Mission Quilts and Kits for Lutheran World Relief

         Every year Lutherans across the U.S. sew quilts and assemble kits of supplies that LWR sends to partners around the world that request them to meet the needs of people affected by poverty and disaster.

       Mission Quilts were one of the earliest forms of aid that Lutherans sent through LWR to reach out to people in other parts of the world. In 2016, LWR sent $14 million worth of quilts and kits to more than 576,000 people in 21 different countries.

• Get instructions for the making of quilts for Lutheran World Relief

      There are five kinds of LWR Kits:

1. LWR Personal Care Kits contain items like toothbrushes, wash cloths, and soap, intended to help a person or family maintain hygiene practices. 
2. LWR School Kits contain notebooks, pencils, erasers, a backpack, and other items to use for students to attend school. 
3. LWR Baby Care Kits contain T-shirts, cloth diapers, and other items to care for a baby. 
4. LWR Fabric Kits contain fabric, thread, and needles so that people can learn to sew, potentially to earn an income.
5. Covid 19 Defense Kits contain items like face masks, essential hygiene items and self care supplies.

       In 2013, LWR joined the United Nations Humanitarian Resource Depot, which allowed it to pre-position quilts and kits in depots across the world for rapid deployment after an emergency.

Add A Few Porcelain Geese to Your Easter Eggs!

China geese laying enormous eggs!

Crazy quilt Easter eggs.

      I made these eggs many years ago when my girls were quite small. It seems as though I frequently have too many "knick-knacks" cluttering up my drawers and toy boxes! Consequently, I am always looking for a way to recycle this stuff. These little china geese dressed in their Easter splendor seemed an obvious choice for decorating eggs. On many occasions I have hollowed out the eggs to create small vignettes with similar china pieces. However, this time I thought they would look endearing as new parents. Their eggs most have been switched out by some deviant hen because these eggs are far too much for the geese to keep warm! 

      You will need too hollow out two ordinary chicken eggs for this Easter egg craft and also purchase a couple of tiny nests to hot glue to the bottom of each egg. I added a little dry moss beneath the rumps of the geese  and also between the nests and the smooth surface of the eggs in order for the hot glue to adhere to both surfaces firmly.

      This type of egg craft could be treated quite playfully depending upon the characters you happen to have on hand. 

       If you are a former quilter like me, you may also have too many scraps of lace, ribbon and embroidery floss tossed inside of an old drawer or in a basket full of all kinds of trim. These crazy quilt versions of eggs were cut from an old quilt no longer in use and stuffed with batting until they resembled Easter eggs. Additional lace and ribbon was then sewn onto the rough seams and a embroidery blanket stitch sewn around the new outside seams to decorate the quilted eggs even more. Well, they don't call crazy quilts crazy for no reason! Add a ribbon for hanging and you've found a new reason to recycle more sewing clutter!

• How to host a Mother Goose Party - adorable designs and ideas from the 1950s, very vintage!
• Visit the Nursery Rhymes & Lullabies Coloring Index at The Crayon Palace for Kids!
• Little ones can watch the Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck by Beatrix Potter
• Coloring page of Hosea 1:7

Easter by Ruth Metcalf
The birds give you greeting.
The butterflies too,
Put on winged beauty,
Sweet child for you.