Siblings Together 2015

Anyone who may have stuck with me over the last couple of years may remember that I've been involved with making quilts for a charity called Siblings Together.

The charity works to keep children in England who have been separated by the care system in contact with their Siblings by arranging, amongst other things, residential camps where the siblings can meet up and spend precious time together.

"Sibling relationships are the longest lasting in most people’s lives. Allowing these to wither for children often already deprived of parental support is a real injustice to looked after children, and is likely to result in huge costs to society from the impact on life outcomes." 

 Quote taken from the Siblings Together web site

 Two years ago after a chance meeting with the charity's director, Delma Hughes, Lynne of Lily's Quilts put a call out on social media, primarily on Flickr, for donations of quilts to be given to the children attending the camps as a snuggly keepsake of their time spent with their siblings.

The charity even has a Siblings Together Quilting Group page on their web site.

This is a copy of a letter sent from Delma to some ladies who sent quilts to the charity.

The 2015 camps will be happening in the summer and Delma stated  above that 90 children were attending the camps last year and they are hoping to increase the numbers this year. A group of us have come up with the idea of trying to get 100 quilts donated this year. There are three quilting bees on Flickr making quilts and some people are also making extra quilts. I'm sure there are individuals beavering away making quilts too.

Would anyone reading this like to help? It would be fabulous if you could.

You could help by:

•  Donating a quilt
• Donating one or two blocks to a group quilt
• Offering to put together a group quilt
• Donating some unwanted fabric for someone else to make a quilt if you have fabric but not time
• Offering to make a quilt with donated fabric
• Donating fabric for backing or wadding.
• Spreading the word on social media or to quilting friends or guilds.
• Any other way you can think of.

The link to the Flickr group is here. This is where details of quilt sizes etc. can be found and people can chat about group quilts, fabric offers etc. and post pictures of quilts too. There may be a Facebook page in the near future too.

I've just finished this quilt for Siblings Together which I made with a lovely friend.

I finished this quilt top last year and plan to get it quilted in time for this years camps.

These are group quilts I put together. The one the right was made with fabrics donated by Moda.

I hope I may have inspired someone to get involved. The quiltometer in the side bar is the brainchild of Mary and will be updated regularly.