Comfort Quilts for Japan – a post I am seeing all over the web now on a variety of websites and blogs. If you are a quilter or belong to group and want to get involved in sending quilts to Japan, you may find a few issues in getting these quilts into the hands of those who need them. Beyond the expense of international shipping costs, or customs costs there is the fear that they may never get distributed once they do arrive.
I was personally very moved by an email I received which was a call for “Comfort Quilts” by Naomi Ichikawa,Editor of Patchwork Quilt tsushin, in Tokyo. And I felt the need to do something to help. After writing about this in a post on my other blog looking for ideas on how I could get involved. I was concerned about how I could collect and ship quilts overseas. This seemed like an impossible task. But since my initial post I received several comments with suggestions and numerous emails with ideas on what to do. I then put together a permanent page on the blog which will now be dedicated to this cause which I will update as I find new information.
I have included links to trustworthy organizations that if you feel you want to send financial donations to you can. There is also important tips on sending quilts overseas. Please take a minute today and read it.
http://learn2quiltonline.blogspot.com/p/comfort-quilts-help-those-in-need.html
I have also created an article that includes 2 free patterns, tips on what or what not to do when shipping quilts to Japan. It also includes address for 2 donation center in the USA that will handle shipping your quilts for you so you don’t have to deal with the expense of international shipping. If you happen to live close enough there is information for sending them to Naomi Ichikawa,Editor of Patchwork Quilt tsushin who is in Tokyo. Please download this free pdf file and consider helping.
http://www.learn2quiltonline.com/Lessons/Comfort-Quilts-For-Japan.zip
Thank you for your time, and may God bless you and your family.
I saw no patterns in the pdf.
By: Kathy Howard on March 25, 2011
at 6:00 am
Phenomenal project! I also didn’t see patterns in the acrobat file.
the file is zipped. If you save it to your desk top your computer should unzip it for you. There are 3 files. The main document and 2 separate files, 4-patch and strip quilt pattern.
By: Quilt Lover on March 28, 2011
at 12:06 pm
Ladies I just double checked both the link here and the one on the other blog and they both open up with 3 separate files as they should. Not sure why you are missing them.
By: Chris Dahl on March 28, 2011
at 3:46 pm
Hi Chris, it is so great to see so much support going out to those who need it! Just to update your readers from Canada, Northcott is partnering with http://www.quiltsforjapan.ca to arrange shipping for those who wish to donate quilts. Patti Carey has more info on their blog, pattispatchwork.com.
By: Aaron on April 1, 2011
at 4:16 am