This is the end of 2025!

Here we are at the end of the year and we have just completed the final donation of the year.  Before Christmas I had a phone message from Norma on Ward 12 to ask if I could bring “just a few” quilts on Tuesday 23rd December.  Unfortunately I was unavailable that day, but promised to drop some in after Christmas.  I was surprised that they needed more, as I had delivered some a couple of weeks ago, but thought they might have been busy.  I was right to be suspicious, as when I went in today, there was this wonderful gift waiting for me! 

Sue was keen to hand this over (unfortunately Norma wasn’t at work today) and they will be enjoyed by all at the next Knit and Stitch meeting!  Thank you so much Ward 12, and happy New Year to you all! 

Is this the end of 2025?

 Things have been trundling along in the Project Linus department, but I haven’t posted.

These legs belong to a member of the Women’s Aid staff.  I contacted them to see if they needed any quilts, and we arranged to meet at Aldi, as usual.  They didn’t need many quilts, as apparently, while families are meant to stay in their temporary accommodation for months, many are staying for several years, due to the economic situation.  This means that those children already have their own quilts.  Tough times. Incidentally, the quilt was made by Paula.

Here I am with Pip on Ward 10 of the LRI.  She always makes us very welcome. 

Sue on Ward 12 also loves the quilts.  While we were there, a member of staff told us that her son still loves the Linus quilt he received 6 years ago!  That was great to hear. 

And here I am at Lutterworth and District Food Bank, where several families were expected, and the quilts were all spread out so they could choose which one they wanted.  So kind for the staff to go the extra mile.  

So far 429 quilts have been donated by local sewers this year, although it’s not over yet! 

Busy sewing

 I haven’t posted for a while, but that doesn’t mean things have been quiet round here!  In September we had our annual Linus evening at Lutterworth Piecemakers and made Diappearing nine patch blocks.  We made several different types. Here is a selection of different types. 

Everyone worked really hard, and we made enough blocks for five quilts.  Thank you so much everyone! 

The in October we had our annual visit to Shepshed!  These ladies had cooked up a storm of 63 quilts!  Here are my favourites.

They are all great, but the red and blue one at the bottom is my favourite, as it is simply squares, with a few HSTs, but makes a super on point design.  This has boosted my store greatly, so I need to get delivering! 

Generous people

 Last year, we had a lovely sewing day at the Leicestershire Craft Centre in Market Harborough, hosted by Katharine.  Unfortunately she’s too busy to hold one this year - perfectly understandable - but has donated a large bag of offcuts, panels, strips, orphans and wadding for us to use!  

 

Here is a shot of part of it - I had already started to sort it out when I realised it would be good to photograph it!  Katharine’s students use lots of bright colours, and there were plenty of fabulous blocks which can be used as medallion quilt centres, or feature in sampler quilts. 

Here are a few of them!  Fabulous!  Thank you so much, Katharine and her students!  Well definitely put it all to good use. 

Busy time

 I know it’s not really the time for quilts, but Linus quilts provide more than physical warmth.  I contacted the Diana Service, and found that Aimee has taken on Rosie’s place as Linus contact.  We arranged to meet at our usual handover point, Wigston Tesco, but as I arrived there were lots of people milling about.  I couldn’t work out what was happening, was it a demonstration, a celebration or flashmob?  Then I heard the siren.  There had obviously been an incident which meant they had to evacuate the shop!  Luckily it didn’t affect me, and I easily found Aimee and passed over the quilts. 

Here is Aimee, with the back of a quilt.  She liked this one “as Halloween will be here soon” so I didn’t insist she turned it over.  It is indeed lovely orange fabric, but actually Star Wars! 

Then today, I went over to Jay Fostering to take quilts for the welcome boxes they prepare for their looked after children.  Valentina interrupted her lunch to receive them and be photoed.  

She actually chose a quilt which Maria started and I finished recently.  She asked whether it was possible for them to have some larger quilts as playmats to use in the centre.  As it happened there was at least one larger quilt in the batch, so I said that could be one, and I would get a couple more for them soon. I’m really pleased that my quilt cupboard is now manageable, but I don’t have to worry, as Knit and Stitch is tomorrow and I’m sure there will be more coming! 

Unbelievable

 I had a call from Sue in Ward 12 that they needed more quilts.  No problem.  My husband and I set off to the LRI wondering how long we would spend in the car park queue.  Would it be half an hour or three quarters or more?  Well, unbelievable as it is, we spent a mere 5 minutes in the queue and easily found a parking slot!  This is unheard of - but very welcome!  

Then our reception on the ward was fabulous.  Everyone was oohing and aching over the beautiful quilts and the young man at the back with Paula’s penguin quilt was hoping that staff could choose a quilt too, with his eye firmly fixed on that one! Unfortunately that was not to be, but we enjoyed the admiration! 

Lovely day!

 Since Hinckley Tangent Group donated some money to Project Linus, we decided to hire a hall and hold a sewing day.  Lutterworth Piecemakers kindly booked Walcote Village Hall for us (they are regular users, so we got it for ‘mates’ rates’) and I wanted it to be available to anyone, so it was a free event!  Julie works at Tesco and she asked if they were prepared to make a donation towards our refreshments cost - and they did!  They funded it completely, which was wonderful of them.  Julie bought all kinds of treats from cans of coke to bananas to keep us going!  Here she is with the Project Linus sign outside. 

Madeline supplied a raffle, which basically paid for the hall, and the prizes were cute little houses.  I know, because I won one! 

Just under twenty sewers came, which was wonderful, considering the temperature was about 28C that day!  We had all the doors open, and managed to catch any breeze going, which meant it was quite pleasant for a working environment.  

Everyone got stuck in to the ready cut kits, and even coped with my sketchy instructions! 

We had quite a few visitors too.  Here are Chris and Lynne who popped in for a look round, a coffee and to pick up kits to take home! 

Unfortunately, although we had lots of finished tops, I didn’t photograph any of them.  I was going to take a photo of them all together, but some people had to leave early, and I didn’t realise I had missed a photo opportunity till it was too late! 

I am always in awe of the creativity of these ladies, and none more than Fiona.  She is a wow at getting orphaned blocks to play nicely together, 6as is evident from this photo!  She put several sets of blocks together for future assembly.  

Many thanks to all the people who came and helped on the day.  We may have to make this a regular fixture on the Linus calendar!