Last year, during the Retreat for the Bloggerati [a marvellous event to be repeated this year], a plot was hatched and Quilts for Christmas Careleavers began. Well, if truth be known it was already happening, but it went from an idea to a group, and shortly will be officially a charity!
I was asked by the originator of the whole idea, Maggie Lloyd-Jones, to join the merry band of people who do more than make tea – how could I refuse. At last, someone wanted me to be more than just the teagirl! This happened over breakfast whilst we were on retreat, and before any Gin or Vodka had passed our lips I might add. Carol Barlow was involved in the plotting I think, and together she and I now find ourselves regional co-ordinators for the Lincolnshire region. I think I might have been chosen because I have a large shed to put things in, and Carol because she has the perfect contacts locally for reasons that will become clear.
What rapidly became apparent was the sheer size of the undertaking. Maggie Lloyd-Jones arranged for 117 quilts to be donated in 2018 to three of the groups that were part of the Lemn Sissay Foundation Christmas Dinners for Careleavers .. there is a lot of stuff out there both on this website and via Google about that. Three dinners out of 17 that were held in 2018. Of course, one group talks to another and word got around about the quilts that were donated. In 2019 there may well be more dinner groups to provide quilts for. Oh heck! So if we work on an expectation of 20 groups, each with a maximum of 50 younglings [Maggie’s word and its such a pretty noun] that’s suddenly 1000 quilts to make.
Let that sink in .. 1000 quilts.
Phew .. now we have a challenge to meet. So in between great fun and chatter, plans are forming. The best of which so far are the Sewathons. Kathrin held one in Steeton, near Keighly earlier in February, and Carol and I hosted one too. There are more planned. The one I was involved in was held at North Lindsey College, which Carol has connections with .. I said she was important! Have you ever been to a retreat or a sewathon? You should .. they are such fun and intense sewing opportunities.
We mentioned in a few places what we were planning and some fabulous parcels of fabrics started to arrive so people coming along to sew had something to use! The generosity of people in the world of sewing is legend thankfully. The lovely guys at EQS donated a roll of wadding too. A fair portion of the people coming along knew the location well as it’s the regular meeting place for Our Quilty Pleasures, which is the sewing group that meets there every second Saturday in the month, but several new friends came along who we hope to see again.
Carol laid out the irons, mats and cutters ready, and when I arrived we laid out the fabric, and stood back, hoping people would come. The room soon was full of people sewing! It was a great day. In total we think we achieved around 23 or so quilts, some that were made before the day, some on the day and others taken away to finish.
A great effort! and one that will be repeated over and over as the year progresses. The tops will be hopefully quilted by a group of longarmers who are generously offering time to do this, but this soon to be new Charity needs much more help at all levels .. how else can the goals be achieved.
We cannot let the Young Careleavers down. Hopefully, most of us will have the company of our own family and friends this next Christmas, but if you have been in care, with no family of your own to turn to, the dinner groups are the younglings’ happiness. The quilts that are being donated are the hugs we will be sending them.
Can you help?
It is such a pleasure to be able to make a few quilts for this and hopefully there will soon be a quiltaton somewhere near where I live, I have so far this year made two coplete quilts, been involved in another one with a group of friends and have three tops that can go to a longarmer.
Thanks .. that’s a great contribution and one that will really make someone happy this year!