Emerald Valley Quilters guild members serve their community in several ways, including:

       We make many small quilts for children, as well as bed quilts for non-profit agencies. Most of these are distributed by the local "Comforts for Children" organization to Lane County agencies which deal with "at risk" children and adults.
       We donate larger quilts to the Blankets of Love organization, who then gives them to patients in the Johnson Unit of Peace Health.
       We make stuffed toy bears for the Child Advocacy Center where counselors give a bear to each child client. Approximately 1700 bears have been made over the past five years. We also donate the bears to the Relief Nursery, Women's Space, and WIN.
       We make tote bags for Children's Services for children to carry their things in when being moved to foster care.
       We provide staffing for twice-monthly sessions at Looking Glass to teach simple sewing skills to youths in counseling.
       We accept donations of fabrics and make kits which our members then make into quilts, bears, and book bags.

Teddy Bear Picnic

A monthly Saturday afternoon of sewing Teddy Bears for at-risk children. We meet at the EWEB community room on the Second Saturdays of each month from 12:30-5:00pm for sewing and chat. Welcome!

Guidelines for making Comfort Quilts for Children

Comforts for Children is a project organized in Lane County in 1991 to help meet the needs of local "at risk" children by providing them with the comforting gift of a small quilt. We serve ages birth to 17. Membership is open to any group or individual interested in making quilts or contributing time or supplies. Kits are available through the Campbell Senior Center or you can use these guidelines and your own fabric.

Size: Average size is 35"x 44" but may vary up to Bunk size of 82"x 55"

Materials: Prewashed, high thread count, woven cottom. if possible. Cotton/poly woven blends, flannels or other soft wovens are also welcome. Preferred batting is polyester 4 ounce, available in least expensive bulk form. Machine construction is stronger, will stand up to hard wear and tear, so is preferred to hand piecing. Children love bright, happy colors and patterns.

Construction: Any simple patchwork pattern, whole cloth, applique, machine quiltered, or tied. If tied, tie at least every 4 inches. Machine quilt fairly closely for bunk sizes. The construction should be able to withstand frequent machine washings and hard wear and tear.

Problems we've encountered: too few ties, too short ties or too long ties, weak seams, unclipped threads

You are welcome to join us at Campbell Senior Center at 155 High St. in Eugene, Thursdays 10:00 am to 2:00 for work sessions or you may follow the guidelines above and deliver your quilt to Campbell Senior Center or to the Emerald Valley Quilters meetings on the third Wednesday of each month.

Recipient Agencies include: First Way, American Red Cross, Child Advocacy Center, First Place Family Center, Healthy Start, Looking Glass, McKenzie Willamette Hospital, Opportunity Center: Young Parent Program, Sacred Heart Hospital, Safe House, SCAR/Jasper Mountain Home, SCF (formerly CSD), Siuslaw Women's Center, The Child Center, Victim Services Program, Willamette Family Treatment Services, Inc., Womanspace.