Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time by Ruth McHaney Danner

Know any quilters? My step-mother is one and she is quite good at it. She has won several awards at quilt shows across the country. But she doesn’t just quilt for show. She makes Quilts of Valor that are given to disabled veterans, and Storybook Quilts that are given to children in the cancer ward at the local Children’s Hospital.

Ruth McHaney Danner has written a book, Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time: Inspiring Stories about Quilters and How They Have Touched Lives, and as soon as I thought of it, I immediately thought of my step-mother. I learned, through this book, that generosity among quilters is quite common. Avid quilters quilt so much, they have no choice but to give away most of their creations because, well, they would need a bigger a house to hold them all!

Quilts exemplify precious things: comfort through the warmth they provide; community, since they are often created by groups; and love, given the time and effort they require. With this in mind, legions of kindhearted quilters all over the world choose to donate their labors of love to people in need. Ruth McHaney Danner has gathered fifty-four heartwarming stories of quilters who make their compassion tangible one stitch, square, and quilt at a time. Each story introduces a quilter or group of quilters, ranging from a blind woman in Texas to preschoolers in Australia. Their gifts have the power to make recipients feel cherished and supported, even though they may never meet face-to-face. These wonderfully inspiring stories show that every quilter who has ever wondered, “But what can I do?” can do something to reach out and help others.

Ruth McHaney Danner, has written extensively for various publications. She has made dozens of quilts for charitable organizations and for individuals in need, and many of her projects have won awards. Her sewing room in Spokane, Washington, overflows with stacks of fabric, bags of scraps, and an endless supply of UFOs (unfinished objects). She answered a few questions about her quilting and her new book.

In researching this book, what did you see as the greatest joy in donating quilts to others?

I can’t speak for all quilters who donate, but I know how I feel when I make a quilt for a charitable organization or an individual in need. From the start—purchasing the fabric or gathering up my stash, drafting the pattern and cutting out the pieces, sewing and pressing and adding a border—I constantly think of the person who will receive this quilt. Maybe it’s a child with cancer, whose first name I know. Maybe it’s a child I’ll never meet, who’s recovering from cleft-palate surgery in another country. Maybe it’s a young mother in a remote village, selling potatoes in the market. I think of that person, pray for him or her, and think of how this quilt will impact a life—or many lives. Before sending off the quilt, I take a photo of it. Occasionally I look back at those photos and smile, knowing that my simple efforts can really make a difference.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading your book?

I want them to read the last page, close the book and get to work! I want them to choose a project that interests them, a cause they can believe in, a charity that tugs at their hearts. Then, I want them to set a goal—a measurable, feasible goal. Put it on their calendars! Can they make a simple quilt for a neonatal unit by the end of next month? Can they find a group within the next two weeks and join others in making quilts for a cause? When their next paycheck arrives, can they donate money to a charity that uses quilts to make the world a better place for someone in need?

I want readers to find a way to give of themselves to help others. If they do, then my book will have been a success!

Tell about your most memorable experience when donating a quilt to charity.

A couple of years ago I got a call from the director of our guild’s Chemo Quilt project. She asked me to make a quilt for a boy named Giovanni, undergoing cancer treatments in the local hospital. The boy had requested certain team sports logos, along with Garfield-themed fabric. I had one month to make the quilt. I had to scramble to find the sports logos, because his favorite team was not local. Furthermore, the Garfield fabric was nowhere to be found—except online from an overseas company. I ordered both fabrics and worked quickly, piecing a simple triangle pattern. Then I took it to the machine-quilter for a rush job. She did the work in a day, and I added binding and took the quilt back to the Chemo coordinator. About two weeks later, I received a beautiful note, printed in large block letters, from young Giovanni himself, thanking me for the quilt—especially for including the sports and Garfield fabrics he loved. With the note was a photo of the boy, in a hospital bed, hooked to IVs and covered with the quilt. I keep that note and photo to remind me that one quilt can impact the recipient as well as the quilt maker.

Are you a quilter that wants to use your quilting for good but don’t know how? Danner offers this advice:

Keep your eyes open! There are needs everywhere. But before you donate, check with the recipient. Certain charities accept only certain kinds of quilts, while others are happy with any materials made with a variety of methods. If quilters want to get involved, they might ask about charities at a local quilt shop. Of course, interested persons can also use their computer’s search engine to find quilt charities around the world. My best advice is to choose a charity you care about. Your quilted donation will be a real labor of love!

Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time: Inspiring Stories about Quilters and How They Have Touched Lives is available to purchase from Amazon.

If you have a quilter on your Christmas list, you might consider this book for them! It kind of reminds me of a Chicken Soup for the Soul book with it’s short, inspiring stories – just for quilters! I’m happy to include Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time: Inspiring Stories about Quilters and How They Have Touched Lives in my Holiday Gift Guide for this year. Many thanks to Mrs. Danner and her publishing company to provide me with a copy of her book to read and review!

Don’t know what to get? Check out the Holiday Gift Guide for ideas!