Quilts for Little Massingham

A few months back members of the Friends of St Andrews Church in Little Massingham, Norfolk, approached Quilts for Care Leavers to ask if we were willing to help them raising funds to carry out repairs to their roof and the Quilts for Little Massingham project was born. St Andrew’s Church has a connection to a famous set of bed hangings, exhibited in Norwich Museum. The Brereton bed hangings were made by Anna Margaretta Brereton: her son, Charles, became rector of St Andrew’s Church in 1820, followed by his son and grandsons and these have helped to inspire the idea for project.

Quilts for Care Leavers will work with as many local quilters as possible to make a huge hug to wrap around the church, made up of Q4-sized quilt tops, which will then be finished, exhibited in the church, and ultimately gifted to our young care leavers and we would also like you to join us wherever you are!

Just like our monthly blocks Q4 will back the quilts and our long arm team will work together to quilt them. We are asking quilters, wherever you may be, to help us make the tops, or contribute blocks in any pattern to a top: they will be light enough that once joined, they can be draped around the circumference of the church to both highlight its plight and raise awareness of the Quilts for Care Leavers project. If at all possible we are suggesting the patchwork is made from good quality, quilting weight, repurposed cotton fabric, e.g. old dresses, blouses and skirts (no furnishing weight fabric).

This is not a quick project, at least fifty 72” long quilt tops will be needed to hug the church. The making has started, and the first of several sew days has been arranged in Great Massingham for 4th November. We’d love for you to join us and to come and see the church !! It is proposed that there be a memory book, where donors will be invited to record their comments about a special person for whom they would like to sponsor a hug or blocks to be made for. Photographs can/will be added.

For more information and to let us know if you can help, please email: giveahug@fosalm.org