Quilts for Kids: Touch of Comfort Program
Over the last few months, I’ve been sharing some quilting tips with you and shared how you can order a quilt kit from the Downy Touch of Comfort Program, and create your own quilt for a child in the hospital. If you haven’t already, you can send for a free quilt kit from Downy and Quilts for Kids.
Quilts for Kids seeks to help the millions of children who are hospitalized in the US each year by delivering them comforting, homemade quilts that they can keep with them during their stays. To date, the program has delivered over 20,000 quilts to children that are grateful for the comforting thoughts that come along with them. Check out their stories and see the impact that your effort can have on the life of a child.
I’m excited to share with you the final quilt…Monkey See – Monkey Do! When Touch of Comfort sends you the quilt kit, they also include a label for your name and the name of the quilt. Since the fabric has those adorable monkeys, I thought it would be an appropriate name.
I have to be honest, although I have quilted in the past, it’s been awhile. So I re-learned a few things along the way. I thought I would share a couple tips with you.
Quilting Tips
- After the quilt top is all put together, you will want to choose a batting that is somewhat thin. The thicker the batting, the more difficult it is to keep the layers from slipping
- Using safety pins and basting thread, I sandwiched all the layers together to make it easier to sew. It was my original plan to tie the quilt with yarn, but the directions asked that it not be tied. So it took a little longer than I had anticipated.
- In case you aren’t familiar, there is a foot for your sewing machine called Walking Foot. This foot makes it so that the bottom and top layers move at the same time. I actually didn’t buy one, but regretted it very quickly after I started sewing the quilt layers together.
- For the binding around the edge, I trimmed the batting even with the quilt top. Then folded the backing fabric around the edge and used a zigzag stitch to hold it all together. The directions suggested a zigzag because of the children’s I.V.
More Quilting Tips
- Quilt Kit from Downy Touch of Comfort and Quilts for Kids
- More about the Touch of Comfort Program
- Getting started
- Putting the Quilt Together
Visit Downy Touch of Comfort Program to learn more. I’ve also created a Pinterest Quilting Board where we can all share our quilts. I hope you will join me, learn a few sewing skills and spread a smile!!
Disclosure: I am participating in the Downy Touch of Comfort Program, as always, the opinions are all my own
I talked on the phone with the head person, who told me the quilts need to be perfect.
Mine is far from perfect, and therefore still sitting in my craft room 🙁
I wanted my quild to get involved but they say they like to stay pretty local.
Can.i join from down under.