Quilters Gather to Make Quilts for a Good Cause in Lexington

Lexington, KY. – An inspiring group of women have been meeting with a compassionate aim: to craft beautiful quilts for children in need. The event was organized as part of the Quilts Across America initiative in Lexington, Sunday, March 17.

Quilts for Children in Need

The central figure leading this initiative, Toni Raynolds, runs a local quilting store known as Pierced Perfection, while also practicing as a Studio 180 Design certified instructor. Regular classes are held at her store to teach willing enthusiasts how to leverage Studio 180 Design tools and technique sheets. Raynolds brilliantly fuses her passion for quilting with an admirable cause, teaming up with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP).

Building Beds and Offering Comfort

SHP is a commendable organization, whose volunteers tenaciously work towards the mission of building beds for children in need. In America, around 2-3% of children find themselves without beds, an alarming statistic asserted by SHP. Since Raynolds and SHP’s chapter in Richmond linked up, they have operated with the goal of pairing every newly built bed with a lovingly made quilt.

Dedicated Quilters and Pure Intentions

Sunday’s event marked the inaugural Quilts Across America gathering, where Raynolds showcased the correct approach to pattern-making for newcomers. Among the attendees was Cindy Thornsberry, a novice quilter eager to contribute to the cause.

“These quilts will go along with those beds as that comforter on top of the mattress for the kids to sleep in,” commented Thornsberry, the co-president of SHP’s Richmond chapter.

Raynolds, a six-year veteran of quilting, initially began with charity quilting and expressed her joy at returning to the purpose of helping others with her skills. “When somebody makes something by hand, it really means something,” said Raynolds. “It sends a message: ‘Somebody cares about me.’”

Advancing the Effort

In a bid to produce even more quilts for children in the future, Raynolds expressed her hopes to organize one quilt-making event per month. She is currently exploring potential spaces to consistently host these charitable get-togethers.

The efforts of these charitable quilters serve as a heartening testament to the community spirit within Lexington and a testament to the kindness found within the human spirit.