Turning the Page

Turning the Page.

Turning the Page

THANK YOU!!!

Many thanks to all of you for supporting the Project. Your generosity is commendable!

“To all who worked on my BEAUTIFUL quilt I received in the mail – Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity! That was so kind of everyone! It is so beautiful – I really love it! NEVER thought I would be “homeless” (almost!) at age 69, and lose everything I had ever owned over the years! Thank God for my son & daughter-in-law giving me a place to stay till I hope I can someday figure out what to do! I had a little flood insurance and they are supposed to send me $25,000. so I am told – haven’t seen anything yet!? Not much to build on at prices these days plus I was told it would cost between 3 and 5 thousand just to clean up the mess and get rid of my 14 x 70 mobile home and little camper that I kept for storage! Everything was destroyed, covered with mud and silt including items from both my grandparents who are both now passed away. My son & wife worked hard to save some of my pictures, some dishes, and my mothers antique blue dishes! Thanks to my niece & a couple of family members I had help working to clean that stuff up! So you see…after all the headaches, tears and heartaches for everything lost, your beautiful quilt was a bright spot in my day for sure! I will always be grateful to everyone who worked on it! God bless you all!”

God Bless YOU all! (This is just one of many notes and stories that I will be sharing with you as we move forward.)

TAKING STOCK
When we initiated the Project we had no idea how the rebuilding process would take shape. As we have begun moving through the process we have realized that for many (if not most) of those displaced by Irene, recovery is slow going at best. Many of these folks find themselves in temporary living situations…moving from relative to relative, or a space which is too small to something a bit better, but still not home. Home is a long way away for many of them…so we have switched gears in order to meet them where they are. We have been distributing quilts on a one by one basis, or family by family. It has been very low key.Some are sent in the mail, some are delivered in person. All are greatly appreciated. Not one of these folks want to ask for too much. One woman asked if we might have a quilt that her children could share. When I asked her how old the kids were and what colors they liked she was surprised that each child was going to have their own quilt. She said she and her husband didn’t need one because they “didn’t want to ask for too much”. This is common. Needless to say…they all received quilts.

So….the Project will continue. THERE IS NO CLOSING DATE. Your quilts, and tops are still very much needed!

1400 families were displaced. That means that our number of 2000 is probably a pretty good estimate. I think we are about 1/3 of the way to our goal. That is pretty good for 3 months!

THE NUMBERS

We currently have about 275 quilts on hand. 40 – 50 of them will leave in the next 2 days. There are about 50 quilts being quilted by various longarmers in New England right now. There are 25 kits being sewn around Vermont and another 25 bags of tops and backs ready to be sent for quilting. I have enough fabric for at least 40 more quilt tops.

The Guilds have been incredible! Kudos to you all!!! Guilds from all over New England! Sharing your comfort quilts with the Project…holding work days…distributing quilts in your communities to those who were affected by Irene…I can’t thank you enough! Small groups of quilters have been gathering in various communities and making quilts for the Project. People from all over the US are part of the Winter Warmth Project.

GETTING THE WORD OUT
We have been sending Posters and our informational Flyer to Town Managers and Flood Relief Centers in the affected towns. We have had friends of Winter Warmth put up Posters in local Libraries, Post Offices and on Community Bulletin Boards. We have been networking with Flood Relief Workers (who have given many quilts away for us), and also with those who have received quilts.

Each quilt goes out with a tag that says:
“This quilt is a gift from the Winter Warmth Project. If you know of others who lost their home or most of their belongings and are trying to rebuild their lives, please let them know about us…we have a quilt for them!

Our contact info is winterwarmthproject@yahoo.com

We hope you enjoy your quilt and we wish you the very best.”

We have had a couple of “drop spots” for donations…The Gathering in Nashua, NH provided a room for 2 full carloads of donations! A huge thank you to EVERYONE who donated and to THE GATHERING ( Kate, Sarah and Amy, for their support of the Project)  A QUILTERS GARDEN in Montpelier has made themselves available as a local drop spot…THANK YOU!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Queen tops and queen quilts are greatly needed. I know they are big. I know they represent a hefty investment in fabric, time and labor…but that is what we need!

