No Words...

Like many people on Friday, when the news broke about the shootings in Newtown, CT, I went and hugged my boys very close... to have dropped off your children at a place they should be safe and protected, a place where they have fun.... and to never see them again is every parents worst nightmare...

Words fail me...

Then there are the surviving children, who will carry that pain and sadness for the rest of their lives....

Will wonder why.....

As I have held mine close this morning, an idea struck me...

As quilters we know that our quilts give so much comfort to adults and children alike... is there a way I can do more than just hug my own children... Can I send a hug to a child in pain and confusion on the other side of the world?

I would like to make a lap quilt to send to a child from Newtown, I want to send a hug across the world and let them know I care..

How do I do this?

Are people already organising to do it?

How do I help?

Olympic Sewing Project

A few weeks ago I started a blog post series about work I did with some pupils at the local primary school, it involved working with children aged 8 to 11 to make patchwork Olympic birds for an Olympic birds mobile.

The kids worked with the patchwork birds I had made and embellished them with ribbon, buttons and lace! As we worked we talked about the countries, including where they are, why a lot of countries speak English and why the Olympics are important.



European countries.

Working on their birds, putting on buttons and ribbons.

Sewing on spears and shield for Kenya.

Working on the birds.

The kids loved working on the birds, many of them had never used a needle and thread before. As you can see from the Kenyan bird, they had some really great ideas for embellishing their birds and took inspiration from the pictures of the flags I gave them.

More next week....