Cami & Liberty Bay Books

Living in a small town can be a wonderful thing, especially when you have a local, independent bookstore like Liberty Bay Books as a keystone on the main street.

Liberty Bay Books is owned by Suzanne, who offers many groups a place to gather in her cozy, welcoming store. A variety of book groups, free game nights, authors' events and the Liberty Bay Books Knitters are just a few of the community events hosted at LBB. The knitting group has been a long-time supporter of Katie's Comforters Guild, and they just contributed six blankets, two hats and a quilt. We don't often know who knit/crocheted which blanket, but in this case, one of them came with a label from Nancy Brennan, so we want to say "thank you" specifically to Nancy, and generally to the Liberty Bay Books Knitters. If you are ever in Poulsbo, stop in and check out the shop!

Nancy's soft and fuzzy knitted blanket

Suzanne's good friend Cami is one of our dear neighbors. Cami is a busy world traveler who still makes time to do things for others; she recently donated 32 fleece blankets in various themes (including University of Washington Huskies, Washington State University Cougars and Seattle Seahawks designs) which are sure to please sports-loving patients and their families! Thank you, Cami!

Thirty-two fleece blankets from Cami, ready to delight sick children!

We are grateful to our local community for its caring and support of Katie's Comforters Guild!

Lots of Good News!

We have a great deal of good news to share with you. So much generosity has come to Seattle Children's Hospital through donations to Katie's Comforters Guild!

First of all, Charlotte B. kindly created six quilts and delivered them to Seattle Children's Hospital for our guild. Thank you, Charlotte!

Michelle F. gathered quilts from a variety of sources and delivered them to the hospital with the help of her son, Owen. Michelle is a member of our guild, and both of her sons are junior members. She teaches others to quilt, and shares fabric to help them get started with charitable sewing and giving. We love this family's community involvement and commitment to giving back! Mickie donated quilts from her family, as well as from a young lady named Skyler, and friends Margie, Brenda and Kristin.

Skyler's stack

One of Margie's quilts

Margie's applique work - stunning!

Kristin wrote the following: " I live in Seattle near Children's and quilt weekly with a group of women. I saw a post a couple years ago from Mickie Geri Farris about Katie's Comforter Guild, and love the idea. The quilt this time was a world map and I thought that a kiddo might plan some world travels during their stay."

Thank you, Mickie, Owen, Luke, Margie, Kristin and Skyler! We are so grateful for your help and generosity!

Fabric Traditions has done it again, sending us a box of professional sports team fabric in cotton and flannel. If you would like to make a sports-themed quilt for patients at Seattle Children's Hospital, please let me know and I will find a way to get the fabric to you! Regardless of which teams you might favor, it's possible to make a truly wonderful quilt by combining the fabrics. The only thing they ask in return is that we send photos of what is made with their fabric - a fun request to fulfill! Thank you, Annette S. and Fabric Traditions!

I just received a donation from Angela and her daughter Olivia. They contributed three beautifully-knitted and two lovingly hand-knotted fleece blankets. These will bring comfort and cheer to patients!  Thank you, Angela and Olivia!

Finally, we took a trip to Lucile's house to pick up the latest batch of 56 pillowcases which she made for patients, so they will have a personal touch, rather than hospital linens! Thank you, Lucile - we appreciate you and all that you do!
Katie's Comforters Guild has so much for which to be grateful - and we are! All of our donors and members are treasured and appreciated.

Sunshine from Tanya S.

Our Vice President & Gratitude Ambassador, Mary Ryan, wrote the following:

"A friend of our guild, Tanya S., has been at it again and created this beautiful new knit blanket as a donation for a special someone at Seattle Children's. Tanya is very humble about her knitting talents and always graciously brushes off any compliments with a quiet smile and gentle laugh.

"The yarn she chose for this cuddly project is so soft to the touch and the color is a cheery sunshine yellow that is just as soft spoken as Tanya. I'm sure the child who receives it will feel the warm hugs of each and every stitch! Thank you so much, Tanya, for your thoughtful, comforting gift!"


...and thank you, Mary, for delivering this beautiful blanket to Katie's Comforters Guild!

Yarn Donations

We are always grateful to receive inquiries from people interested in donating to Katie's Comforters Guild, whether it's time, talent, treasure or materials they have to share. Recently, we received two offers of yarn, which we truly appreciate.

In some cases, we can coordinate donations so that the materials go directly to our guild's friends or members who need them for making quilts or blankets. We've done this with fabric, and are about to do it again with a yarn donation from Mandy L.

Sometimes, there is too much material for us to take (storage space is an issue), or there isn't a specific need to coincide with the timing of a donor's need to move materials. In that case, we give our thanks, and ask that another charity be the recipient.

Mandy L. is sending her yarn directly to Liberty Bay Books' Knitters. Here is a photo of her son with the yarn she is donating,

and here is one of her son with his own beloved, knitted blanket. His sweet smile confirms that blankets really do bring comfort!