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU and PROJECT NEEDS
Here is my solution and my challenge to you…Take 4 people, and a mix of fabrics from each of them. Split them up so everyone has some of the same. Each person sews together a lap size top…42″ x 48″…the 4 tops get sewn together and PRESTO! We have a queen size top!

Blues are VERY popular. Darker colors, browns, greens, golds are also in high demand. Think suitable for any season, suitable for male or female.

If you want to participate in the project, but you don’t sew, your monetary donations will be graciously accepted. The money will be used for backings, batting and shipping expenses. Checks can be made out to Winter Warmth Project.

NO NO’s !!!!!!
Please…no more lap or baby quilts. We have plenty!
NO more quilts for children!!! We have probably got too many!
NO fleece. NO blankets.
NOTHING USED!

GIVING
The Warm part of Winter Warmth is all about the LOVE that goes with a quilt. It is a way of saying…”I care”, “You matter”. The day to day is very difficult for all of the folks we want to reach. What Winter Warmth is doing is significant and special.

WHERE TO SEND YOUR DONATIONS

Winter Warmth Project, 108 Vine St. , Northfield, VT 05663

FINAL THOUGHTS
“Thank you so much for sending us the three quilts. My daughter’s both took them and wrapped up and said “This was so nice of those people”. We also love our quilt and have it on our bed. We had to move out of our house into a new one and the quilts were really appreciated as they replace some we lost. Thank you.”

Thank you for all you are doing for the Project. I cannot express my gratitude enough for all of you. I want to extend my best wishes for holiday season and new year to each of you.

Pam

The Latest from Winter Warmth

The response to the project continues to build. Last week I picked up 56 tops and backs. They are beautiful! Many thanks to Carol who gathered them from her friends and drove up to meet me. I also picked up a few more finished quilts. Yesterday I received 2 beautiful quilts from Katy, Texas. Our thanks go to the Lutheran women who made those for us. Yesterday was the Quilt Auction in Waitsfield, Vermont and I was blessed to have a couple of people donate the beautiful quilts that they had just purchased ($ went to Flood Relief) to Winter Warmth. Another woman donated all of the fabric yardage which did not sell to us!

We have cut all of the first large batch of fabric into kits, and all of those kits are out! We have cut some of the second batch into kits and expect to get those out soon. We have sent out several quilts out to be quilted as well. We also put out our contact information where those who were affected by the floods and those who are helping them resettle will see it, and we are beginning to receive and answer requests for quilts.

The Winter Warmth Project greatly appreciates your willingness to donate your time, your $, your quilts and your fabric to help us out, but I am quickly finding out that I need to establish some parameters for donations. So here they are:

Please….no thread…no trims…no holiday fabrics…(by that I mean fabric that is limited by what is printed on it). I’m sorry but I cannot accept Christmas fabric, or Easter, or Halloween. These quilts are for year round use…Thank you for understanding.

I want to say just a little bit about giving. Giving is a wonderful thing. Giving should be a joyful thing. Even though you don’t know who is going to receive the gift, the gift should be as special as it would be if it was for someone you care about. Why is it that we feel just fine about giving what we don’t want, and why is it so hard to give what we would like to receive?

It is my desire that the quilts we give out will wrap those receiving them in warmth, care, support and love. It is my hope that each quilt will say “You really matter” to the recipient.

Can you get on board with that? I hope so. Thanks! Pam

Hard to Believe

One month ago we launched the Winter Warmth Project. YOUR response has been incredible! (I’ll upload some pictures of finished quilts before the weekend is over….) Quilts and tops are arriving daily. Many, many thanks to you all for sharing your time and handiwork with the people of Vermont. For those of you who want to help but aren’t sure what you can do here are a couple of ideas:

1. Find a fabric you really like that can stand on its own…a novelty print, a panel of some sort, a gorgeous floral – Set it off with a few borders using colors from the panel

2. Cut large blocks of fabric which coordinate stitch them together and add a border or separate them with sashing

3. If you don’t quilt, but want to help… talk up the Project and see what kind of response you get…perhaps you can gather up some quilts or quilt tops from your area to donate to the Project…want to provide transportation??? Pick up and delivery of quilts, fabric, tops and batting (I need to stop running around….)
Arrange a sewing day with a bunch of friends and donate the results!

