quiltersmuse.com Blog

Until yesterday, I had never heard of “Prayer Quilts.” The “Prayers and Squares Ministry” was founded by Wendy Mathson at the Community Church of Poway in Poway, California in 1992. According to online information, there are now more than 400 chapters of the organization that includes Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, Catholics, and presumably other faith denominations.

Their motto is simple: “It’s not about the quilt; it’s all about the prayers.”

Prayer quilts, or in some instances, prayer squares, are made of cotton, poly batting, and are tied. Each time a tie is placed, a prayer is said for the recipient of the quilt. These quilts are not given randomly. The recipient must agree, ahead of time, to accept the prayers, along with the quilt. No money is ever asked or accepted, in exchange for the prayers or the quilts. These textiles are given to AIDS victims, those with cancer, and those who have some other special challenges in their lives.

Just for interest’s sake, I looked at what eBay has to offer, when I key in “Prayer Quilts.” I came up with two books, one published in 2006, titled Fabric of Faith Ministry. The two books are available on amazon, as well.

There is another book with 9 designs for making Prayer Quilts: Prayer Shawl Quilts.

Various printed prayers are available: a prayer for baby; a prayer for fireman safety; and a nighttime prayer for a child (with the wording changed since I was a child. A prayer quilt with U.S. Army designs was also spotted, in a 45″ x 60″ size.

Coincidentally, a friend sent me a link yesterday to Catholic Home and Garden Prayer Quilts site offering religious fabrics that feature Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Cross, etc.

Click the following link, for more information about joining a chapter of the Prayers and Squares Ministry.

The saying goes, “A day hemmed in prayer, never unravels.”

Piecefully yours,

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

There are so many charitable organizations in existence! My father once told me that if he gave even a dollar to everyone who asked him for money, he couldn’t live, himself. He did give a lot of money to the missionaries in Nigeria. After he died, and I was cleaning out his old records, I did not even want to add up the total amount he had sent to a mission that eventually was burned down, and to missionaries that were killed in route. My father’s intentions were good.

If an organization reports that (only) 15% of what they take in actually goes to help intended recipients, then anyone can realize that the other 85% is allocated to other purposes. This can be “administrative costs,” often a big catch-all category, and an excuse for raking money off the top.

Maybe I am suspicious of anyone who wants “somefin’ for nuttin’,” but I have reached the point that I would much rather give “in-kind” gifts. Canned goods donated to a community food pantry are always welcome, as is pet food to animal shelters. Quilts are equally welcome by many organizations, to use either as fundraisers or as gifts to those in need, to brighten their lives.

For awhile, there was an organization started by New Hampshire resident, Ellen Ahlgren, that collected and distributed quilts to children with HIV/AIDS. That group has since disbanded, for some reason unknown to me.

There are a lot of quilt causes: To the Top Project that makes quilts for veterans, The so-called “Ugly Quilts” program to make quilts for the homeless (they are made from selvaged materials and are intended only for protection from the elements), and then, there is the “Home of the Brave Quilts” to honor those U.S. servicemen and women who died in Afghanistan or Iraq. Ami Simms created a program to raise money for Alzheimer’s research, and often calls for mini-quilts to be auctioned.

The American Alliance for the Quilt runs contests in which the finished quilts are auctioned to raise money. The American Quilt Study Group is forever soliciting funds from businesses and individuals. The International Quilt Study Center collects funds for their ongoing work, as does the New England Quilt Museum, who also accepts old quilt magazines to be sold in their little store.

“Quilt for a Cure” cruises (for breast cancer research) is another good cause. Some quilters make quilts to auction for their local hospital, and other groups make quilts to be used by pediatric patients. Very small quilts can be created to place over neo-natal units, for a decorative effect and cheerfulness for staff and parents.

Beware of “the snake in the grass” when dealing with charities, and support those who do the most good for others.

A while ago, and I don’t remember the figures now, I heard a report about the high percentage that so many non-profits designate for high executive salaries. It seems sinful that anyone would be so greedy, when donated money is expected to be used for something other than to grease the palms of a few.

All I am saying is that I am very careful to whom I give money. Personally, I would trust the Salvation Army over any other group out there. No, I am not a member. The Red Cross is another group that is always right there in time of fire, natural disaster, and other community needs, and seems to be a very worthwhile cause.

However limited our funds, we can always find a way to help others. Think about doing something nice for someone else, today!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

The quilters of South Carolina are doing their best to raise awareness of breast cancer. To that end, they have created 49 art bras that are displayed on a website. These are intended to be fun, amusing, and hilarious.

To visit the Breast Cancer site, click here.

Anyone may visit the Breast Cancer Awareness site, as often as once a day, to click on a link that will provide a free mammogram to an economically-challenged woman, at no cost to you.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

Recycling

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned the Mennonites as folks who recycle cloth and yarn into serviceable goods to donate to those in need. I followed up later on by contacting Barb Garrett, a long time volunteer with a Mennonite Central Committe’s thrift store, in Pennsylvania. I asked her for contact information for them and this is what she said:

“This is a link for the locations of the thrift stores in the US where fabrics and yarn are sold to raise funds to send relief materials where needed” –
http://www.mcc.org/thrift/shop/us/

“I work in one of the thrift stores — Morgantown PA — and sort the fabrics, yarns, and other sewing stuff. Most is used for resale. The fabric that is “slightly out of date, but serviceable” I take to this location so it can be made into comforters for overseas, or school kits and health kits if it’s heavier like drapery fabric. They have no use for yarn.”

Material Resources Center
517 Trout Run Rd
Ephrata, PA 17522
717-733-2847

“Yarn that I can’t sell I give to the knitting circle at the Brethren Village (Retirement Community) in Neffsville and they make hats, scarves and mittens for the free lunch kids in the Lancaster City Schools — who mostly come from warm climates and don’t know how to keep warm. I’ve seen videos of the kids receiving their gifts and thanking the ladies — it’s cool.”

Barb further states, “If you have serviceable fabric and yarn, and want to send it either to me or the Morgantown ReUzit Shoppe, I will see that it gets to the correct place. If you do decide to send it to the shop, please let me know so I can warn them to expect a package. Most donations are dropped off on the loading dock.”

Rather than publishing Barb’s e-mail online, please contact me and I will pass along the info. to her. My address is: pat@quiltersmuse.com

She also mentions that there is a list of Canadian Thrift Stores that accept donations. That list is located at: http://www.mcc.org/thrift/shop/canada/

I hope that this is an incentive for some of you to clean out your “stash” and share with those less fortunate.

To read an excerpt about the work of Mennonite women and quilts from WWII, please visit this link:

http://www.quiltersmuse.com/Passing_on_the_Comfort-book_excerpt.htm

May God Bless your generosity!

Pat