Very Snuggly Quilts
Over the past 25 years Victorian Quilters Inc have gifted in excess of 20,000 quilts to children with a chronic or life threatening illness who are patients at the Royal Children’s Hospital,
As an Auxiliary of the Hospital, we have a small team of accredited volunteers deliver the quilts each month. We visit all ward except for the short term medical and short term surgical wards. It is hoped that these quilts will provide some extra warmth and comfort at a difficult time.
The quilts are given anonymously, but have a paper label attached with the contact number for Victorian Quilters Inc. and include a quilt registration number, which allow the recipient to acknowledge the quilt maker if they wish.
Victorian Quilters Very Snuggly Quilts is part of Victorian Quilters Inc. not for profit volunteer activities, but is not a registered charity. We are always interested in discussing potential ways that people may support Victorian Quilters Very Snuggly Quilts however we ask you to please contact us for permission before using our program’s name in any activities, including fundraising.
Suggested sizes for Very Snuggly Quilts (Click HERE to download a pdf copy)
Newborn: 24 inches X 24 inches (60cm X 60cm)
To 6 months: 30 inches X 30 inches (75 cm X 75cm)
30 inches X 36 inches (75cm X 90cm)
To one year: 36 inches X 36 Inches (90cm X 90cm)
36 inches X 40 inches (90cm X 100cm)
1 to 2 years: 40 inches X 40 inches (100cm X 100cm)
40 inches X 44 inches (100cm X 110cm)
3 to 5 years: “I Spy”, animals or bright fabrics
40 inches X 48 inches (100cm X 125cm)
6 to 10 years: Animals, bold colourful and bright fabrics
40 inches X 48 inches (100cm X 125 cm)
Teenagers: Bright bold colourful fabrics or plaids.
48 inches X 60 Inches (125cm X 150cm)
All quilts should have a pieced top, MUST contain wadding and should not include polar fleece as a backing in lieu of wadding.
Backings
The fabric used for the back may be pieced, but remember that this should be appropriate to the pieced top (e.g. big pink floral fabric should not be used as a backing on a quilt for a teenage boy).
You may use flannel as a backing fabric.
Quilting
Please ensure there is enough quilting as the quilts will be laundered regularly. Follow the Kiss formula.
Stitch in the ditch or stitch from corner to corner of each block.
If the border is 4 inches wide, you need to stitch down the centre of the border. If the space without quilting is more than approximately 5 inches square, this area needs to be quilted.
PLEASE REMEMBER NOT TO USE:
- Polar fleece or minkee fabric, as some children are very allergic to the chemicals used to create these fabrics.
- Buttons or embellishments.
- Shaggy quilts, as the fibres may cause issues for children with compromised lungs.
- Quilt labels. It is hospital policy that all quilts are given anonymously.
You may use small amounts of chenille, pinwhale cord and flannel in the pieced top to provide a variety of textures in the quilt.
Is the quilt you are donating to this program suitable?
If you would be happy for a child in your family to receive this quilt as a gift, then yes it is suitable. All gift quilts, to any organisation, should be of a standard that we would be happy to receive as a gift.
It should also be noted that although some children may be teenagers, due to developmental issues they may not be as big as a normal teenager, or they may be confined to a wheelchair, so a lap quilt is more suitable.
If you need further information, please email vsq@victorianquilters.org
Marie Lee OAM