Our currant GREATEST NEED…is QUILTERS….(people who love to quilt – long arm quilters especially) We will supply the top, the batting, the backing…you supply the labor. We have 50 tops that are ready to be quilted as of today. Monday we will receive another 50 – HELP!!!!

Don’t want to take the time to quilt that top…TIE IT!

I will be at the Chelmsford Quilt Guild, Chelmsford, MA on October 24 – if you have finished quilts or tops I will be happy to bring them back to Vermont.

I will be in Middlebury, VT for the Milk and Honey Guild on Tuesday evening, October 25, and Wednesday, October 26…if you have finished quilts or tops I will be happy to transport them!

I will be at THE GATHERING, in Nashua, NH from Nov.2 – 6. If you are going to the Gathering and have quilts or tops for the project I will transport them back to VT. We are grateful to THE GATHERING for supporting the Winter Warmth Project as a drop off point for quilt donations. Thank you!!

Lastly…we would love donations of batiks, contemporary prints…some children’s fabrics…everyone has different taste…so if you really like some fabric, but it won’t fit in with your decor…perhaps you can send it to Winter Warmth.

That’s it for now…keep on stitching! and Thank you!

Update…We’ve been busy!

Thank you for your patience! Donations can be sent to:
Winter Warmth Project c/o Druhen, 108 Vine St., Northfield, VT 05663.
Not a quilter, but want to help? The Winter Warmth Project will accept $ donations which will be used for kit supplies. Checks should be made out to Winter Warmth Project and sent to the above address. We now have kits for tops available. If you would like one or two please let me know by email: winterwarmthproject@yahoo.com.
Full kits…cut fabric for tops, batting and backing are available on an as needed basis…so again, if this is what you would like, please email the above yahoo address and let me know.

We are beginning to work on distribution details. Dates, locations and times will be posted as soon as we know.

EXTRA! October 15th, 10:00AM, Waitsfield Elementary School, Waitsfield, Vermont Annual Quilt Auction – ALL proceeds go to flood relief. Hope you can make it!

Thanks!

On Saturday afternoon I picked up 600 yards of fabric, some thread and other trimmings. They were donated by Barbara…a wonderful woman who cleaned out her stash…Many many thanks….Today I received a phone call from Sharon who is sending her first box of quilts…these are baby quilts…how wonderful….Thank you so much. I hope YOU will consider joining the project….so many need so much….

GROWING

The Winter Warmth Project is beginning to grow.  The guilds are beginning to respond.  Thanks to everyone who is willing to give to this endeavor.  There are so many people who have lost so much.  Winter Warmth now has its own e mail address – winterwarmthproject@yahoo.com.  You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  We have been working on a byline to add to our correspondence which we hope defines our mission.  Here it is:   “Stitching lives back together one quilt at a time”.  We’ll see if it sticks!

The Winter Warmth Project – September 8, 2011

On August 28th Hurricane Irene roared up the east coast towards New England.  Although we were expecting heavy rain and wind, we had no idea what was on the way.  At 12:30 we got in the car and headed for Burlington.  It was raining hard.  That said, this is Vermont and it takes a lot of weather to keep us home.  One exit above our entry point we decided to turn back.

About 2 hours later the Dog River overflowed its banks.

It’s hard to put into words the feelings that come up when there is an event like this.  Something we humans have no control over.  The loss is overwhelming.  There is a sadness that pervades your spirit.  You help where you can.  I have never felt so helpless.  There is a sense that the loss and devastation are so great that you can’t do enough….and when you look around you just don’t know what you can really do to make it all better…

Because it isn’t going to be all better for awhile.  At last count more than 700 homes in Vermont were lost or rendered uninhabitable.

Winter is coming.

The Winter Warmth Project is in the first stage.  I am contacting quilters, quilt shops and quilt guilds throughout Vermont and New England.  I am asking for donations of fabric, batting,  labor, quilt tops and  finished quilts – Twin Size and Queen Size.  I want to make sure that every flood victim; man, woman, couple, and child has a brand new quilt for his/her or their bed when they are able to move back into their own space.  I think that might be between 2000 and 2500 quilts.

I hope you will tell your friends about this project.  I hope you will want to join the band and sew up a storm!  I will post again in a couple days.

Pam