Chat & Craft Group Triumph!

Quilts 68 to 76

This lovely group of ladies presented me with several lovely quilts they had made in their Chat & Craft Group in Childwall.

 After meeting Pat (on the right) a while ago during my time at Abakhan, I was invited along to meet the rest of the group and I was astounded when they presented me with the generous result of their group's endeavours. 

Here are a few of the quilt makers with their lovely array of quilts.

Some gorgeous fabrics and one quilt was crocheted and attached by hand to a cuddly fleece backing. 

The long shape is a super stretchy toy ready to go along with the quilt.

Some quilts were hand embroidered with traditional quilting motifs and each one came tucked inside a bag made from a simply perfect fabric which was printed with illustrations of cute little doctors, nurses and patients! 

Some came with these cute knitted soft toys.

The children will love them all.

A special clown panel features on this one.

Here's a close up of the bag fabric and toys.

I delivered these quilts last week to the unit but when I called in to visit the ladies again this week there was another quilt waiting and this time it was a full single bed sized one with Chicks on the yellow fabric.

The bag was appliquéd with sweet little chicks to compliment the quilt.

Thank you so much to all the ladies of Chat & Craft for their wonderful combined efforts and whilst you all have a good natter in your group meeting you also manage to do lots of worthwhile crafting too!

They have now joined the elite ranks of Super Star Stitchers for LillyBo Quilts.

Soon you can see two more lovely quilts, in pink and blue, from Janet Fairythoughts so pop back in a day or so.

Family Super Star Stitchers

 New Super Star Stitchers join the ranks from family members of children who are in, or attending, the unit and who have already each  received their own LillyBo quilt. 

Thanks so much and how lovely that they have joined in to help make quilts for other children and can find time to think of others whilst they are going through so much themselves.

   Quilt No 55 

(the number was allotted a while ago by request so the name label could be embroidered.)

This was made by a mother from Wirral, just over the River Mersey, or under if you go through one of our two tunnels! 

This will brighten and comfort a  young girl's life for sure. 

A super huge matching tote goes with it.

Quilt No 56

These following quilts were so kindly made by one of the grandmothers in Liverpool.

The first is really suitable for an older child with bold stripes and patterned fabrics.

The tote is huge and I'm sure will be really handy for all those trips back and forth to the hospital.

Quilt No 57

Great jungle prints and toning colours for this one.

There's also a cuddly little NooNoo as well as a big tote bag.

Quilt No 64

Soft baby colours for this one with a lovely rabbit picture. There's a story waiting to be told about this one.

Another NooNoo and Giant tote and you can see the soft spotty fleece on the backing.

Quilt No 65

Bold blocks of checks and stripes here for another super quilt.

I bet there'll be a Mum wanting to keep this stripey tote bag for herself just like so many of the other mums do!!

Thanks so much to these thoughtful family members for providing such lovely quilts for the children.

Last Session at Abakhan & Tilly's Visit

It was so lovely to be surprised today with a visit from Super Star Stitcher Tilly who popped into the Abakhan store where I have been introducing the customers to patchwork, once a week over eight weeks.  

For the full story and more pictures you should visit JoZart Blog. 

It has been a worthwhile series of demonstrations with lots of lovely people visiting, surprise visits from  quite a few blogging buddies, including Jo & Annie. Great enthusiasm and lots of ideas passed on as well as some new recruits to make quilts for the children.

 Thanks to Abakhan and their staff for all their support and sponsorship and they have asked me to go back next Spring, ....Yeah! I'm thrilled.

Bravery Bead Bags & Quilts from Jo & Annie

Beads of Courage

We're adding something new to our expertise by making these little bags to hold Bravery Beads.

The beads are given to the children as an award to mark each stage of their treatment and progress. 

There are beads for different processes and for their courage.

Below are the ones my little granddaughter received in Germany, one by one and now she has finished her treatment they remind us of all she went through so bravely. The last one marked such a an important point.

 It has a little flower on it and she called it her "Bloomsie Bead"

No sooner had I mentioned that the unit had started awarding the children these special beads and that we had been requested to make the bags to keep them in....  through the post within a week came 10 special bags from Super Star Stitcher Jo in Powys. Thanks so much Jo and that makes a total of 20 bags donated already but I forgot to photograph the ones I made. 

Apologies that I've been so lax in posting the quilts which have been so generously donated over the last couple of weeks but at first I was so busy to get time then the computer was off and needed a new modem.

Quilt No 61 

from a lovely lady, Dot in Birkenhead, who visited me specially in Abakhan store and then soon came in with this lovely cheery one with a great use of colour and some super prints.

