Many thanks to everyone who wrote in to give us their ideas about a Sandy Hook Elementary Memorial Quilt project.
There are as many different ideas as there are people interested in helping!
Recognizing that we can't be all things to all people, we have set up a Facebook page so we can network, with a suggested set of guidelines for this project.
We already have a longarm quilter looking for a quilt group who can make a quilt top, for her to finish.
I am posting links on this Facebook page for fundraisers to help the victims, if you wish to donate money to the families. You don't have to be a member of Facebook to view this page!
I do not want to set up another comfort quilt drive sending masses of bed quilts to Newtown.
These people did not lose their possessions like the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Our quilt relief effort for hurricane victims on the east coast must continue because these are tens of thousands of people who have lost their homes and possessions and need to keep warm for the winter.
Many sincere thanks to all of you who are donating to this disaster relief effort.
The families of Sandy Hook Elementary now are inundated with media,
memorials of candles and stuffed animals, curious onlookers and traffic
gridlock, donated packages and pillowcases.
As someone who has experienced losing a child, I can tell you that none of this is what those families need.
They need time, and a quiet space to grieve.
We can't just rush in and fix it for them, no matter how sincerely we wish to help.
You've written in that the quilts *should* include photos of the
children, and also that the should *not* have photos of the children.
I think each quilt group should decide this for themselves.
A few have written that they don't think the names should be on the
memorial quilt, lest it remind the family of what happened.
Seeing the names is actually a comfort for those viewing a memorial.
Think of the AIDS quilt, the 9/11 quilt, the Vietnam Memorial Wall…
have you ever seen someone tracing the name of their lost loved one on a
memorial? Remembering the name, the life, of those lost is a comfort
to the families.
This list of Sandy Hook names is already posted on our Facebook project page – "Piecing for Peace".
You've suggested handprints, hearts, doves and butterflies as themes and motifs.
Yes!
You've suggested including things that have meaning to the person who was lost.
A favorite color, hobby, etc.
This information is easily found searching online.
We have seen many articles with bios on each of the 26 lost at Sandy Hook Elementary.
We are going to pursue our connections in the Newtown area, and we are
also receiving messages from customers and friends in the community who
wish to connect us to school and community leaders.
As time unfolds, and you all move towards completing these group
memorial quilts, we will have a plan to present the quilts in Newtown.
We are open to anyone in the community there who wishes to work with us
long term.
Remember, we are looking for quality, not quantity.
Take your time and make every stitch a prayer, a hug, full of love and healing.
Each group quilt represents a community that has come together to unconditionally support the Sandy Hook Elementary community.
Possible dates for memorial quilt presentations are the end of this
school year (May 2013), the start of the next school year (Sept 2013)
and the one year anniversary.
(Dec 14, 2013) We may well give quilts on all 3 of these dates.
I'd like to suggest that you come together as groups, have one person do
one very special block for each of the Sandy Hook Elementary victims,
and then they will be joined together in a memorial quilt that can be
presented to teachers, families at Sandy Hook, community centers such as
the churches in Newtown, and also for the first responders.
As you organize into groups or round robins, and you all choose a name
from Sandy Hook Elementary to do a block, lets all take a deep breath
and know that there is NO rush on this, because this community, and
these families, will need tons of love and support for YEARS to come.
Take your time and make each block a MASTERPIECE of love, honoring the
life lost.
Art quilters are welcome to create blocks and contribute to this effort.
Use any and all creative techniques: piecing, applique, embroidery,
painting, photo transfer…it is a great opportunity to express your
greatest fiber art talents! As your group chooses a size for each block,
think about 26 blocks, plus one large panel (the size of 4 blocks) that
could have the school name, the event date, and a message of hope and
healing.
This adds up to a quilt of 30 block size ( 26 blocks plus 4xblock
panel).
You'll see what I mean when I post a few layout ideas.
This means the quilt could be 5 rows across by 6 rows down, for
instance.
I will work on a couple quilt design layout ideas for you this weekend.
I've been a little tied up with Mason graduating from college, Sam down
with a 103 degree fever, holidays and a trip next week, not to mention
kitties taking turns at the vet.
I posted photos from graduation on my photo page and Facebook.
We are very proud of Mason and his accomplishments!
Whether you are finishing Hanukkah, or preparing for Christmas or
Kwanzaa…we wish you a blessed holiday season with your loved ones.
Here in Boulder we are expecting a White Christmas!
Luana,
As always, your willingness to coordinate and/or encourage others to consider becoming involved in projects-as-healing is very inspirational. I, for one, did not know that you have experienced the loss of a child. As a mother I simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of this type of loss. As a former RN in a high-risk inpatient obstetrical unit, I know that those around mourning families are often hesitant to reach out: so afraid that they may further upset the parents. What most parents want is a gentle acknowledgement of their loss. A quilt, it seems to me, is a perfect gesture.