Soy Amado Update

So another delivery went to the home in Mexico City earlier this week and there are photos and news to share.

First of all, it was a bumper delivery.

I think there were about 30 quilts - a mixture of the ones I have been putting together as well as whole quilts people have sent directly to the Netherlands.

I don't have any more photos of these most recent quilts being put on the beds so apologies if you were hoping to see them on beds this time. I will try for that on another visit.

What follows are snap shots of some of the earlier quilts on beds as well as the living conditions the children exist in. As a really, really small aside, it is interesting to note that all the quilts you'll see on the beds have been washed many times and have held their colour well and seem to have suffered no lasting effects from being constructed from all sorts of different types and thicknesses of batting!

As you're probably starting to get the picture, the surroundings are very basic.
Feedback has been the quilts have transformed the sleeping areas into a far more welcoming and homely environment for the children.

The 'bedrooms' are actually long, narrow corridors.

Clearly they preferred the back of this quilt!

I've also been asked by some quilters about making pillow cases. I'm not sure what to say as some of the children have no pillows at all and those that do, the pillows are all different sizes. I shall investigate some more on what to do.

Clearly someone else prefers the reverse side of their quilt too!

Meanwhile, they need to take in more children off the streets so are busy making more space for them.

So where does that leave Soy Amado?

The home has said they'd like about another ten quilts and then they have enough for all the children. I am AMAZED we got there so quickly. That means more whole quilts were sent than I realised and I have been sent more than enough blocks here to reach my goal.

So an enormous thanks from me to everyone who made whole quilts, blocks, sent pre-made binding and sashing, thread, fabric (if you knew how much I already have you'd never have sent more) the person who stopped by my house one day who was on holiday on our island and a quilting friend had asked her to take the blocks with her and deliver them to me (I was out at work so the neighbour took them)!

To the people who embroidered Soy Amado and Soy Amada blocks, the people who needlessly worried about sending me blocks 'with points not matching' and generally everyone who has helped me in any way to get this far so quickly, a massive THANK YOU.

As much as I have enjoyed doing this (and I have) it's been a complete time sucker the last six months and I really would like to get back to just making quilts for me, just because.

However, I am very proud of what we've done and it has made me realise what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. I know we only scratched the surface in Mexico City but we did something nonetheless. So, I'm going to leave the Soy Amado details in my heading bar and if and when anyone has any old blocks knocking around (12 1/2 please!) I'm happy to make them up into quilts as and when I feel the need.

Apparently there's a home for deaf children in Dar Es Salaam with 270 beds that would like some quilts...