Trash Into Treasure
 

This week someone in my guild made this request:

"I'm a volunteer at the High Risk Pregnancy Ward at the hospital, and we have had a request from Labor and Delivery for small quilts and blankets. They will be used to wrap babies that have been still born when they are shown to their parents... Last year we needed about 190 blankets for this purpose."

That just about broke my heart... I had some practice quilt sandwiches that I have been trying to learn free-motion quilting. I was going to throw them away, but thought I could cut them down to the appropriate size, bind, and donate. This is the first time I've tried to put binding on with the sewing machine. I didn't know what I was doing, but I thought it would just have to do since I was on a deadline. I got one boy and four girl miniquilts for the babies.

What a great way to use your practice quilting. And those are beautiful.

What a worthwhile cause... You are wonderful to do this, to give some comfort to families that are going through the worst time. They will treasure the blankets!

hugs

Caroline

Beautiful quilts for a beautiful and thoughtful cause. I think they will bring some comfort for the parents going thru the hardest thing a parent can go thru.

How thoughtful of you to do this! the quilts are beautiful and so well done. They sure don't look like practice quilts!

nice quilting ....

You have a great heart to jump in there and help out. Quilts are very pretty, nicely done.

these are lovely. what a heartbreak to be needing so many. i had to make 2 for my DD and SIL. thanks for reminding me of the need... i have some practice pieces i can do this with.

So kind of you . Boy that sounds like a lot in a year!

That is a very thoughtful thing you have done. My DD is a NICU nurse (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) The babies that she helps look after, often weigh just a pound. (Think of a pound of butter. A lot of these babies are about that size.) And because their bodies are so under developed at birth, if they survive, many of them will have life long health problems. A baby who actually survives and goes on to live a totally normal life, is a miracle and definitely NOT the norm.

Unfortunately, some babies just cannot be saved. I have made bereavement gowns of the unit for a number of years. The gowns are made of soft prewashed pastel flannelette and have a front opening allow for tubes and wires. Very often, the only time that parents can hold their child is while it is dying but still attached to all those machines. The gown and the blanket that the baby was wrapped in at that time, are preserved for the parents as a remembrance. Photos and hand and foot prints are taken and all these things go into a remembrance box for the parents.

The number mentioned is not necessarily high. Remember, these are high risk pregnancies and we have no idea how many babies were delivered at this facility and survived.