We all like to think that we’ll be with family and friends at Christmas. Some of us are not so lucky. In 2013, poet Lemn Sissay founded The Christmas Dinner, specifically to be held for care leavers. His aim is for each community to take responsibility for its care leavers, 1 in 5 of whom will be homeless within 2 years of having left care.
Each dinner is organised and run by volunteers, for about 50 young people. Food, presents and decorations etc are donated where possible or paid for from donations.
Lemn was a child in care himself, almost from birth, leaving when he was 18. He desperately wanted a hug when he was 12 and was returned to care by his long term foster parents. That’s what inspired a quilter to make quilts to be gifted to the dinner guests: a “quilty” hug and reminder of the day. She asked for help via Facebook and the quilting community responded.
What do you need to make to help these young people?
The guests are aged between 18-25, so ideal for bright scrappy quilts.
Tops/quilts need to be no smaller than 44" x 66" and no larger than 54" x 72”. Blocks of either 6.5" or 12.5" unfinished are welcome. Rail Fence or Log Cabin are the blocks preferred. No quilt-as-you-go blocks please, this is hard for the team to make into a quilt. Quilt tops can be long arm quilted at a cost of £9 payable in advance. This includes the cost of wadding, therefore reducing the postage costs. Is there any other way you can help? Donating fabric or “orphan blocks” that you have made and will never use. Making a donation to fund wadding etc - the Paypal account for donations is [email protected]
A message from Sue Bugler who is organising New Forest Quilt Group's contribution to this great cause Thank you so much for all your hard work making the quilts to date. In the next newsletter I will show pictures of your amazing work. These are the patterns I have been working on over the winter. I hope another workshop day in the autumn when we can get together and sew. If you are sorting your stash before embarking on visits to quilt shows this summer, then Lourdes and myself would love any fabric that you are happy to donate.
Rainbow Quilt This pattern is a unit of blocks of squares and rectangles which are rotated 180 degrees, every other block. Obviously the design is great for pattern and plains and could be shades of one colour. Perfect for random piecing using all colour selection that are safely stored in the boxes!
Roses Grow on You Quilt A perfect pattern for a jelly roll. Maybe you may have a few strips left over that could be donated ? Thank you Jackie for finding this pattern.
Half Square Triangle Quilt
This pattern again used a jelly roll to make the log cabin design, alternating dark and light fabrics. Plain or patterned fabric could be used for the triangles. Because I needed to reduce the size, I added a border and the binding used the remainder of the jelly roll. Again, I was hoping for a good design for making a colourful quilt.
Diamond Quilt
This pattern adaptation was for me the most challenging. I had never completed a quilt top on the diagonal before! It very nearly became a UFO, but I got there in the end. Again, I thought it would suit a combination of colours with just the outlines requiring a consistent pattern or colour of fabric.
Hoping that one or more of these patterns might appeal to you for 2023? Will let you know when we have a workshop date organised. In the meantime Happy Quilting.