Thank you, Mandy! ...and thanks to all who offer donations to Katie's Comforters Guild!

A Package of Coziness from Elsie

Several years ago, our guild was blessed by a donor named Elsie W.
Several years went by without hearing from her, and then, a surprise message came for us through the Guild Association office: would I call her, please?
Yes, I would - and I learned that Elsie had moved from the west side of the state to the east side, and that she had not forgotten Katie's Comforters.

Elsie wanted to know if she could send me some blankets which she wanted to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital through our guild.
Yes, please!

Today, I opened a box and found these two soft, cozy knitted blankets inside:

The yarn is super fuzzy: thick, yet light, and feels a little bit like holding a favorite pet.

Elsie asked if we would like her to make more of these for our guild to donate.
Yes, please! - so she has already started to make more.

We are grateful to Elsie for remembering Katie's Comforters, after a huge life-change like a big move, and for her generous desire to donate comfort to others. Thank you, Elsie!

Mary Meets with Tanya S.

Our Vice President, Mary Ryan, has shared the following update with us:

“It is in giving the we receive.” – St. Francis of Assisi

Thank you, Tanya S.!

It was on one of our recent and sometimes rare gloriously sunny days that I was able to share a refreshing walk at the Bloedel Reserve with a dear friend of mine, Tanya S. 

We haven’t seen each other in years, but the friendship and laughter came easily, spending time together was a gift. 

Before parting, Tanya gave me another gift, this soft and cozy knit blanket as a donation for the guild. 

Being a non-knitter, I marveled at the evenness of her stitches and the cuddliness of her handiwork. True to her character, Tanya quickly dismissed any compliments with gracious humility and told me how she found comfort and peace for herself in the making of the blanket. I truly hope that everyone who gives to our guild can experience such therapeutic “self-bennies” in their giving as Tanya has expressed. Thank you, Tanya, for the beautiful spring green blanket for one of Seattle Children’s patients, and for reminding us of the multiple benefits for both the giver and the recipient of such generosity.

With a grateful heart,

Mary

Lucile Does it Again - 12 Blankets!

We had a chance to visit with Lucile in her home last week, to drop off some of the fleece left over from #AWSL2015 for her to make into blankets, and to pick up some blankets that she had made to donate. Lucile's latest batch included 11 fleece (one here, and the others in the bag), and a beautifully knitted cotton blanket:

Thank you so much for your continuing support and generosity to Katie's Comforters Guild, Lucile! 

We appreciate and love you!

Four New Blankets

Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo is one of our beloved, consistent local supporters. We are grateful to them for so many things they do, for example: their knitting circle, which provides a variety of hand-knit squares, patiently knit into blankets for our guild; sharing our message with their clientele, and occasional delivery service of blankets. Last week, without fanfare, employee Nathaniel H. kindly showed up at our door with these two FUN knitted blankets.

Some of these squares are made of super-soft, fuzzy yarn, and some are made with tickly, shag-style yarn. Both of them will provide warmth and sensory stimulation for patients in the hospital.

Thank you, Liberty Bay Books Knitters

& Nathaniel!

Katie's Comforters Guild's Vice President, Mary Ryan, and her daughter, Briana, are also great helpers in our work. In addition to bringing the attention of their church's youth group to our mission - and enlisting the group's support - they contribute their own time, talent and materials to the hospital. The two soft, cheerful blankets pictured below were donated by Mary and Briana in memory of Mary's mother-in-law. Don't you just love the shamrock theme as we draw near to St. Patrick's Day?

Thank you, Mary and Briana!

Gifts from Near and Far

On Saturday evening, we hosted a gathering of local friends, and one of them (Angela) brought a soft, lovely baby blanket which she had knitted; what a treat it will be for the patient, and for the parents of a sick child. This is a busy friend with a full-time job and three children, so we appreciate what a gift of love and time it is!

Thank you, Angela!

Just this morning, another friend -Nan, also a mother with three active, growing kids - posted this photo on facebook:

This batch of five blankets was made by her daughter, Ava (a talented ballerina).

Ava's brother was treated for cancer when he was young, and he is not only in remission, but has grown into a talented musician; we rejoice with their family in his healing. The family moved from the West Coast to Colorado, so Nan will be shipping Ava's blankets to the hospital all the way from there - another act of generosity.

Thank you, Ava and Nan!

These gifts of warmth, softness and exuberant color will cheer the hearts of all who receive them.

Gratitude for Gifts from Joanie R.

We recently received a surprise: the gift of six warm, soft, knitted blankets from a generous local donor named Joanie R. These are beautifully knitted with great precision and care; the colors are as soft as the yarn she used. The children who receive these will be wrapped in comfort and tender caring.

Thank you, Joanie!

