It's that time again! Sew for HOPE meets at Big Bend Homeless Coalition this coming Tuesday. That's Tuesday, May 12 from 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Please come join us if you're in the area. This month we're going to make more of an effort to encourage the residents to join in. We have cutting, sewing, and ironing to do. If we're lucky there will be some children to play with or read to. We'll have lots of fun while doing something rewarding. For me the best part of the day is when I look up to see a resident and a volunteer chatting and happily working together on a baby blanket that will be loved by a little one.

In April we were very busy. One young resident lady, along with a young resident mother and her baby boy spent the afternoon with us. We taught the ladies how to make the tied fleece blanket. The baby spent most of his time sleeping :o) They got to keep the blankets they worked on. We had two sewing machines set up and kept both of them humming. Carol Harrison and Marty Quinn stopped by to help. They looked through our boxes of partially made http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415 and selected several to take home and finish. They are both members of Quilter's Unlimited which is Tallahassee's fabulous quilting guild. We're so happy to have them involved. Libby Penrod and Lynn Corbett came to work and visit. Thank you so much ladies. Libby is like Wonder Woman, sewing on a quilt while her arm is in a sling. She also set up and used our new sewing machine. And (as if that wasn't enough) she took 2 http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415 with her to work on at home. Libby. Oh Libby. What a blessing to know you. Krystal Reynolds spent the day with us and brought along her beautiful son, Javon. Krystal and I used to work together. It was wonderful to see her again and to meet Javon. Thanks for sticking around to help clean up Krystal. I hope you'll have the second Tuesday as your day off from now on. And Javon is always welcome. Myra Blanchard from Radiance Rose Garden Circle/Tallahassee Garden Club stopped by to help out. Radiance Rose has made Big Bend Homeless Coalition one of their community service commitments. Myra wanted to see in what aspect they could lend a hand. Are we going to see other RR Garden Circle members in May? I can't wait to find out. Sharon Kant-Rausch, a reporter from the Tallahassee Democrat, came to interview my partner Mary Digiovanni and me. She shot film footage for an on-line story as well. We're looking for that to run sometime during the last part of May. 

At the end of the day, we turned in a tied blanket plus a purchased blanket donated by Judee Pouncey. We also donated stuffed animals from Louise Henderson and household supplies from Judee Pouncey. By "turned in" I mean that we hand over all items to Acting Executive Director, Darlene Wilke. She gives our blankets and other donated items to residents as needed.

Special thanks go out to Liz Snowden. She has a children's clothing Internet business. Liz told me she had fabric scraps to donate. I expected to see small raggedy pieces of cloth. That's what my scraps look like. What I found - when husband, Phil, and I went to pick them up though were four huge bags of very nice cotton fabric. Most of the cuts are at least five yards long. I think she gave us enough fabric for the backs of about thirty http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415. We're blown away by Liz's generosity. Please check out her website and her "wonderfully worn donation" program at www.sweetfunkyvintage.com.

A big group hug to the Havana Chapter of the American Sewing Guild for spending their monthly meeting time cutting fabric and making quilt tops. They have committed to working on Sew for HOPE http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415 during the remainder of the year. What a blessing. Thank you so much ladies. Thanks to Mary Digiovanni for organizing that. Love ya Mary.

If you're a member of any group or social organization please consider having a blanket making party or a quilting bee as one of your monthly programs. Please call or e-mail me for more information.

To date we've made or collected 8 finished http://www.sewforhopenow.com/?page_id=1415, 28 handmade fleece blankets, 8 crocheted or knitted afghans, 7 "store bought" blankets, and 5 used blankets. We have also received a small mountain of stuffed animals, toys, clothes, and household items which have been passed along to the kind folks residing at Big Bend Homeless Coalition.

WISH LIST:  Flannel fabric. Fleece fabric. It's great to have fleece on hand at our meetings. Residents or volunteers who can't sew can help tie a fleece blanket.  We would appreciate more knitting needles, especially size 8. We need more yarn please. We'd like to have it  available for residents who are learning to knit. We will always need basic sewing supplies such as: scissors, straight pins, needles, new cotton thread, and thimbles. Sewing supplies are given to residents who are learning to sew. We need someone willing to service our sewing machines when needed. And of course we always need helping hands.

A message to any professional long arm quilters who might be reading this. Would you be willing to quilt a child's quilt when you're in-between projects? We would supply everything needed. I'd appreciate hearing from you.

ADDRESS: Big Bend Homeless Coalition - we always 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". Please stop by the administration building to sign in. That's the last building on the right and it's brick.

Thanks for your precious time and 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.)

April 2009     June 2009