Blankets of Love are small quilts that are given to the families of babies who pass away at or just after birth. There are no formal meetings as members make the Blankets of Love at home. Coordinators then collect the donated quilts and give them to Calvary Hospital and The Canberra Hospital.
Sadly, there is always an ongoing need for the Blankets of Love. We deliver approximately one hundred Blankets of Love a year.
The Blankets of Love program has operated since 1997. It is part of an Australian program started by the Eastwood Piecemakers for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at King George V Memorial Hospital in Sydney in 1993. It is a completely anonymous scheme, with no names of the quilt makers recorded.
Quilt Guidelines
- The quilt should be approximately 20-24 inches or 50-60cm square. This is a good size to wrap a baby.
- Traditionally, pastels, small floral prints and nursery prints are used. More vibrant colours are also welcome.
- Designs should be simple.
- The quilts need to be soft. Batting is not necessary and flannelette is the most suitable backing.
- Fabric for the quilt doesn’t have to be 100% cotton; poly-cottons are fine.
- Please include a small representation (6 inches or 15 cm square) of your quilt that can be kept as a memento by the parents. These small quilts are very important as they form a major part of the memory box given to the family at the hospital.
- Matching quilts for twins and multiples are very welcome.
Acknowledgements
Dear Joan,
Please send our thanks to all the members of Canberra Quilters for the beautiful donation of the Quilts of Love. They are made with such care, skill and thoughtfulness. We really appreciate the work that has gone into providing them to us.
Yours sincerely,
Liz Bishop
(Acting CMC, Birth Suite, Calvary)
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