Patchwork of dreams

Southeast Missourian

By creating and donating quilts based on the artwork of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patients, local quilters have made a child's visit to St. Jude hospital a little less clinical and a bit more like Grandma's house.

After participating in a Hancock Fabrics/St. Jude hospital Quilt of Dreams promotion, quilts made by local residents were recently donated to patients receiving treatment at St. Jude.

From Cape Girardeau, Roberta Janik's quilt, titled "Coloring a Brighter Future," won first place for most original quilt made by a Hancock Fabrics employee in her district. From Marble Hill, Mo., Helen Vandeven's quilt, titled "Patch," won first place for best use of theme for a quilt designed by a Hancock customer in her district.

"I made two quilts, one on a nine-patch pattern and one a snowball design, and I had a bunch of little patches left so I made another one," Vandeven said of her award-winning third effort. "I thought it was a neat idea to make quilts for those kids."

It took Vandeven about a week to make each of her hand-stitched St. Jude quilts; she often quilts in the evenings.

It took Janik a day and a half to machine piece and quilt her St. Jude contribution. Her 8-year-old son Mitchell helped her pick out the crayon print and quilt block patterns she used.

"I did it because it is for the kids, sick children. What better way for someone besides their parents to show them love than by making something especially for them," Janik said.

Hancock Fabrics of Cape GIrardeau covers a large region, from south St. Louis to Poplar Bluff, Mo., and from Springfield, Mo., to well into Kentucky, according to manager Ruth Stewart. Ten to 12 quilts created by several local residents were submitted and donated into the Quilt of Dreams promotion from the Cape Girardeau store.

Hancock's nationwide promotion began in May when the company unveiled 14 new fabric designs based on the artwork of St. Jude patients. These fabrics were sold in Hancock stores across the country with 30 cents of the purchase price per yard going to St. Jude hospital.

After weaving the dreams of St. Jude patients into cloth, Hancock then asked their customers and employees to create quilts using these fabrics. As a result, more than 740 quilts were donated and more than $502,000 raised from across the country.

"It was really an awesome sight at our annual meeting earlier this fall. Quilts were hung ceiling to floor and wall to wall," Stewart said. "It was amazing, the amount of work that went into all those quilts."

Upon receiving the quilts, Hancock judged them for uniqueness and best use of theme. First-place winners were awarded in every Hancock district, and eight quilts were named as national winners.

St. Jude patients in Memphis, as well as patients receiving treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's four domestic affiliates and seven international clinics, will be given the quilts specially made for them.

With the first year so successful, Hancock has already begun capturing new patient dreams and planning for next year's promotion which will begin in May.

Those wanting to view the Quilt of Dreams' national winners can log on to www.hancockfabrics.com. For more information about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, visit www.stjude.org.

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133