The Power of the Quilt

In this brisk, wintry weather a quilt offers warmth and comfort and for those individuals – men, women and children – living with cancer, a colorful homemade lap robe brings a feeling of joy and a sense of gratitude for those who labored over the special gift.
Cathi Healey joined 10 other volunteers at The Power of the Quilt Project (PQP) fall quilt-a-thon held last month. A regular at these events, Healey focused her energy on hand-sewing PQP labels to complete 19 of the 21 comfort quilts brought in that day.
Other volunteers from surrounding area towns created two quilt tops onsite, hand tied three quilts and “sandwiched” six colorful quilt tops with batting and cozy flannel backings, to be machine stitched at home or Longarm stitched as a pro bono donation by Creative Longarm Partners in Marlborough, Mass.
The Power of the Quilt Project, first established in 2003, is part of the Service and Justice Ministries of the UUAC. Three quilt-a-thons are held annually, and typically, more than 100 completed comfort quilts are disseminated to men, women and children who are undergoing chemotherapy treatments in a Boston-based medical facility. Quilts with animal-themed fabrics are crafted especially for Project Linus to bring warmth and comfort to young children facing hardship who are staying in hospitals or shelters.
Throughout the day, volunteers commented on the fellowship experienced and the meaningfulness of the project’s mission. They are eager to participate in the winter quilt-a-thon on Monday, January 21, 2019, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
To RSVP for that event, contact PQP Coordinator Diane McNamara at [email protected]. Visit the PQP blog at http://www.powerofthequilt.blogspot.com to see other volunteers in action.