Please join us for a cuppa and a chat at our informal coffee morning on Monday February 17, from 10am at Stickybeaks Playground Cafe, Kings Park. Everyone welcome!
This is an opportunity to get together to connect and chat about high-risk pregnancy, bedrest, the neonatal unit and the challenges our 'tiny sparks' face when growing up.
Our Crafty Creators are also more than welcome to come along and drop off any of their wonderful creations.
Christmas 2019
Spending any special occasion in hospital is extremely challenging for families. This Christmas thanks to our incredible Crafty Creators we have once again been able to gift a keepsake item to every baby in Western Australia, in a Neonatal Unit or Special Care Nursery Bed on Christmas morning. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our friends at Foote & Flame each baby also received a beautiful Christmas tree ornament to commemorate their 1st Christmas. We know these items mean so much to the recipient families and are treasured for many years to come.
Foote & Flame have generously supported Tiny Sparks WA at Christmas for many years and we would encourage you think of them first if you are in need of a cake topper, or personalised gift.
This is just a very small selection of the amazing quilted donations that we received.
Christmas Quilt Drive 2019
Our Crafty Creators make a big impact at Christmas time with quilts and stockings being donated as keepsake items for families who spend Christmas Day in a Neonatal Unit in Western Australia. The quilts and stockings are treasured for many years to come!
Last year there was overwhelming support for this project. We work closely with recipient hospitals to ensure they receive what they need at Christmas time, to support their families in the best way possible. It is therefore important that your donation comes through us for co-ordinated distribution.
This year we are hoping to receive 100 Christmas Stockings and 140 Christmas Quilts. You will find instructions for these items below. Please read right to the end to cover all of the instructions and FAQs from past years.
Christmas Quilted Stockings
We are grateful to Amy Smart who blogs at Dairy of a Quilter for providing permission for us to use her 'Easy Quilted Stocking Tutorial'. You can find the instructions to make your Christmas Quilted Stocking here.
Christmas Quilts for Tiny Sparks WA
This pattern was kindly designed by Jill of Patchwork Place in Albany. You can download the instructions here, or find them below.
Size 16" x 24"
Or
41 cm x 61 cm
Requirements
Piece backing approx. 18" x 26" (45cm x 65 cm) - white or cream
Piece 100% cotton light weight batting/wadding same size as backing piece.
Small amounts of Christmas coloured fabrics.
Suggestions
Any basic 4" or 8" block pattern
No borders.
Keep blocks simple.
Avoid using yellow or gold.
Use conventional quilt binding or a commercial satin or pre-made binding or finish by “bagging” then turning through to right side. Top stitch around edge if using last method.
100% cotton fabrics (though not essential) are easier to work with.
A - Basic 4" Block - Total of 24 squares cut 4 ½" x 4 ½ " in Christmas colours
Arrange design into 6 rows of 4
Join together into rows with ¼ " seam.
Press seams in row 1 to the right, in row 2 to the left, row 3 to the right etc
Join the rows together.
Basic 4" Block - 2 alternative designs
B - Basic 8" Block - Cut 6 squares 8 ½" x 8 ½ "in at least 2 Christmas colours.
Sew into 3 rows of 2.
Press seams in alternating directions then join rows together.
Basic 8" Block
Finishing Quilts
Finished Quilt created by Jill of Patchwork Place, Albany
Lay the backing right sides down, place the wadding on top and finally the pieced top right sides up. Pin together and quilt.
Prepare binding by joining the 2 bits end to end with a mitred (angled) seam.
Press in half lengthways. Sew onto the right side of the quilt having ALL raw edges level. Mitre the corners as you sew.
Trim off the excess from the edges.
Handstitch the folded edge of binding over onto the back of the quilt.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many items will you need? - We will need 100 quilted stockings and 140 quilts to mail out across 20 neonatal units state wide so that every baby in a neonatal unit on Christmas Day receives a gift.
Can I deviate from the instructions/patterns/specifications? – No, we ask that you follow the instructions carefully. They have been set out for a reason. The hospitals have very specific guidelines about what can be around the babies in the NICU and SCN. In particular please ensure the backing for your quilt is white or cream.
