Mid May I received an email from Linda Ohama, a Vancouver artist/documentary filmmaker, asking if members of our Guild would help her with a project call the “Cloth Letter” Quilt Kids for Kids. This cloth letter was to be given to the young people of the northern Japan earthquake/tsunami region and Linda wanted to present the cloth letter quilt on July 1st Canada Day. We had several members volunteer to help but only two from our Guild actually was able to work on the cloth letter. Sonia Milanez worked with other volunteers for about a week and then took two cloth letters(each approx./ 350 inches by 70 inches) home to finish them up by covering the seams and sewing on loops. Carol Piercy helped Sonia with the finishing touches.
Here are a few words from an email from Linda dated the 3rd of July, 2011:
“When I first opened the cloth letters, the students clapped with such surprise and joy. And when I told them that the paints and brushes and palettes were from high school students from York House in Vancouver, they were in awe and deeply deeply moved. When I show them photos of the Canadian young people who made the cloth letters – they smile and they have tears. When they choose a small gift (stickers, pins, pencils, magnets etc) they are so excited and thoughtful.”
It has been proposed that the Travelling Quilt be hung in the Canadian Embassy Prince Takamado Gallery from October 13 to the end of December.
I wanted to write this little article even though we only had two members directly participate in this project. As a Guild we made such a wonderful and a large contribution to the Quilts for Japan Project and I felt we have not received much feedback although I think the Quilts for Japan website is being updated on a regular basis. So I encourage all those who made a quilt for Japan take a look at the site. I am going to.
We received the following photos from the project:
Betty Clarke
lionsgatequiltersguild.com 