Dear quilting friends and supporters,
Happy New Year! We at the Covid-19 HOPE Quilt Project wanted to express our sincerest gratitude for your ongoing interest and support. Your contributions of blocks, stories, and encouragement continue to fuel our mission of honoring unsung frontline workers and remembering those impacted by the pandemic.
Looking Back with Gratitude:
Houston Show: Kudos to Priscilla, Jeanne, Lita, Leola and Holley and Kim and Karen whose beautiful textile art made our booth stunning and possible. Thanks to the artists and painters across America who included their artwork in the collection. Priscilla, Holley, and Lita taught children and adults sew blocks with the new Bernina Bernette machine that was inspiring.
Stories of Heroism: Your stories of frontline workers putting others first resonate deeply. They serve as constant reminders of the sacrifices made and the heroes who continue to carry the burdens of this crisis and those of the future.
Please remember to thank your delivery persons, medical professionals, grocery store workers, essential workers and others who risked their lives for others who are forever impacted by the pandemic.
The Quilts Come Alive: Seeing the HOPE quilts displayed in Loudoun County, Virginia, for months and receiving recognition from the mayor was truly humbling.
For the second year our sponsor Mancuso brought and displayed a dozen quilts in large convention centers from the mid-Atlantic to the pacific. I was honored to meet their organizer at the end of the journey at the beautiful Santa Clara convention center. Their journey across the country, touching thousands of hearts from coast to coast, is a testament to the unifying power of art.
Our Letters of HOPE sculpture at the Inova Schar hospital created by their patient, families and medical staff and their powerful stories continue to inspire and encourage patients and families impacted by cancer.
A Call to Action: Quilt Your Own Community's Heroes:
In 2024, we invite you to take the project one step further: create a quilt honoring your own local heroes. These could be your hospital staff, EMTs, delivery personnel, or any unsung hero who makes a difference in your community.
As founder I offers to paint honor and memorial portraits for our online gallery and will make fabric copies of those to include in your own local community quilts. The quilts will be added to our Covid-19 HOPE Quilt national memorial collection virtual gallery. Take inspiration from Lita, Holly, and Leola and their talented artist Sheriff from Cumberland, Maryland, who led their community to create three beautiful HOPE quilts amidst one of the state's highest Covid rates.
Joining the Movement:
Here are ways to amplify the message of HOPE:
Simple drawings: Engage your families and children in creating artistic tributes to your local heroes. Share them on social media using #HOPEQuiltMovement.
Support Mobile Hope: We're partnering with this non-profit to provide sewing machines and skills training to homeless and at-risk youths.
Letters of Hope Sculpture: Stay tuned to see the spring project transformation project transforming our donated Letters of HOPE sculpture as Kayle Boyle and their youths cover it with murals of resilience and hope.
Hope Pillows: Our goal this year is to use the Bernina Bernette donated machines to teach Mobile Hope clients to make their own "Hope Pillows” working with quilting volunteers – tangible reminders of their dreams and goals.
Let's Keep the HOPE Alive:
We're excited to bring the HOPE Quilt collection to new areas. If you'd like to host the exhibit in your town, please reach out to us. Remember, you can also contact us for portraits and support in creating your own community quilt.
Together, we can stitch a brighter future filled with appreciation, remembrance, and enduring hope.
With heartfelt thanks,
Diane Canney and Phyllis Liedtke (Diane’s mother who continues to help at age 98)
The Covid-19 HOPE Quilt Team