Making a difference with cupcakes!

Every quilt I make has some kind of a story.  Some of the stories are simple - I loved the fabric and wanted to make something out of it.  Some of the stories are more intricate, and reach beyond my sewing room into another person's story.  This is one of those quilts.  It's not a complicated quilt, but it is a quilt that is a masterpiece to those that it touches.  It is a happy and colorful quilt that was created by a community - my skills were simply those that brought it all together in the end.  All the beauty of this quilt is from the people who contributed their love.

I started on the path to making this quilt earlier this summer.  I got a custom request in my Etsy shop from a mom who wanted a quilt and a couple of pillowcases made for her daughter.  It would be used on a hospital bed for her little girl who was on hospice care.  

My heart hurt when I read that and I just had to take on the request - Maria (the mom) had some cute fabric picked out with cupcakes, so I ordered it and got the project finished for her as quickly as I could.  I didn't want to be nosy and ask for the whole story about her daughter, so I just made the quilt as requested, and when she asked if I could donate a baby quilt for the fundraiser she was planning I was happy to use the leftover fabric to do that for her.

Then Maria came up with the idea of sending fabric squares to be colored, then sewn together for another quilt.  It sounded like a great idea, so I jumped on board with the plan and cut out 100 squares to be used for the project.  I still didn't really know the whole story about Maria's daughter, but I know I was doing something to help and it felt really good to be a part of that.

After the fundraiser, the colored squares came back to me to be sewn together.  Her friend Julia also sent me the logo for their foundations and asked if I could add that to the quilt.  This whas when I I learned about the Calliope Joy Foundation.  I read about a family that has seen more heartbreak than I can fathom.  About a sweet little girl that is so loved by her family and community.  About a mom that is dealing with something that most of us cannot imagine and is finding the strength to not only go on each day, but is also determined to do something to help other families and children.

As I cut all the sashing and sewed the squares together I smiled as I saw each block.  How carefully the children colored and printed their names.  The bright and colorful colors are so happy, this quilt cannot help but make you smile when you look at it.  I added a few pictures of Cal and her beautiful smile as well - because this quilt really is all about her!

Taken separately, each square is lovely in itself.  But all together it is more.  It speaks of joy, of love, of community.  Read here to see what 5000 cupcakes, 1000 people and One Cause look like.  And read here to see What Cupcakes Can Do.  You can see that every small donation matters, because it all adds up to something more.  We can help.  I hope that some of you will choose to make a donation to this cause, because it can make such a big difference in what the future holds for children with these neurological diseases.  

I am so glad I had the opportunity to work with Maria, to help bring some joy and beauty into her family's life.  Quilts can be such a comfort, and that's just one of the reasons that I love creating them!