Thanks so much Dot

Annie and Jo came all the way from Shropshire to surprise me, kindly transported by Annie's lovely husband. What a joy it was to meet them both at long last and what a fun day we enjoyed together. 

They brought lots of goodies for CHICS fundraising sale and two new quilts for the children.

No 62 

from Annie (Wipso)in Shropshire made this lovely colourful quilt which will provide so much fun for a little one to play and learn.

She also added a little handy zip bag, a tote and a Zebra sock puppet to compliment the images on the fabric. The Zebra is great to play with and I couldn't leave it alone!

No 63 from Jo (Twiglet) in Powys is a real girly treat in lilac with lots of little characters she drew and appliqued with stitches herself. 

Along with a tote bag there is a row of dancing dollies for a special little Miss to enjoy playing with and they attach by their hands with Velcro. 

Great idea that I'm sure I'll steal one day.

I just love this little Miss... isn't she cute?

Thanks so much to all three of you and there will be more quilts very soon that have been kindly made by some of the families of the children in the unit so keep popping in!

Super Cards from Sue!

Such a lovely surprise arrived recently from Sue H, who sent yet another welcome package of her Super Special Cards to keep up the stocks. 

These beautiful cards are given out with each quilt to explain all about how and why LillyBo Quilts started. The cards also have a lovely little poem inside to help support the recipients and they have been a real hit with the families.

Here's a feast for your eyes showing all the cards Sue lovingly made this time and a few showing all the detail she puts into them.

Thanks so much Sue from me, CHICS, all the children and their families. 

They mean so much!

After being so busy, and then without my computer for a while until the modem was replaced, I'm now getting back to normality and so I will be putting up several posts over the next day or two of all the latest quilts to arrive. 

The children who have already received a quilt are loving them and making good use of them. Some have even discarded their old cuddle blankets in favour of their LillyBo Quilt! 

A New Venture at Abakhan

Abakhan

Abakhan have several big fabric, textiles and craft outlets in the North of England and North Wales, super shops giving excellent value and choice. Aladdin's caves for all kinds of crafters.  

They are kindly and generously supporting the 

LillyBo Project and CHICS

I will be in their Liverpool store for eight weeks, for one day per week (as a volunteer demonstrator) introducing their customers to patchwork.

Come along on any of these dates 11am to 3pm

August 

Wednesday 7th, 

Friday 16th,

Tuesday 20th

Wednesday 28th

September

Monday 2nd

Wednesday 11th

Pop in to say hello and, if you've never tried patchwork before, you can learn something new for free.

I have already been in there for two sessions and the response has been wonderful, especially as I was interviewed about it on BBC local radio. 

The interview linked it with the BBC's "Up for Art" campaign, which aims to encourage people to learn traditional crafts. 

I have a display of small items which are easy to make and ideal as a starting project. Pin cushions, teacosies, shopping bags, etc. 

I demonstrate simple ways to make patchwork with examples of easy stages. 

Best of all I have borrowed some of the quilts to display from the ones already made for the children by super star stitchers around the country. 

They can be quickly returned, to give as needed, whilst I am attending Abakhan.

What a great reason to take up patchwork when the results can benefit children who are undergoing treatment for cancer. 

Help and support can be given in a variety of ways.

Can you.....???

Donate a little loose cash in the collection box to help CHICS to provide their support.

Make a patchwork block (square) towards a large quilt which will be made to raise funds for CHICS.

Sponsor a square which will be made on your behalf towards the large quilt.

Make a small quilt which will be given to a child as comfort during their treatment.

Everyone is welcome to come along even if it's only to gain inspiration to learn, to say "Hello" and to see the quilts on display.

Mary Anne's Magic

Mary Anne, to lots of you, that's UK MaryAnne of scrappystickyinky mess, in Hampshire, made these super colourful quilts quite some time ago and took the opportunity, at my suggestion, to hand them to Donna when they met up in Wiltshire. Donna planned to come up North to visit me and deliver them but in the meantime badly sprained her ankle but all is not lost as we drove to Derby on Saturday, had a lovely day with her, she made a beautiful lunch for us, we met Lilly her new puppy, did a bit of crafting, and finally collected these three super quilts. All's well that ends well.

 Huge thanks to Mary Anne for the quilts and to Donna for her hospitality.
Quilt No 58

Here's the bag which turns it into a cosy cushion 

You can't help SMILE now, can you, when you see this?

No 59

Love the cow print on the back and it also trims the kit bag.

Bright yellows and gold shades for No 60 with little triangle trims all around the edge. I know Mary Anne found this quite difficult to do but she did it so well.

This bag too turns the quilt into a soft pillow. 

Thanks so much Mary Anne and I'm so pleased to get have them at last to take along to the unit. I know they'll be a great hit with the children.