They love seasonal quilts!
This is a picture or what is called
"cheater" cloth put together with
borders.
This quilt is simple squares sewn together.
If you can sew, you can make preemie quilts. You DO NOT have to be a quilter and certainly not a master quilter. Preemie quilts can be as simple or complicated as you choose to make them. Whatever they are, when they are made with love they are appreciated and give cheerfulness and hope to the families of those most precious, tiny babies.
The quilts are made of three layers of fabric. The top can be as simple as an interesting square of fabric or as complicated as a quilt top square with borders. (Many quilters make preemies out of the ‘extra’ or ‘practice’ squares they have left over from their projects.) I like to use a picture square and simply put borders around it. What the NICU’s are looking for is something that is colorful and cheerful. They are trying to make the sterile environment of these preemie babies look a little more homelike.
The second layer is made of cotton batting. Polyester batting is too fluffy and these quilts are frequently placed under the babies and need to be sturdy and flat.
The third layer is the backing and can be a solid piece of fabric, flannel or even scraps of fabric that have been sewn together to make a larger piece.
The goal is to make a quilt approximately 22’ square. Sometimes they are a little larger and sometimes a little smaller, depending on the design of the fabric but I usually use ½ of the fabric width (44” fabric) for the backing and by the time I take ¼ inch seams, the quilt is finished at 21 ½ inches.
When we first started, my friend Enid and I bound each quilt and finished them by hand. Our need has grown so rapidly that most of the volunteer quilters are now making then in a pillowcase fashion. Simply lay all three layers together – batting first, quilt top facing up and then the back facing down. Stitch around three of the sides and most of the 4th side and then turn as you would a pillowcase. Easily close the small opening by hand. Then press the fabrics and machine quilt.
It is necessary to have simple quilting done on each of the preemies to keep them together – as they are washed frequently. One simple way to make it look as though it has a binding is to stitch about ½ inch from the edge all the way around the quilt. In the center of the quilt you can stitch in the ditch around your borders and/or designs or you can cross-hatch the entire quilt or stipple it.
The important thing to remember is to check your quilts to be very sure that no pens, loose strings or raw seams are present. We have to be very careful that there is nothing there to harm these tiny little babies.
The quilts need to be delivered to the Edmond Church of Christ office at 9th and Bryant in Edmond, OK (if you live in that area) or mailed to me at Donna Watson, Box 3452, Edmond, OK, 73083. I need to receive them no later than the 20th of each month as I have to wash them, package them and deliver to each of the three hospitals by the 1st.
We are currently taking care of NICU units at OU Children’s Hospital, Baptist Hospital and Mercy Hospital. They have a combination of 168 beds – which means that they may have as many as 225 babies pass through their units each month. Currently we are delivering 110 quilts each month, so you can see how great the need is for this program. There are potentially 115 babies who don’t get a quilt from us each month.
Once the baby receives the quilt, it belongs to him/her and they get to take it home. The nurses love these quilts and – so I have been told – will frequently “fight” over which one “suits” their particular charge. They are also asking if I happen to be a day late in delivering. Yes, these are important.
Not only are they important to the staff but they are very, very important to the families. These babies are in such a sterile environment that sometimes it is hard to remember that these are real little babies who prayfully will soon be going home. The quilts are a reminder of that and also give hope to those who are struggling. They particularly love to have “seasonal” quilts as those truly represent “hope” to many parents. The head of one of the departments told me that more than one parent has commented upon receiving a Christmas quilt on the 1st of December…”Does that mean that my baby is going to live until Christmas?”
When I hear comments like that…well…I just go back to my sewing room and create some more. I pray you will too.
If you have any questions, please contact me at dswphd8@cox.net.
Thank you very much for your interest in the Baby Luv project and may God continue to bless you.