Gratitude for Support from Liberty Bay Books

We are blessed to have an independent, locally-owned bookstore in our town. Liberty Bay Books may be located in a small town, but it has a HUGE heart! The store hosts a knitting group which kindly supports Katie's Comforters Guild with their time and talent. Here is their latest donation:

four knitted and crocheted blankets in a variety of colors and textures, all warm and cozy.

Thank you, Suzanne Droppert and 

Liberty Bay Books Knitters!

Liberty Bay Books Knitting Group

The lovely ladies of Liberty Bay Books' Knitting Group have done it again! Here are their latest contributions to Katie's Comforters Guild:

We give thanks for the knitters, and for Suzanne, owner of Liberty Bay Books, who welcomes their group to her independent, local bookstore in downtown Poulsbo, WA!

Free Yarn Offer!

Would you like to receive the gift of FREE YARN to make it easy for you to knit/crochet blankets for Katie's Comforters Guild at Seattle Children's Hospital? We've received a very kind offer and would love to put it into the hands of people who can transform it into comforters!

Knitted With Healing Intention

Our kindly neighbor, Nathaniel, of Liberty Bay Books delivered this soft, delicate blanket to me over the weekend. It was made by one of Liberty Books' knitting group.

It arrived in a pretty gift bag, with a tag which says:

"Healing Energy to you from Diane."

What a lovely gift, and what a blessed intention!

The good folks at Liberty Bay Books posted a photo on their facebook page, showing Diane holding the blanket with a copy of my book:

Photo credit: Liberty Bay Books' facebook page

Thank you, Diane, 

and 

Liberty Bay Books' Knitters!

A Family's Gift

Last week, I had the privilege of receiving a multi-generational donation from a dear family. Bev and her mother, sister, daughter and grand-daughter have all worked with loving hands on this batch of blankets. These four generations of ladies knitted/crocheted, and tied fleece, to create seven lovely blankets for Katie's Comforters to donate to patients at Seattle Children's Hospital. Here are their gifts:

Cozy, soft and cheerful = warmth and comfort.
THANKS to Bev, Grandma Icel, Aunt Barb, Angela and Olivia!

Happy New Year 2013

Today, I had the pleasure of a meeting with Lucile & Noble. I was able to give Lucile three bags of donated flannel fabric, and she & Noble gave 22 beautiful, new quilts to our guild so that we can give them to Seattle Children's Hospital:

Here are 10 of the 22 Lucile made recently

Suzanne Droppert gathered and donated a batch of knitted/crocheted blankets from her Liberty Bay Books store's Knitting Group. Our guild's friend, Cami, delivered them to us:

Cozy and attractive blankets from Liberty Bay Books' Knitting Group

Thank you, Lucile & Noble!

Thank you, Suzanne, Cami and Liberty Bay Books' Knitters!

 You are helping us to bring comfort into the hospital room of a sick child, and we appreciate it. We can't do it without you!

Fleece & Knitting

Last week, our planned "Stitch 'n' Bitch" had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Because I had already set the day aside for the activity, I got out the fleece which has been donated and started cutting fringe! I was able to finish 13 fleece blankets for the hospital.

When added to a batch of five fleece blankets made by Cami,

and two knitted blankets from Liberty Bay Books' knitting group,

we were able to donate 20 blankets to the hospital! Our friend (and Seattle Children's Hospital R.N.) Tracie made the delivery for us when she went in to work.

Thank you, fleece donors, 
Cami, 
Liberty Bay Books' Knitters, and 
Tracie!

Blankets, Fabric & Quilt Tops

We have just received two knitted/crocheted blankets from our friends in the Liberty Bay Books knitting group.

Thank you, Bev L. and Liberty Bay Books Knitters!

We also received a donation of fabric and antique quilt tops from Jeanne M.
Thank you, Jeanne M.!
Do you know what this means? More quilts for our (eventual) auction! I am excited to see what our friend Joan M. of Henhouse Quilts does with these "oldies but goodies." When they are finished, I will post photos. Added to the three beautiful antique quilt tops donated by Joan B. (also finished by Joan M.), we will have an exciting variety of quilts to offer at a fundraiser - location, time and date to be determined later.

Knitted Beauty

Newly-donated knitted blankets arrived this week! Three soft, cozy blankets from Leigh that will be great for cuddling:

 and one extraordinary, playing-card themed blanket from Bev L.:

Can't you just imagine how delighted a kiddo who loves playing card games will be with this one?

I wish I could see his (or her) face when it is given!

Thank you, Leigh M. and Bev L.!

Blankets from Elsie

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting a new member of our guild: Elsie. She brought 4 beautifully crocheted/knitted blankets for us to donate to the hospital:

Can you see the lovely detail in those stitches?

Elsie told me that she had been praying about how she could do more for others, and then she saw a piece in the newspaper about our guild. She contacted us, and now she is joining our guild!

I'm thankful for her listening heart, and for those articles that share news about us.

Thank you, Elsie, and

welcome to Katie's Comforters Guild!