This crafty group of women is determinedly creating comfort for traumatized children one stitch at a time.
The Stitch and Chat sewing group of Rockhampton, Australia has made over 80 different “rescue quilts” that law enforcement officers can use to comfort children who may have endured a traumatic situation, such as a house burning down, domestic violence, or an automotive accident.
The gender-neutral patchwork quilts are made out of donated fabrics featuring everything from paisley prints to cartoon animals. Originally, the group only intended on creating enough quilts to put two in every police cruiser in the region – but according to Sandra McClelland, the organizer of the effort, the group doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.
They have already surged past their original goal of 48 quilts, and they hope to expand their project into the future.
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“When I read about how beneficial the quilts were to children, I thought it was a good idea to see if we could do something locally,” McClelland told the Morning Bulletin. “It’s a small way we can provide instant comfort to any child who is undergoing trauma.”
The oldest member of the Stitch and Chat group is 97, but they all put the same amount of care into their creations.
“There is a small label on the back of each quilt, that says ‘made with love’,” McClelland told the news outlet.
Patch Up Some Love And Positivity For Your Friends By Sharing The Good News – Photo by Stitch and Chat Rockhampton