Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Healing Power of Quilts

On a recent trip overseas I found an interesting article in Delta Airline's Sky magazine on quilting! Actually, it was about a program run by the Delta employees to provide Salt Lake's Primary Children's Medical Center with quilts for their patients. And it was such a neat article because it said wonderful things about the power of a quilt!The program is called "A Quilt for Every Bed" and Delta employees make quilts that are passed on to the children in the medical center as something to comfort them in their scary situation.



(Pink and Purple Baby Quilt by Pamela Quilts.)

The article gave several examples of children who were immediately comforted by the quilt and who kept it near them at all times, and how, even after they left the hospital, the quilt remained a favorite comfort. There were even stories of children who died and the parents chose to have the quilt buried with them as a symbol of giving the child "security and comfort even in death."

I really liked what a lot of the parents and employees of Delta and the hospital said about the quilts. Things like "...the quilts remind the children of home. Nothing can replace the love that goes into each stitch." And, "It was symbolic of comfort and security and love that someone cared enough to make that quilt for a total stranger." And also, "We feel like quilts add another dimension of healing for children and their families."

Again and again, these quilts became a tangible symbol for our most powerful feelings of comfort and love!



(Homespun Hearts crib quilt by Whimbrella.)

If you want to make a quilt for Primary Children's, then take a look here. Not a quilter? Click on the link anyway...they have a long list of things you can do!

Resources:

(This is a variation of a post that originally appeared on Baby Anne Quilts' blog in November 2007.)

3 comments:

Attack of the Vintage said...

What a wonderful feelings quilts bring to people. How very comforting they are, both for the reciever and the giver!
There are other groups that make quilts(several quilt guilds around the US) for different causes.

Tiffany said...

I have a nephew who died at birth and I told my bil and sil to feel free to bury him in the quilt I made for him. They did. That has to be the quilt I cherish the most. I know that it was comforting for them to know he was wrapped in something that stands for warmth and love. Wonderful article.

heather said...

warmnfuzzies...thank you so much for sharing that! What a cherished quilt and what a loved baby!