By TERRY PUGH
“It’s a project that’s brought a lot of smiles to a lot of people, and the quilts haven’t even gone to the recipients yet.”
That’s how Joan Squires of Warman describes an ongoing initiative by a group of volunteers to sew uniquely-individualized handmade quilts for every single resident of a large nursing home in Saskatoon.
What began as a casual conversation between Squires and one of her friends – a nurse who works at Samaritan Place care home – has mushroomed into a coordinated campaign involving a small army of volunteer quilters. Most, if not all, of the members of the Warman Seniors Association Quilters Group are helping out; and so are friends and acquaintances in neighbouring communities and as far away as Weyburn, Outlook, Prince Albert and North Battleford.
Squires said a few months ago her friend happened to mention that many elderly residents she cares for are always cold.
“So I said, ‘I can fix that, because I make quilts,’ And I promised her that I would make quilts for the residents at the care home she works at,” said Squires. “And then, almost as an afterthought, I asked her how many beds there are in the home. She said 100. And I thought, well, now I’ve really got my work cut out for me.”
Undaunted, Squires borrowed a page from Mark Twain’s ‘Tom Sawyer’ – but instead of whitewashing a fence, she convinced her pals that a giant quilting bee would be fun if everybody pitched in and helped.
“I decided on my 80th birthday last December that I’d organize a big party at the Seniors Centre and invite all the quilters,” she said. “But I told them the deal was that we were going to make charity quilts.”
Squires purchased all the batting, backing, fabric and other components needed for each 60” x 70” quilt; and also provided a kit for each volunteer.
“Each quilt is unique,” said Squires. “We want every resident who receives one to know that they have something that is completely theirs. This is a labour of love because each quilt is a warm hug from the maker to the recipient. It’s a project that comes truly from the heart.”
That initial quilting party attracted two dozen participants, each of whom began stitching their individual quilt. Over the next few weeks, the finished quilts were added to the ones Squires had already completed.
And the collection has been growing ever since.
“The initial goal was to make 100 quilts,” said Squires. “But I think by the time all is said and done, we should have somewhere between 130 and 140. Quilters are very generous and they want to do things for other people. We worked on the quilts at a couple of events here, and lots of people took the kits home and sewed. And I’ve had people from other communities hear about the project and ask to be part of it. It’s grown well beyond what I ever thought it would be.”
Squires, who began quilting when she was six years old, said the activity involves patience, artistry and perseverance. It also takes money to buy the fabric and other supplies – but Squires nonchalantly shrugs off both the expenses and the labour.
“I’m not even telling my husband how much it’s costing,” she said with a grin. “He’s been very supportive, but he thinks it might be about the same amount as what a trip to Hawaii would cost.”