Current Projects for From the Heart

Our urgent need currently is anything and everything you want to make! We always need hats and blankets, can’t ever seem to make enough. What is your favorite thing to make, what have you not made in awhile and would enjoy doing? Happy stitching!

Oil Disaster and Memory Book:

As usual, when there is a need, we can count on our From the Heart stitchers to rush to help. Thanks to your nimble fingers, we have been able to collect several hundred cloths for use in cleaning the oil from the gulf marine life. We are confident we have made a huge difference in helping correct this disaster; however, we have learned that our contact person in Florida will no longer be involved with the Gulf cleanup project after the end of August. Therefore, we will discontinue our Marine Life washcloth collection as of August 20th. Please have all of your 10 inch square cotton cloths to us in time for this last mailing.

Don’t forget…we need your help in order to put together our Memory Book for Members which will be distributed at our Retreat in September. Just write up something regarding your stitching, your experiences with From the Heart or some hints or shortcuts you use when you are stitching and creating. We are anxiously waiting to hear from you! Email Lois at lois@ftheart.net. Don’t delay, we need time to put these submissions in order and get them off to be included in our book.

• Chemo Hats for Guys and Boys
• Socks for the Homeless – prefer white, non - Wool socks. Tube socks work well (no heels to deal with!)
• Chemo Blankets/Shawls 30" x 48"
• Lap Blankets for McGuire's or nursing homes 30" to 42" sq
• Tie-ons blankets for Hospice/Palliative Care 27" x 36" (No fringe, w/72" tie I-cord or single chain using double yarn)
• Baby Blankets
  • As small as a 24 inch square up to as large as a 40 inch square
  • As small as a 24 inch rectangle up to as large as a 40 inch rectangle
    
• Children's blankets (for clutching or draggin') 24" sq up to 36" or 40" & not necessarily square
• Bone Marrow Transplant Unit blankets Large and COLORFUL! (Just enough to cover the top of twin bed)
• Home Again (Battered Women and Children's Shelter) large enough to wrap a small child in cold, drafty house
• Chemo Hats Small, medium and large sizes for both adults and children
• SPCA rounds or squares 15-18 inches up to 3 feet to fit crates using leftovers of mixed yarn, wool, blends, cotton or acrylics
• Squares 12 inches to be stitched together into blankets
• Infant Hats Preemies- not too small, should fit a large orange. Must be stretchy. Full term newborn to fit a large grapefruit.
• Layette Sets Used as "take me home" outfits for newborns.
• Bears and Toys New bears from Dollar stores, dressed with knitted or crocheted outfits. Given to sick, scared or needy children in ER, clinic, oncology, hospice and other areas.

As always anything you want to make we can really use to help fill the bins in the shop and warm the hearts and bodies of those in need.

January 24, 2010

I took a good look in the mirror this morning…I saw what I imagine a lot of our members see…my hair is graying, wrinkles are showing more today than yesterday, I could certainly stand to lose a few pounds and, as usual, I MUST remember to clean my glasses! I think we are all very similar inside as well. A passion for stitching, a constant need to help anyone sick or hurt. We just have a need to do something!

I heard and saw on the news of the seniors who were left homeless when Chesterfield Square Apartments burned. When I saw those people, in the middle of the night, standing bewildered in the cold rain, I just wanted to run to them with warm hats and scarves. I just wanted to wrap them each in one of our warm blankets to protect them from the night, to give them comfort during their tragedy.

When the call came for mittens for rehab patients whose failing circulation was creating such cold hands, making their treatments difficult, I just couldn’t say ‘no’.

It just doesn’t matter, when someone is in need or hurting it triggers an equal need in us to help in some way. The need may come in the form of children, seniors and homeless, those who are wealthy in material things or those with absolutely nothing. It may be organizations who are non profit or those with a hefty bottom line. It’s the people we see. It’s the vision of someone with a need we can fill.

And we most always can come through for them. We were able to contribute about 100 hats and scarf sets to those burned out seniors. When the call went out regarding the need for mittens, within one week we were able to stitch 25 pairs for them as well as many extras for Freedom House and Friends of the Homeless. We have such an awesome ‘quick response’ team it would almost make your head swim!

So, here it is…we need that quick response team once more to step up to the plate. Now the call is out for blankets or 12 inch blanket squares. We currently donate these, once completed, to Amelia Nursing Home, Bon Secure Cancer Institute as well as their Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville and their Oncology department at St Mary’s Hospital. They go to Crossover Ministries, Freedom House for the Homeless and Friends of the Homeless. Many, many are sent to Hospice of Virginia, Hawthorne House Resource Center for cancer patients, Johnston Willis Women’s Health department, The Kidney Foundation, McGuire Veterans Home, Meals on Wheels (4 or 5 areas), Virginia Cancer Institute Broad Street and Mechanicsville as well as their location at St Francis Hospital. Bags and bags of our blankets are sent to Massey Cancer at their Stony Point location and their downtown Richmond location. VCU/MCV receives our largest blankets for their Bone Marrow Transplant patients, with smaller ones going to their Burn Unit and Thomas Palliative Care Unit.

So…I realize just how long it takes to make a blanket, even a small blanket! What if we each make just one square? Now this isn’t just any square, this is a 12 inch by 12 inch square. Cut yourself a 12 X 12 inch pattern from newspaper or whatever you have handy. If they all come in the same size they can be stitched together quickly and distributed right away where most needed. If they are not 12 X 12 the whole process is slowed dramatically. It takes someone very special to enlarge those squares not measuring up to the pattern. Squares are an easy ‘take-a-long’ project. Stitching a few rows during your lunch break, or while your little one is napping works great. And, just maybe you will become addicted and want to make more! Feel free! We hope you will want to stitch more than just one!

Now, with all that said, we could use help constructing blankets from those squares. Whip stitching together and in some cases crocheting an attractive edging. If we all work together on this project what amazing results you will see! Give it some thought. Maybe, just maybe…together we can make such a difference to so many!

Sincerely,

Lois Moore
Founder/Executive Director
From the Heart
804-305-4971
lois@ftheart.net

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