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Thread, fabric and lots of love

Quilters bring cheer to parents and warmth to sick and premature infants by crafting colorful covers.

By EBONY WINDOM
Published February 23, 2007

LUTZ

The Van Dyke Quilters could probably make a fortune hawking their dainty, baby quilts.

But, members say, these one-of-a-kind coverings aren't for sale.

Instead, the colorful quilts are handed out to parents of ailing babies at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

All, at no charge.

"Having a baby in the NICU is such a difficult thing," said Cynthia Falls, who heads the church quilting group.

It would be nice if every newborn baby at the hospital could go home with a pretty blanket, says Patricia Hatcher, a NICU volunteer who passes out the Van Dyke quilts.

But sick and premature infants need them most, she says. Some NICU babies are smaller than a loaf of bread.

"They're the most fragile ...these (NICU) babies don't have the fat buildup to keep them warm. So, they need external help such as blankets and quilts," Hatcher says.

Even though St. Joseph's NICU offers blankets for swaddling, a colorful cover "just makes the room more cheerful. Not so hospital-like," Falls says.

The Van Dyke Quilters, one of about a dozen local groups that donate to St. Joseph's NICU, have been around for about as many years.

Until recently they were part of the international project At-Risk Baby Crib Quilts, or ABC Quilts. When ABC folded a year ago, the group became known as the Van Dyke Quilters.

Van Dyke United Methodist agreed to sponsor them and donate quilting materials.

Many times, the Van Dyke quilts bring a smile to the faces of worried parents at St. Joseph's, Hatcher said. Some burst into tears.

Each baby blanket is unique. There are quilts for little boys with cows, denim and doggies. And floral and gingham for girls. In December, they sewed Christmas blankets, and Hatcher worked on Valentine's Day quilts in January.

Twice a month, a handful of volunteers arrive at the church toting yards of whimsical fabric, baskets of colorful, embroidery yarn and tall rolls of batting.

They chat, munch, listen to classical tunes. Sometimes volunteers swap photos of their grandkids.

Churning out 30 cotton blankets a month takes teamwork. One woman stitches the batting, while another works the sewing machine.

Volunteer Jennifer Trask carefully pens a simple phrase onto fabric squares for the quilts: "God Loves You! Van Dyke UMC Lutz."

And sometimes volunteers murmur a soft prayer for the tiny baby who will receive the quilt.

"This (quilt) is a gift from God, not from us. It just comes through our hands," said Lynn Norton. "There's something wonderful about a quilt. When you wrap it around yourself, you end up with a big hug."

Fast Facts:

Van Dyke Quilters

The group meets every other Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Van Dyke United Methodist Church, 17030 Lakeshore Road, Lutz. For information, call the church at (813) 968-3983.

[Last modified February 22, 2007, 08:09:08]