December 31, 2008 - As we move eagerly into the new year, it is worth taking a moment or two to pause and thank the many, many people who made our charity program “Quilting our Threads” such a success in 2008. Quilted Threads has designed this program to aid quilters in supporting charities that have personal or special meaning to them, to draw more quilters into the process of giving, and to use strong threads to piece and ultimately bind our community together. We provide free (donated) fabric to be used in the construction of the quilt tops, and draw on a talented, generous, and committed longarm community who donates time and resources to quilt them before being donated to their designated charities.
This past year, we enjoyed the company of several guilds who met regularly to complete quilts destined for hospitals and shelters. We hosted a day of quilting to benefit the Home of the Brave program, and one of our quilters organized an event that produced quilts for the Childhood Cancer Lifeline of New Hampshire. On all occasions, our classrooms were filled with generous, busy, and happy quilters who worked together to achieve amazing results! Quilts of Valor is on our calendar for early 2009, and we are looking forward to a full day of sewing.
The comfort and warmth provided by the gift of a quilt are immeasurable. The need for expressions of our care, concern, and gratitude grows with every soldier who returns from service, with every person who struggles in the battle against serious illness, and with every woman and child who need safe harbor from abuse and neglect. Donating time, energy, and resources, and working together at a craft we love in the service of others is an amazing opportunity for quilters of all ages and abilities. We’re very proud of the members of our quilting community who have participated in this effort, and look forward to another year of giving.