We were all so shocked and saddened when the tragic accident occurred in Saskatchewan on 6th April when a bus transporting the Humboldt Bronco’s to a game was involved in a horrific accident with many fatalities. Haus of Stitches is one of our valued Janome and Elna dealers situated in the town of Humboldt…..about 75 mins east of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Very quickly, people started making blocks, quilt tops and quilting comfort quilts for the injured, the bereaved families and friends, Bronco’s staff and supporters; RCMP members, Paramedics, Doctors, nurses and many, many more. So many lives were affected by this tragedy.  Support has poured in from all over Canada and beyond. It is hard to believe that there will be more than 3000 quilts made by the time everyone has received their quilts! Over 2000 quilts have already been distributed and gratefully received by people affected by this tragic accident.

Virtually all the quilts have been made using the green, black and gold/yellow colours of the Humboldt Bronco’s team. I am currently teaching at the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference in Muenster (about 10 minutes from Humboldt). Boxes of quilts needing to be sandwiched, quilted or binding added are stacked literally everywhere.  The classroom at the store is piled high with boxes and is a hive of activity. They also have loads of completed quilts at storage facility awaiting distribution. The local Post Office long since told Wendy Toye (owner of Haus of Stitches), not to expect notification of parcel cards – there were just too many. She was asked to just drive her vehicle up to the back door of the Post office every day and they would load it up with all the packages! Just yesterday, another huge box of quilt blocks arrived and a team of people attending the Saskatchewan Sticthes Conference immediately started sorting these to be sewed up into quilt tops to then be sandwiched, quilted and bound.

Just one of the many boxes with quilts done and ready for distribution

There are piles stacked on every available surface!

This is an awesome and inspiring charitable endeavour by this vibrant and bustling store in rural Saskatchewan. Wendy and her staff could not do this without the help of literally  hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who are quilting on a daily basis to get the next 1000 quilts done and handed over to people affected by the tragedy. I have already  “motored” through at least 7 quilts since I arrived earlier this week using the Acufeed Flex walking foot on the Janome Mc15000!  Ditch quilting seemed to be one of the quickest ways to get these ready for binding to be added using the Janome Quilt Binder set.  I have no doubt I will be given more quilts to complete before my stay here in Saskatchewan is over. In fact, I have already been given a big box to quilt on our Quilt Maker Pro 18 longarm back in the office in Vancouver.

Here is one quilt on the QMP18 at Haus of Stitches being put through its paces to quilt up a storm! We just had an evening at the store to show customers the AQSD16 and the QMP18 and we used a Bronco’s quilt as our demo fabric! It will be completed in short order by enthusiastic store staff to be added to the “out- going” piles!

How can you help? If you would like to quilt and bind quilts, Wendy and her team would be so happy for your help. Wendy assures us that ALL completed quilts will be given to people affected by this tragedy – every last one will be passed on as a big gesture of support and comfort. Please contact her at Haus of Stitches, Humboldt, Saskatchewan. Contact details may be found on this link.  If you are not in a position to do this quilting and binding, but would like to contribute in another way, this would also be very appreciated:  Haus of Stitches will gratefully accept monetary donations to continue purchasing batting;backing fabric and thread to complete all the quilt tops which have poured in.

They also wish to thank everyone who has been so generous with their time and support so far. It certainly is amazing how people from all over Canada, the USA and beyond have come together to contribute to these quilts. Wendy, her staff, customers and family and friends thank you all so very much. Quilters rock!