These two colourful patchwork quilts are the first of a set of four made for Down syndrome NSW, by Fairholme Quilters (Pennant Hills). They are floor quilts, to be used on our Baby Days, when we invite Mums of babies born over the previous few months to join us for lunch, and to meet the Parent Support Team, and of course, each other.
Some mothers feel quite ambivalent about such a meeting - wanting to come, but hesitating to meet a group of people with whom the only thing they have in common is that they have a baby with Down syndrome. And they hesitate to place their babies on a strange floor that people are walking all over ...... When we provide the quilts to lay on the floor, the babies are put down to play, and the next thing you know, the Mums are often down on the floor too. They might start by talking about the quilts, and pointing out the colours and prints to their babies - and before you know it, they are talking to each other with a greater ease than they could have imagined.
The quilters generously responded to a request from one of our staff who is a member of the group, by donating fabric, making and donating blocks, by putting the quilts together and donating their time and expertise to quilt them sturdily enough to withstand the rigours of use by our beautiful babies, and the subsequent washing!
Thank you Fairholme - the babies, their Mums and our staff are very grateful for this practical and insightful gift.
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