Wrap A Smile Quilts

The historian (photojournalist) for the Rotaplast team which recently returned from Uganda has written a wonderful post about Wrap-A-Smile quilts, including a mention of the “T-quilts” made in honor of Terry Hodskins.  Terry was the inspiration behind Wrap-A-Smile, believing that patients would be more  comforted by a handmade quilt than a surgical paper drape.  To date, over 28,000 WAS quilts have been shared around the world. And over 100 quilts were sewn incorporating the letter “T” in memory of Terry. The T-quilts were distributed to a variety of mission locations so it’s always a fun sighting to see them in action! Please enjoy the post from Uganda:  https://rotaplast.org/2024/06/day-6-partnership/ Thinking about Terry and her legacy, I would also like to reshare a tribute to Terry, posted on the Rotaplast site after her passing.  https://rotaplast.org/2020/07/a-tribute-to-terry-hodskins/ The Wrap-A-Smile project  would not continue without the ongoing generous sharing of time and

With great joy, a big shipment of Wrap-A-Smile quilts is now flying off to Rotaplast in San Francisco….OK, probably by truck….ready to be included in the upcoming medical missions. Most of the quilts which Rotaplast had safely tucked away during the pandemic have now been shared with the children they treat, and they are thrilled that our generous quilters are continuing to share this legacy of love with future missions. We have so many people to thank for contributing to this shipment, including the Sunshine Online Quilt Guild which has supported WAS for many years.  Recently they had a Round Robin project where one quilter started the center, then sent it on to another for the next addition. With 4 creative minds (and 8 talented hands) at work, this beauty resulted…..as a gift for Wrap-A-Smile!  Thank you so much to Linda P, Mary T, Charlotte M and Tammy S.  Maybe we will see this one again in a Rotaplast blog someday, when it finds its new owner.  And now for the quilt show: (Please

As I think about all the quilters who have supported Wrap-A-Smile this past year I also think about how interconnected we are.  While WAS was on pause during the pandemic, we partnered with Quilts Beyond Borders to share quilts both locally and abroad.  Now that the Rotaplast medical missions have resumed and we are officially collecting quilts again, we have met many new friends through these collaborations.  Another way we make new connections is through word of mouth (or in our digital lives, through online posts with our virtual friends). Many of our dedicated WAS quilters have found us through the posts of Cathy L at  saneandcrazy.blogspot.com For many years she has been a cheerleader for both WAS and QBB. Today's eye candy is the dozen quilts recently received from Cathy for WAS. Thank you, Cathy! The Sunshine Online Quilt Guild continues to be a great resource for all of us interested in charity quilting.  Ideas are discussed, fabric scraps are shared, motivations are tur

Just home.....and still processing!   What a privilege it was to be part of the Rotaplast mission team to Luxor, Egypt, and to deliver your quilts in person. I have a whole new appreciation for what a special gift these quilts are! There were many wonderful comments from members of the medical team about the value they add to the missions. And of course, big smiles from the patients and their parents. Please enjoy the Rotaplast blog which gives an overview of the mission, and also has a lot of photos with quilts in action: https://rotaplast.org/all/missions/2023/ Using our wonderful translators, I usually delivered the quilts to the patients while they were waiting in a pre-op room, when they were still with their parents.  Using a translator, I explained that "my friends made this quilt for you, to wish you good luck with your surgery.  It is yours to keep, a gift from us."  They responded with big smiles, touching a hand to their heart, or hands clasped in the motion of pra