ix thousand and eighty-two quilts made and the quilters are going strong.

Since 2007 Quilts for Kids, Pocono chapter in Albrightsville has been making quilts for adults and children and donating the quilts to area hospitals, hospices, Janet Weis Children’s Hospital Geisinger, and cancer patients and local nursing homes.

“The Quilts for Kids, Pocono chapter would love to have some new members in the group and we will even give you a kit to start with so that you don’t have to do any cutting. Every thing you need to piece the top together and to assemble the quilt is in the kit,” said Marie Schreiver, who lives in Albrightsville.

She has been the head of the Pocono Chapter since 2007 when the original leader of the chapter moved away.

When asked why she became a quilter, Schreiver, who lives in Carbon County laughed and said, “We moved here in September 2005 to be by our daughter and grandson but I didn’t know anyone and I was going crazy being in the house all day.”

Then she saw an ad for quilting classes at the Country Quilterie in Effort and decided to sign up. “After only two lessons I was hooked,” she said.

More than just quilting

Marianne Bridges of East Stroudsburg is an avid quilter and works with several groups.

However, she said, “The Pocono Chapter of Quilts for Kids is one of my favorites. We all get along and try to help each other out.”

It must be true because there is lots of kidding and laughing while they work on the quilts at the Loder Building in East Stroudsburg. Members in the Pocono Chapter meet at 9 a.m. to sew quilts, go through the fabric and carefully chose what colors and patterns will make each quilt unique. Most of the original 2007 members still participate and seem to share a special bond.

Last Sunday, the group got together at Bailey’s in Mount Pocono for a luncheon and to raffle off a quilt to one of the members.

The Pocono Chapter has several faithful quilters who live in other states, but have a second home in the Poconos. They either mail the quilts to Schreiver or drop them off when they come to town.

Ann Marie Lambert of Albrightsville quilts at an open sew from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday at the old Eldred School and anyone is welcome to come. The women donate the quilts to the Pocono Chapter of Quilts for Kids.

Donations

Because the Quilts for Kids is a nonprofit, Schreiver said they appreciate donations of cotton material, a gift card from Joann Fabrics, or a check to Quilts for kids, in care of Marie 6 Talbot Lane, Albrightsville PA 18210.

Call 570-234-6510 if you want to drop off donations, or if you are interested in joining the Pocono Chapter.

Quilts for Kids history

The organization was founded by Linda Arye of Fairless Hills. While placing an order for a client at the Philadelphia Design Center, she noticed numerous industrial size trash bags filled with discontinued fabric. She asked them not to throw away the fabric because she was somehow going to figure a way to bring it home.

“All I could think about is the waste of the fabric and I remembered the time my daughter, Mollie was hospitalized and not allowed to have her bear-bear to hold onto. If she had been able to have a quilt that could be washed often it would have made the experience less frightening,”she said.

These thoughts were the catalyst for Quilts for Kids, which began in 2007.

Coming up

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 the Pocono Chapter will be at the East Stroudsburg Pickle Fest and will be at the Loder Building participating in a craft show. They will be selling autumn-themed table runners The money will go to purchasing fabric to make more quilts.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 they are having a quiltathon at the American Legion Post 413, 248 Old 940, Pocono Pines. If you would like to come help at the event all you need to bring is your willingness and a sewing machine.

All quilters are welcome.