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!

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 Creates 13 New Quilts

Dear Lucile has done it again! She has donated 13 new quilts & blankets to Katie's Comforters Guild, sending them with Dawn via Mary to Tracie (our friend who is an R.N. at Seattle Children's Hospital). Look at how cute and cheerful they are:

Tracie will deliver our donations on her way to work, saving us miles and hours of driving time (and expense). This is another example of donating gifts of time and talent to our guild. We are continually grateful to Tracie for her contributions!

Thank you, Lucile, for making these beauties, and thank you, Dawn, Mary and Tracie for helping to get them into the hands of patients!

The Sew-n-Sews

A wonderful group of women who live in the south part of Kitsap County - Cindy, Dawn, Becky, Pam and Sue - call themselves "The Sew-n-Sews." This group (led by Dawn - see more of her handiwork in the previous post here) meets about once a month to sew for Katie's Comforters Guild. At their last two meetings, our Vice President, Mary Ryan has joined them, to help create receiving blankets for the hospital. Here is Mary's posting about their gathering last week:

"Thank you, Dawn, Cindy, Sue, Becky, and Pam! Another gathering of these amazing ladies and what do you get? Blankets and more blankets for the babies at Seattle Children’s Hospital! With the creative talents of Cindy snatching and matching bits and pieces of flannel remnants, the smooth and swift wielding of a rotary cutter by Dawn, and the masterful machine sewing by Sue, Becky, and Pam, we had seven sweet receiving blankets stitched, pressed, and tagged in about 4 hours’ time. 

I “manned” the iron and took in all the joyful sights and sounds: the delight over cute fabrics “Oooo!  Aww!” the gentle “Whooshhh” of the steam iron, the happy “Purr” of all three sewing machines, the hugs, the laughter, the caring friendships. It was a true pleasure to witness and partake in the experience. We can’t give thanks enough for each of these generous ladies and their prayerful giving of their craft for the greater comfort and healing of others. Blessings on you all!"

Taking note of Lucile's custom-made tags for her blankets and quilts, Sue designed a lovely one which the Sew-n-Sews attach to the blankets they make. Take a look:

Isn't that awesome?  

Thank you, Sue, Mary, Becky, Cindy, Pam and Dawn! We are thankful for the Sew-n-Sews!

Dawn's Golf Quilt

A blog posting from our Vice President, Mary Ryan:

"Dawn does it again!  Our dear friend Dawn has created another beautiful quilt for Katie's Comforters Guild and one lucky recipient at Seattle Children's Hospital. This one is a "classic" golf theme, with the focus fabric being a collage of golfers from "back in the day." Dawn coordinated this fun fabric with several other complementary small prints and solids and finished with a soft and cozy flannel backing and an artsy curvy finishing stitch.

"It is beautiful, Dawn! Thanks so much!"

Many Hands Make Light Work (and Joy-Filled Hearts)

A guest post from our wonderful Vice President, Mary Ryan:

"Who remembers the scene in Walt Disney's "Cinderella" where all her beloved little animal friends work together to make quick and cheerful work of sewing the most beautiful ball gown for their friend Cinderella from miscellaneous ribbons and remnants? I recently got to witness and even participate in the magic of just this sort of experience when our dear friends, Sue H., Dawn K., Cindy B., and Becky M. all gathered to use their special sewing talents to transform stacks of donated flannel (a majority from our long-time member Lucile N.) into cute and cuddly receiving blankets for the babies at Seattle Children's Hospital.

"These big-hearted ladies joyfully made quick work of matching, cutting, and stitching ten sweet baby blankets in just a few hours. And to top it off, they plan to make sewing for Katie's Comforters Guild a monthly event.

"Sue, Dawn, Cindy, and Becky, thanks so very much for your enthusiasm, generous spirit, and the treasured gifts you share. You are the best "magical" helpers our guild could ever imagine. We are blessed.  - Mary"

And we are blessed to have Mary (pictured in the center of the photo) as our Vice President! We love you, Mary!