Update 03/20/11
I now have a plan
Please click the tab above "Comfort Quilts" to read more
I received a message today from one of my Yahoo groups, which touched my heart. I want to help the people in Japan who have suffered so much in these past few days. I have never done anything like this before, so am not really sure where to start. But I feel I must start somewhere and soon. These people need so much right now, and I believe we have and can give so much right now.
We all know how much comfort a quilt can give to someone in need. As quilters I know many of you donate your time or your quilts to a variety of charitable organizations, whether personally or through your guilds and other groups. Quilters are some of the most generous individuals I know.
When I read this post which was directed to the Yahoo group owner; I felt compelled to act upon it myself beyond the group. I need to do something and I am hoping you will join me.
This morning I received an email from Naomi Ichikawa, Editor of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin Magazine.
Naomi lives in Tokyo and her mother and brother survived the tsunami in Sendai.
Naomi asked me to please spread the word about the plea for comfort quilts.
I hope you can help with this.
best,
Valerie
Here is Naomi's request:
Dear Valerie
It is still bad situation now in Japan.
We are still nervous about shaking and radiation,but no way to escape.
I start to announce to the quilters to send us comfort quilts for the
people who are suffered.I would like to do it to the world quilters.
We will deliver the comfort quilts to the people who are very difficult
situation.
Could you please help to announce it to the quilters?
We accept any size of quilts(baby to adult) quilts must be new!
The deadline would be the end of May or later.
★Send the quilts to:
（until the middle of April）
Naomi Ichikawa,Editor of Patchwork Quilt tsushin
Patchwork Tsushin Co.,Ltd
5-28-3,Hongo,Bunkyo-ku,Tokyo,Japan zip:113-0033
（after the middle of April）
Naomi Ichikawa
Patchwork Tsushin Co.,Ltd
2-21-2,Yushima,Bunkyo-ku,Tokyo,Japan zip:113-0034
I will appreciate if you help me.
Naomi
I want to create and send comfort quilts to Japan. And I need your help. Please contact me with any thoughts or ideas you have on how we can do this. I will need all the help I can get.
Quilts of all sizes are needed. You could contribute in one of the following ways:
- Make a quilt
- Send materials like fabric, thread or batting
- Organize a sewing session to make quilts
- Make a donation to help with shipping costs
Please help me figure this out I have to do something but as I said earlier I have never done anything on such a global scale as this before so I don't know how to get this started. I know how to make quilts, but I want to do more than just send one or two to Valerie to ship off. I want to organize a much larger project with your help.
Hi Chris,
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. I saw a site where people were asked to make a 4" square in the same pattern, any color. They asked for the squares to be sent to one person who would make the quilt.
If you did something like this I would be more than willing to sew the squares together. I do not hand quilt, nor could I afford to take it to a quilt shop. Someone else would need to do that part.
Good luck. I hope this all works out.
Laurie
Palm Bay, FL
What a wonderful project! I'm a beginner quilter and have marked your site and will try to do something!
ReplyDeleteFor shipping ideas, it will be very expensive to pay postal for Japan. There is an Air Force base in Tokyo (Yokota Air Base). You may want to contact the Officer's Spouses Club (Casie Monto is the Secretary. Her email is corresponding.secretary@yahoo.com) or the Enlisted Spouses Club (Tara Sanders is President and her email is president@yokotaesc.com).
You could send the packages of quilts/fabric/batting to their APO or FPO address at U.S. postal rates (far less expensive) and not have to worry about customs charges.
If you contact them letting them know shipping dates, they could possibly arrange dates to get the supplies and quilts to Naomi.
Both of these organizations do a ton of service projects and I'm guessing would be happy to help out, knowing that there are people back here in the States that can work to help if they can just get the quilts to a contact!
Hope that gives you some ideas that you can share with your Yahoo group!
I don't quilt, but I can make fleece blankets and I would love to participate. Do you think they would accept those?
ReplyDeleteAny idea of postage costs to Japan?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas ladies. Keep them coming together we will figure this all out.
ReplyDeleteI have saved this ideas for now and will keep you all posted when I have a plan figured out. (like what it will cost to ship these) and how can we do it as inexpensive as possible.
Keep thinking, and keep sharing!
Hi Chris, Kim M's idea of sending to the Forces address is a good one, if we could organise that and set a day to send quilts over, UK USA and anywhere else who wants to do this too. If fabric these should be made into quilt as you go squares, which would then have to be made up before sending. I don't mind finishing some up for people in UK.
ReplyDeleteI know that QN blog is also posting about this and they are accepting quilts to be sent from them for those in the US and they will forward. Outside the US, I think they are asking you post straight to Naomi.
ReplyDeleteJust an FYI.
http://networkedblogs.com/fA9SP
Hi, in New Zealand I have sent an email to Nagaizumi Friendship Centre ,(Wanganui's Sister City) to see how I can either collect quilts or find a way to send them. Our USAR team has gone over, and if another one goes to give the first team relief time,maybe that could be a way to send them.They would go by a govt Hercules Transport plane I am sure, and maybe the same in all countries that have given help in this way. They need all our help, and love,and support.Our host daughter from 2002 is near Osaka,but felt a shake way down there.So scary she said by email. Can I leave my email in case anyone else wants to contact me? NancyJ
ReplyDeleteIn reply to Jean's comment about leaving your email here you may, but I suggest that you do it like this:
ReplyDeletelearn2quiltonline(at)att(dot)net rather than putting in the actual symbols. This way you email is less likely to be picked up by spammers who search for address on blogs.
Thanks for your great suggestion.
This is terrific. I will try to keep an eye on this site for further updates. Can a quilt be tied? I don't do much machine quilting yet. Where can I take a quilt if/when it's done to be sent? Debby
ReplyDeleteWe are doing a sew-in to make quilts for Japan. I would be happy to share any insights I have after the event. Our newsletter announcement is at http://quiltbug.com/shop/shop-news.htm
ReplyDeleteJust for the record I do not know the shipping costs to Japan as this would vary based on zip codes, and weight. However if you check the page (Comfort Quilts for Japan tap at the top of this page) I have listed several ways to ship your quilts.
ReplyDeleteThere are locations in the USA, which if you use space saver bags (for sending lots of quilts)and put them into the "if it fits it ships" boxes, you can send them in the USA to one of the 2 locations I listed on the page. They will then forward them onto Japan.
There are also now locations for Canada, France, and South Africa I believe. So you have plenty of options.
If none of these work for you, then you can just pay to ship to Naomi directly after end of May and consider the cost of shipping as part of your donation.
Thank you,
Chris