How You Can Help

Address for Layers of Hope:
Jean Kester P.O. Box 1251 Rochester, WA  98579


Many of you want to know what size to send and unless there is a specific request for twin, full, queen, infant, I am always saying larger than lap sized so this may help a bit:

• Baby or infant around 36" x 36" can be as large as 40" x 40"
• Adult sized Between 48" & 55" wide to 60" & 72" long. Remember some adults are over 6' tall.

** I need a bit more coverage than my husband who is 6' and weighs only 135# and my friend who is 6'2" and very tall needs more than I do.  So lets give them some extra to really cozy up in.**

Fabrics can be anything that can be machine washable, is very durable and will stand the test of time forever! The backs can be cotton, flannel, fleece or a combination and they can be one piece or pieced. Just no itchy scratchy fabrics such as wool, burlap, no thin fabrics like sateen's or heavily laced fabrics. **I do ask if you have pets or are a smoker that you wash it with a Color Catcher prior to sending it out for the sake of health reasons.**

Batting?  Use what you like! I like low loft batting by Warm Company but I will use a polyester high loft as well. It is your preference and if you send me a quilt, I am not picky. I even like the Bamboo batting though it is a bit on the expensive side!

Patterns? Wow!  The sky is the limit here, make what you are comfortable making. Strips, squares, rectangles, fancy, plain, I am not limiting anyone's creativity however, if you are making a quilt with a male fabric, do not add a fabric with flowers or frills and likewise if it is a fabric for a female in mind, don't add trucks, cars or other male fabrics unless we have a request for those.

Quilting - You can hand tie it, hand quilt it, FMQ, long arm quilt, what works for you to get the quilt completed is great.  I do hand tie larger heavier quilts because I do not have a long arm.

Labels - Some of you don't label but if you are sending a quilt out directly to a recipient I would like you to label it with the minimum of the date it was made and Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 on it.
More preferable would be:

• Date
• To - Name of recipient
• Who pieced it i.e. Bo Peep WI
• Who did the quilting i.e. Mary Lamb NY**if this is one and the same put quilted by your name and state. I usually put collaboration quilt by: piecer and quilter**
• Add Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 on the label or 911 Cares in WI but please note this organization

**If you are mailing me the quilt to finish or to put on the shelf for when the need arises..attatch this information to a tag on the quilt with a safety pin & I promise when it is picked off the shelf,your name will go on a label for it! (AT THIS TIME, I CANNOT TAKE IN QUILTS TO FINISH AS MY FAMILY IS LIVING IN A 5TH WHEEL SO I HAVE NO ROOM, THANK YOU FOR BEING UNDERSTANDING AND PATIENT)
 
Please DO NOT include any advertising for your business, religious pamphlets, political advertising, etc. as that is not appropriate for the receiver.  While I operate this by faith, my believes may not be the same as yours so while we can pray over the quilts as we make them, send them our wishes and prayers, lets not send them our opinions!

I include a hand written card with each quilt and a short note and end it with 911 Cares in (your city and state).

Please send me a picture of the quilt when it is completely done and when it is going into the box so I can post it onto our Facebook page and Pinterest page.

It must be sent with a tracking # and the number forwarded to me as we have had several incidents where packages were returned to sender after arriving at their destination and I need to contact the recipient when this happens. **Sending it to me does NOT require a tracking number.**

After having one of my packages leave Toronto 12/11 heading for my home in Washington and going to Chicago for routing, then wind up in Miami and go out for actual delivery in Miami when it was clearly marked for Washington and take 23 days to finally arrive, placing tracking on it ensures we have a story if it goes back or the recipient never receives it.

Can you send other things? Of course you can, do what your heart leads. A card of encouragement for one going through illness or loss, a small care package for a flood or disaster victim and perhaps candy, snacks or coloring books and crayons for the dispatch center that is going through a tragedy!  

Be creative, have fun and make them forget their pain for just a little while!

Can't quilt?  I accept fabric, thread, batting and of course cash or even gift cards that can be used to pay for postage which is our second largest cost and you can adopt a quilt which means you would agree to pay for the fabric, batting, thread, quilting and postage.  If you adopt a quilt you agree to send a check in the amount you feel it cost to make plus postage. (ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE NOTE, I CANNOT DO THIS DUE TO SPACE CONSTRAINTS)




Questions? Email me, I will answer all questions! 
compassionatequilter at rocket mail dot com...put Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 in your header!