The lives of tiny premature babies and their families will be brightened through the efforts of Beaudesert Quilters.
The group filled the meeting room behind the Beaudesert Community Arts and Information Centre for a premmie quilts working bee on 22 February.
In the space of a few hours, 18 women managed to make 102 quilts through donating their time, machines and materials.
The group has a solid ongoing relationship with Beaudesert Hospital, where they donate baby quilts, but this was their first time specifically making quilts for premature babies.
They had the idea through one of their members, Joan Smith.
“A friend of mine knits little caps and things for the premmie babies at Gold Coast University Hospital and she said they’re always after the quilts for the little premmies,” Joan said.
“A lot of them have lots of little tubes and things and when they have visitors, they’ll put a little pretty quilt over the baby. She gave us the sizes of the quilts to make, and we decided to have a working bee. We’ve also made quilts for Beaudesert Hospital.”
President Robyn Vines said there was plenty of love to go around.
“Beaudesert Hospital don’t have premmies in their maternity section, but they might need quilts for in the bassinets or something. Some of the girls have taken fabric home to finish quilts off in their own time,” she said.
“Some of the premmie babies are as small as the palm of your hand, that is just so tiny, and they’ve got so many wires and tubes and things so for there to be a beautiful quilt over the top of that when visitors come it’s not so confronting or emotional to see all the tubes.”
Joan will give the premmie quilts to her friend in March for donating to Gold Coast University Hospital.
Beaudesert Quilters are always after new members and welcome donations of fabric for their community projects.
For more information phone Robyn on 0439 721 325.