What material should I use? – Quilting fabric, 100% cotton (or very close please). No flannel.
Should I prewash the material? – Either way is fine please.
What cotton should I use? - Cotton or poly/cotton blend is fine.
What designs can the material have? – Anything that is in the Christmas spirit, please make sure the design is child appropriate. The backing for your quilt must be white or cream.
Can I add a personal touch to the stocking? – Yes! Embroidery and applique is fine.
Can I add my name, sewing tag to the stocking/quilt? – Yes, we just ask that you keep it small.
Can I contact you to make some other arrangements? Given the volume of donations we handle we cannot make individual arrangements, sorry.
Will I get a personalised response about my donation? We will attempt to acknowledge all donations sent in, although we are only able to do so if you provide us with your name and email address clearly written inside your package. We are unable to mail a response due to limited resources. Please allow for up to a month for us to acknowledge any items posted or hand delivered.
How many stockings/quilts can I make? – We would prefer that each person make no more than 10 items each.
What else can I sew for you? – We need sewers and knitters all year round. If you’d like to help further, please see the details here.
Can I just drop my donation off directly to a hospital? - No, please do not drop your donation off at a hospital. We take a co-ordinated approach to ensure the needs of each hospital are met.
When and how can I get my donation to you?
We require all donations by Friday December 6, 2019. This will enable us time to sort and send out donations state wide in advance of the Christmas postal rush. Any donations received after this time will be put aside for next year.
You can post your Christmas items to us at:
Tiny Sparks WA, PO Box 1114, West Leederville WA 6901
Please include your name and an e-mail address inside your parcel.Can you collect my quilt when I am finished? - No, we are a small team of volunteers and unable to collect your donation.
I don't want to mail my donation, how can i get it to you? - Please e-mail admin@tinysparkswa.org.au for metropolitan drop off locations, alternatively you are welcome to come along to our Neonatal November event and leave your donation with us there.
If you have a question that has not been answered above, please email us at admin@tinysparkswa.org.au We will do our best to respond as quickly as we can. Please keep in mind that we are all volunteers and this is a large project to manage so it may take a few days for us to get back to you.
We are so very grateful for your support and thank you for your time and energy in helping us to make Christmas in the Neonatal Unit a special time for our families.
World Prematurity Day 2019
November 17 is World Prematurity Day and around the globe people will be marking the occasion by coming together to recognise the 15 million babies born to soon. We invite you all to attend our FREE Family Fun Day which will be held at Bardon Park, Maylands. Thanks to the generosity of the City of Bayswater we have a wonderful day of fun planned from 10am to 2pm, with special guests Elsa and Wonder Woman, face painting, food trucks, coffee van, kids games, bouncy castle, petting zoo, raffle and more.
Bring your family and friends as everyone is welcome. This is a day for the entire community to come together to connect and raise awareness. Whilst prematurity is the leading cause of Neonatal Unit admission it isn’t the only reason a newborn might be admitted. Many full term but sick babies are admitted too.
There is plenty of shade so bring a picnic rug and make yourself comfortable. Food can be purchased from the onsite food trucks or you are welcome to BYO picnic. Parking is a breeze with plenty of bays available. We can think of no better way to spend a Sunday and can’t wait to see you there!
Feel free to RSVP through our Facebook event page. You are also welcome to download our poster to share via your social media, or to print and put up in your work place or on a local notice board. We appreciate your support!
Father’s Day 2019
Today we celebrate Father’s Day and recognise all those Dad’s and Father Figures who…
are currently watching their baby in the Neonatal Unit
are anxiously waiting for their little one to arrive
only have memories of their baby in their heart
provide and care for their families
get up early for their children’t sport
receive phone calls from their ‘big babies’ who have grown up
Happy Father’s Day to all of you!
For our current Neonatal Unit Dad’s all over this great state of Western Australia, we have provided a small gift today. To let you know that we are thinking of you and whilst this day might not be playing out the way you had planned we hope this brings a little cheer during this extremely difficult time.
If you are a Dad or Father Figure looking for some extra support we would welcome you to join our Facebook Group specifically for Dad’s here https://www.facebook.com/groups/TSWAdadsupport
