keep him or her waiting.

There’s a new page on my site, and I’ll be posting pictures of the completed quilts there as I finish them. I’m so excited to get started!

If you’d like to help out, I won’t say no! As you know, making a quilt can be an expensive undertaking. I’ll keep y’all in the loop if I’m looking for anything in particular from time to time. Fabric donations, donated rental time on our local quilt shop’s long-arm, letting me use your sewing machine for the occasional bit of machine quilting (mine is not up to the job), a bee to tie a quilt, or suggestions and well wishes. All are welcome! Lol!

I’m not going to obsess over this – it’s part of my balance plan. This is spiritual balance. and…I’ve got other projects and things that keep me busy in my life. I’ll be making these one at a time, and taking my time to enjoy the process as each quilt deserves. I like to think about the recepient as I sew, dreaming and imagining them enjoying and being comforted by the quilt in the future.

Making a quilt is like heating with wood. Warms you twice. 🙂