Hi! Happy Valentine's Day.

Our January "Sew for HOPE" meeting was the biggest yet. We're growing! We had nine volunteers, three Big Bend Homeless Coalition residents, three resident children, and the cafeteria manager. The residents came for knitting lessons with Chris Rivers. They wanted to learn to make blankets for their own children. Speaking of the children -- they really livened up the room! Thank goodness for Daniel Norris. He volunteered to be our child care provider. Thank you Daniel. You ARE my new Hero. We hope to see you in February (pretty please with sugar on top).

After their knitting lesson, the residents stayed to help tie some fleece blankets. Margaret Bargy heard our plea and came to volunteer for ironing duty. Wow! Someone who will volunteer to iron is a very special person indeed. I don't even want to iron my own clothes. Margie, please come back every month! Eileen Prince returned with the 21 quilt blocks she finished. They are cute and bright with funny green frogs. We got her blocks squared up and ready for the next step in becoming a quilt. Eileen reports that making quilt blocks takes a lot of time. We appreciate that she chose to spend that time on this worthy task. We know she has many other commitments. Thanks ever so much Eileen. Some sweet child will be blessed to receive your quilt. Thanks also to our other new helpers Laninda Sande, Wanda Carter, and Faye Watson. Because of your help we managed to make more progress on our creamy yellow quilt. We actually have 9 quilt blocks made now. A special thanks to Mary Digiovanni for cheerfully doing any job I ask of her, and for giving me a gentle prod when she thinks we're not moving along fast enough.

At the January meeting we started and finished  two fleece blankets. We also collected one hand made quilt (from me), one hand-knitted afghan (thanks Chris), one crocheted afghan (thanks Laninda), and 2 "store bought" blankets.

During this past month we've received many other gifts, starting with a sewing machine donated by Eleanor Register (Hibiscus Garden Circle). Thank you so much Eleanor. Your gift is very generous and we promise to make many beautiful children's blankets with it. Judee Pouncee donated clothing, household items, and another teddy bear. Thank you Judee, your continued support is greatly appreciated. Thanks to Mary DiGiovanni for purchasing 2 rolling storage containers, and for her help getting our supplies organized in those containers. Thanks to Cindy Burdeshaw for the gift of 3 quilt tops and 2 pre-printed storybook panels. They will be put to good use. A humble thanks goes out to Jane Meadows She donated the very last afghan her Grandma Granger crocheted. So sweet!

A special thank you to the ladies of the Sweet Bay Garden Circle for holding a blanket making party. Darlene Wilke donated two large bags of fleece fabric. That donation helped us have plenty of blankets to work on. Each member also brought fleece and we worked on blanket making as a group. We finished 2 blankets, a couple of blankets went home with members to be finished later, and the rest will be worked on at the February Sew for HOPE meeting. Thanks also to Diane Morris for donating two purchased fleece blankets.

If you're a member of any group or social organization please consider having a blanket making party as one of your monthly programs. It's fun and easy. All you need is fleece fabric and a pair of scissors. Please call me for more information.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, Feb 10, 2009, from 1 - 4:30 p.m. Regardless of experience all are welcome to join us on blanket making day. We have lots of work to do if we're going to get blankets made for all the homeless children at Big Bend Homeless Coalition (all 25 of them). We'll continue cutting fabric and sewing strips together for making simple quilt blocks. We'll keep working on the pale yellow quilt until it's finished. It's going to be very pretty. We have the unfinished quilt that Tracy Allen donated which we haven't started on yet. That one is denim with red and white polka dots. It will be going to a little boy. If you would like to help, but don't want to sew, please stop by for a few hours. We will find a job for you that you're comfortable with. We still need someone who can work with the bigger kids who stop by after school. We have a very simple hand drawn and colored quilt block project that's appropriate for all ages. Also, we can offer an easy lessons to adults who want to make simple, no stress, no math quilt blocks at home. We'll even give you a bundle of fabric to work with.

To date we have collected/donated 21 handmade fleece blankets, 8 crocheted/knitted afghans, 6 finished http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415, 4 unfinished http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415, 4 "store bought" blankets, 5 used blankets, 8 knitted caps, 10 teddy bears, assorted clothing and household items, various toys, books and an assortment of toiletries

WISH LIST:  Helping hands (no experience necessary). We can always use cotton fabric. We would appreciate more knitting needles, especially size 8. To give to our residents who are interested in sewing, we need basic sewing supplies such as: straight pins, needles, scissors, thread and thimbles. These items can be new or used. We also need cash or gift cards to Lowe's or Home Depot. We need to build a shelving unit. 

ADDRESS: Big Bend Homeless Coalition - we meet in the cafeteria
                  2729 W Pensacola St
                  Tallahassee, FL  32302

Directions - drive west on Tennessee Street, turn left onto Appleyard, cross Pensacola, take the first left onto Municipal Way, pass the jail on the right, look for a small sign by the entrance on the left that says "Tallahassee Coalition for the Homeless". Administration building is last building on right (brick). You must go to the administration building for a visitors pass.

Thanks for all you do,
Cynthia Seyler
850-539-5558 home
850-556-1215 cell (Please don't leave messages on the cell. I live in a dead zone and usually don't receive them in a timely manner.)

January 2009     March 2009