Tuesday 22 April 2014

Bravery Bead Bags

I have just delivered a batch of Bravery Bead Bags to the oncology unit, kindly sent from Jo in Powys and they were so well received. 
Thanks so much Jo for sending them and they will very soon hold the children's well earned treasured beads.
A wonderful, bright, collection of around 18 bags in many colours and such a variety of designs to suit all ages. My favourite has to be the one with the tabby cat, right in the middle. Some have applique motifs which is a good way for the children to identify their own bag.
Another act of generousity from a Super Star Stitcher ... thanks Jo (Twiglet) 

Monday 14 April 2014

Three New Arrivals, 88 in a year!

It is around a year since we started the LillyBo Quilt Appeal and, with 88 quilts donated, thankfully, we have reached the point where all the children who were attending the oncology unit for treatment had received a comfort quilt. Now we can slow down somewhat and quilts are only needed for the newly diagnosed children who are just setting out on the long road to recovery and we still have a few in hand. 
Any new quilts will be there ready waiting and we all know, only too well, that week by week, there will sadly be new arrivals diagnosed. 
I hope everyone of them comes through to be a healthy happy child just as my little grand daughter did. She recently had her big, end of treatment, checks and blood tests and I was overjoyed that she came through with the perfect results we had hoped for.  It has been a long journey for her and her parents and I am so proud of the way they faced it all and coped so well.
Thanks to the hospital for their care and treatment.
Thanks also to all the Super Star Stitchers and everyone else who has helped LillyBo Quilt Appeal to provide the quilts shown here to comfort the children who are still going through it all.

  Quilt No 86 
arrived all the way from Wiltshire and was made by LLJ (Jan).

Jan tells me that, whilst she knew that there was no pressure or urgency for quilts,  she made it just because she wanted to and really enjoyed sewing it, and it shows. 
A super quilt in a gorgeous colour palette which will suit either a girl or a boy.
Thanks to Jan it will make a child very happy and become a special treasure, as I know they all do!
No 86
 Here's the soft, cuddly, spotty blue backing and the handy tote it came in.
Quilt No  87
 kindly made by Sally of Wavertree in Liverpool. 
It is quite a bigger one and is ideal for a teenaged boy's single bed. It has an exciting action display of stunt bikers on  the main fabric and the trendy complementary quilted panels pick out the main colours so effectively. 
The lovely backing fabric is more traditional and gives an optional alternative look.
The detail of the action bikers can also be seen here close up.
Here's the bag it will pack into.
Sally also made Quilt No 88
and this is perfect for a little girl in a range of super fabrics in shades of pink, green and lemon.
The lemon gingham on the reverse complements it really well.
and here's the handy bag for it which will make it into a cushion for travelling.
Finally, I've made yet another clutch of bags, in a variety of designs, for the children's 
Bravery Bead Awards.
These are going so quickly, in fact, as fast as I can make them, as each child gains another bead, a different one for each procedure endured and it's important for children coming through treatment to have their own bag to keep their beads safe. 
I try to make not too many from the same fabric so children can readily identify their own bag. A good mix of fabrics for girls and boys from tiny tots to 16 years.