Monday
Monday, March 23, 2020
What to write? I suppose this is one time when no news is good news.
I mentioned in one of my recent status updates that I started another quilt for hospice. I decided to share a bit about our sewing group.
We call ourselves the Comfort Bear ladies. There are 12 of us who meet from 9 until noon on Wednesday mornings. Although I am not one of the originals, I did join shortly after the group was formed just over 5 years ago. Most of them are from the same town and some have known each other since childhood.
I first heard about the group when I was taking the training classes to become a hospice volunteer. Someone spoke to the class about some of the other ways people can support hospice and sewing was something she mentioned. I spoke to the lady after the meeting and she put me in touch with the co-ordinator.
When the group was started, the local hospice was still in the planning stages. The sewing group was meeting in an empty boardroom in the hospital. All our supplies are donated.
After some delays, the shovel was finally put in the ground and eventually the building was opened. It is a beautiful 10-bed facility.
Our group was given space to sew and we got our things moved into the new building. In the original plan, we were supposed to have space in the basement. However, there was some problem and there is no basement so we had a room at the back. Later, that room became a toy room for children who might be visiting a loved one. We would have to set up and tear down each Wednesday morning. In May 2019, we moved again into the new Welcome Center in front of hospice.
Comfort Bear
I am a little Comfort Bear
The Hospice Ladies sewed me with care,
From the tip of my nose, to the tip of my toes,
I’m dressed up in my most colourful clothes.
I’m wrapped in a cozy blanket you see,
It’s warm and toasty and comforts me.
I love cuddles and hugs when I’m sad and alone,
When friends and family have all gone home.
When a new resident moves in, he/she will find a little bear in the room. The bear has its own little matching blanket which has a big heart on it. The above poem (written by one of our ladies) is included in the package. There is a picture of a bear on the card with the poem.
There is also a small quilt in the room (39" x 54"). Each quilt is different. Because we are working with donated fabrics, it is sometimes hard to come up with an easy plan but over time we have developed ideas that work. I have become known as the 'scrap lady' because I will bring home fabric scraps from the bears or other quilts. I found a scrap quilt online and I have made 2 or 3 using that pattern.
When I take the top back, we add the fill and backing and a couple of the members tie the quilt and it is on to plan the next one.
Since we started, Hogs for Hospice, a motorcycle rally that is held the long weekend the first part of August, has donated new sewing machines. Their group is very generous in seeing that we have things we need.
In June 2019, we celebrated our 5th anniversary. A neighbour of our leader made us a delicious cake and Hogs for Hospice paid for a catered lunch for our enjoyment. We do look forward to our weekly meetings and miss each other during this shutdown.
I mentioned in one of my recent status updates that I started another quilt for hospice. I decided to share a bit about our sewing group.
We call ourselves the Comfort Bear ladies. There are 12 of us who meet from 9 until noon on Wednesday mornings. Although I am not one of the originals, I did join shortly after the group was formed just over 5 years ago. Most of them are from the same town and some have known each other since childhood.
I first heard about the group when I was taking the training classes to become a hospice volunteer. Someone spoke to the class about some of the other ways people can support hospice and sewing was something she mentioned. I spoke to the lady after the meeting and she put me in touch with the co-ordinator.
When the group was started, the local hospice was still in the planning stages. The sewing group was meeting in an empty boardroom in the hospital. All our supplies are donated.
After some delays, the shovel was finally put in the ground and eventually the building was opened. It is a beautiful 10-bed facility.
Our group was given space to sew and we got our things moved into the new building. In the original plan, we were supposed to have space in the basement. However, there was some problem and there is no basement so we had a room at the back. Later, that room became a toy room for children who might be visiting a loved one. We would have to set up and tear down each Wednesday morning. In May 2019, we moved again into the new Welcome Center in front of hospice.
Comfort Bear
I am a little Comfort Bear
The Hospice Ladies sewed me with care,
From the tip of my nose, to the tip of my toes,
I’m dressed up in my most colourful clothes.
I’m wrapped in a cozy blanket you see,
It’s warm and toasty and comforts me.
I love cuddles and hugs when I’m sad and alone,
When friends and family have all gone home.
When a new resident moves in, he/she will find a little bear in the room. The bear has its own little matching blanket which has a big heart on it. The above poem (written by one of our ladies) is included in the package. There is a picture of a bear on the card with the poem.
There is also a small quilt in the room (39" x 54"). Each quilt is different. Because we are working with donated fabrics, it is sometimes hard to come up with an easy plan but over time we have developed ideas that work. I have become known as the 'scrap lady' because I will bring home fabric scraps from the bears or other quilts. I found a scrap quilt online and I have made 2 or 3 using that pattern.
When I take the top back, we add the fill and backing and a couple of the members tie the quilt and it is on to plan the next one.
Since we started, Hogs for Hospice, a motorcycle rally that is held the long weekend the first part of August, has donated new sewing machines. Their group is very generous in seeing that we have things we need.
In June 2019, we celebrated our 5th anniversary. A neighbour of our leader made us a delicious cake and Hogs for Hospice paid for a catered lunch for our enjoyment. We do look forward to our weekly meetings and miss each other during this shutdown.
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