Tuesday 11 March 2014

Come with me...

...on a little global journey.

If you made QAYG blocks for me, the quilts I made them into, took a journey to the Netherlands. If you made whole quilts, they flew directly to the Netherlands. I know some of you thought that was a convoluted journey but it is the most secure.

Then they all joined up together and flew to Mexico City and landed here.


In the office of the man who has devoted most of his working life (in between holding down a  job elsewhere) to helping some of Mexico City's thousands of street children.



Sixteen quilts on this first journey.



Here he is with some the children as well as one of the lovely ladies who helped deliver the quilts.


He's part of the reason I started this. Sitting in that room listening to him talk about the home and watching him at one point becoming quite overwhelmed and emotional with what he is doing, I sat there feeling I should do more but I didn't know what to do.

And we walked around and looked at the facilities the children have.

This is their recreational yard.




And while they have the opportunity to learn, it is very rudimentary.


So they do have the basics. But that is just it.

Basic.

And I suppose I thought it would be nice if we could raise them above 'basic' to 'nice.'

So that you could take a room like this.

Yes I know, EXTREMELY cute child and another reason I wanted to do something

And make it like this.


So that each child has at least something special.




I know we're not talking a cure for cancer here.




But in my/our small way it feels like we are making a difference.













There are lots of people to thank and these people are just the tip of the iceberg.



Thank you for supporting me with quilts and quilt blocks.
Thank you to everyone involved in the organisation and transportation of the quilts.
Thank you for all the offers that have been made.

And as long as you keep sending me quilt blocks, I'll keep turning them into little bits of quilty love.

Thank you.

x




41 comments:

  1. This made me all teary eyed! So pleased the first lot has arrived and are being used.

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  2. so wonderful to see them on the beds and know that a child is being kept warm and happy x

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  3. I got teary reading this too. Great work!!

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  4. Such a lovely thing to do - blocks on their way soon!!!

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  5. Just brilliant - you are a star Mrs xxx

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  7. I'm all teary. :) Beautiful.

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  8. THANK YOU, ALISON, FOR THIS WONDERFUL POST, and most of all, for coming up with this great idea and figuring out how to make it happen! I am still working on my blocks. 20 done and 20 in progress. I want to mail them all at once.

    Has anyone sent a largish batch of quilt blocks from the USA to Alison in UK? I'd love to know what postage cost. I know it costs a fair bit to send one or two blocks and it must be quite a bit cheaper to send in a big batch. At least I think so.

    For anyone making blocks for this wonderful projects, I would encourage you to ask your other quilting /sewing friends to help and split the costs of postage.

    Off to work on my blocks!

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    2. Hi Liz, I sent a batch of 20 blocks from FL USA to UK and it cost around $38.00 us.

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    3. thanks, Maryse! Did you package it in a box of your own, or use one of their flat rate boxes?

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    4. Hi Liz. It's a lot less expensive to mail the blocks in your own box than a flat rate one. I learned that when I mailed 8 blocks a few weeks ago. :)

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  9. Just brilliant! Cheery little quilts really brighten up those rooms and make each little bed so personal. Just brilliant! Yep, had to say it twice.

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  10. What a wonderful post and such a wonderful opportunity for us to help out. We all know how wonderful a quilt it. This is indeed a great way to spread some of that comfort to these dear children who need it. Thank you so much Little Island Quilting for providing us with this opportunity! It has been my pleasure to participate.

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    1. Love your post, I couldn't say it better.

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  11. Thank you for these wonderful pictures. They make my heart sing!
    Esther
    esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo com
    ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

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  12. So lovely to see pictures of the quilts in action. They really do make a difference to those little bedrooms :) SO happy to have helped in a small way :) xx

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  13. Wonderful! What a success! Great work. :) So exciting to see the quilts on the children's beds.

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  14. Blessings on you and everyone involved. I'm sure you brought those children some much needed love

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  15. How wonderful to see them going on beds! I am sure more blocks will keep coming, I know there are loads more beds.

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  16. What a beautiful thing you are doing. They are lovely and so are you.

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  17. Such a wonderful blogpost, thanks for sharing all the photo’s of the quilts finding a home!
    Love your new blogheader!

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  18. thank you Alison for sharing these photos with us, these poor children, their rooms are so bare of any and everything, the quilts certainly mean something special to them, we must count our blessings

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  19. How encouraging to see the quilts on beds! They are already making a difference and will cheer up those surroundings - they will also surely be quite stimulating too. Thank you for sharing the journey with us.

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  20. Yep I cried when I read this! I am so proud to have played a tiny part in this :)

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  21. I love to see all the pictures, it's so amazing and encouraging!
    Is there only boys living in that house?
    I wish I was closer, I would offer my help...

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  22. So good to see how welcome the quilts are!

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  23. How wonderful! You're doing something very special here!

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  24. I am sure those quilts will be cherished by those kids. Something special, homemade and personal. Thanks again for doing this and giving all of us an opportunity to participate!

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  25. I have 12 blocks ready, but I know I can make more. I just need a few weekends

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  26. You must be so pleased you made the effort to get your project off the ground. To see your quilts in place, cheering up that bare bedroom and making it look warm, cosy, homely and welcoming is wonderful..well done, Alsion. Thank you for the chance to participate and good luck with future quilts. I will certainly make and send you more blocks.

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  27. That is so lovely to see the quilts on the beds, how it brightens the room is just wonderful. I'm sure the quilts are making a small difference to the children there, well done for sorting it all out.

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  28. it's great to see my quilt is delivered in Mexico! I will keep sending you blocks because the pictures of those beds with quilts on it are fab. If we all do a small thing, big things can be done :-)

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  29. You have just made a difference in the lives of many children...it is SO important to each of them. Great work and keep it up!

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  30. Ohhhh wow! These pictures are wonderful!!

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  31. The quilts brighten up those little rooms so much. What you've done us wonderful and I'll be making you some blocks.

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  32. *stands up and cheers while wiping away the tears*

    I got some orange from my LQS today (forgot to take the fabric but managed to get the right shade, I think) so I'll be starting on some blocks this week, if I can stay awake long enough...

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  33. Catching up. Such a great, great post. Look how cheery those quilts are!!!

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  34. Wonderful to be able to use your skills and motivation to make a difference to others who have so little.

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