Community Work

Calico Quilters make quilts to provide warmth and comfort to babies, children, teens, and adults for those in need. Quilts are donated to Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Coatesville, Penn Hospice, Camp Erin and Chester County Hospital to name some of our charities.

Comfort Quilts

Lee Ann Comegys - chair
The Comfort Quilt Committee collects quilts from the membership and distributes them to the following organizations:

Quilts for Kids
Chester County Hospital – NICU
Chester County Hospital – OB/GYN
Clinic
Paoli Hospital
Kindred House
St. Agnes outreach – Healthy Baby Program
Penn Medicine Hospice (including Camp Erin)
Orion Communities – Warmth for All Drive
Maternal and Child Health Consortium
Family Services of Chester County
Friends Association
Community Warehouse Project
Coatesville “Shop with a Cop”

Here are the general size recommendations based on
recipient needs:

NICU/Car Seat Quilts: 20” x 30”

Children’s Quilts: 36”- 38” x 45”- 46”

Hospital Patient Quilts: 45” x 72”

Twin size Quilts for Camp Erin: 68”–72” x 70”–90”

Throw Size for Young Adults: 45” by 60”

Any quilt size will be appreciated and will be matched with
an appropriate need.

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

Remove any hanging loops or casings.
Remove all loose threads.
Double-check for cleanliness.
The quilting should be at least every five inches to
ensure durability with frequent washing.

Kits Available
The Comfort Quilt Committee can provide complete kits with everything needed to complete the quilt (including fabric, batting, backing and binding). You can also make a quilt totally from your own stash!

If you have taken fabric or kits previously and find you don’t have time to complete the quilt, just return to us.

Veteran’s Quilts

Stack of red, white, and blue fabrics for Veteran quilt

Veterans Quilt - Bernice Burgess, chair

The Coatesville VA hospital has informed us that they prefer donated quilts to be at least 45” x 60” with a preferred length of 72”. Quilts that go to inpatients cannot overhang the bed and should be no wider than 45 “. A twin-size quilt (66” x 88”) makes a beautiful covering for a bed and would be greatly appreciated for out patient recipients!

Please bring your completed quilts for veterans to the monthly meeting. Please remember the minimum size for quilts that the veterans will take is 42” x 60”. The committee has purchased several yards of new patriotic fabric and we have plenty of batting and some backing.

Kits Available
Thanks to the veterans’ quilts team, we have 10 completed kits of 10” layer cakes that have been cut, plus lots more squares and strips available. The blocks consist of 4 – 9 patches bordered by sashing strips, also included. Click for a copy of the Pattern in PDF.
Single block pattern - Patriotic Friendship Star

Please contact Bernice Burgess at bernice49@gmail.com if you have questions, wish to volunteer, need backing or batting or want to pick up a certain quilt at our next meeting. A few days notice is necessary.

Ryan’s Case for Smiles

Case for Smiles, makes pillowcases to put a smile on the faces of children awaiting chemotherapy in area cancer hospitals. We continue to support this incredible project and in September we again contributed hundreds of pillowcases. Instructions are listed below. (use Print Friendly Button to print only what you need).

This is a great opportunity to team up and create a pile of pillowcases – and is a great stash buster. Provides an excuse to go out and buy more fabric! Not that we usually need an excuse. Get more information on the Case For Smiles Project.

Pillow Case Instructions
• Use cheery fabrics for kids – colorful and fun as possible
• Remember many patients are adolescent boys and girls, we always need pillowcases appropriate to teenagers.

Supplies:
• 3/4 yard of fabric for pillowcase
• 1/3 yard of fabric for border of pillowcase

Sewing Instructions:

• Cut the body of the case 26 1/2” x 40 1/2” and the border 10 1/2” x 40 1/2”.
• Fold the border in half lengthwise, with the wrong sides together, and press.
• Place the right side of the border on the right side of the body of the case. Stitch together using a 1/2” seam allowance.
• Place right sides of the pillowcase together. Stitch down the side and across the bottom. Turn to the right side and press.