A home-made cozy quilt is a warm hug. With all the cold and snow we have had this winter, a cozy quilt is a blessing.
Members of the Cabot Quilters’ Guild, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador made a visit to Westbury Estates, a retirement facility in March. They arrived with 21 quilts to be distributed to residents. This is in addition to 20 quilts the Guild presented to residents December 2025.The Cabot Quilters’ Guild started 42 years ago and now has some 80 members.
Every year, the Guild does a community outreach project and this year they decided to do wheelchair and lap quilts for a seniors’ home. The project was scoped out by meeting with Amanda Greene the recreation manager for the facility. Westbury is home to 100 residents (levels 1,2 and 2.5). She said seniors in wheelchairs often find it cold when they go to the common areas for activities.
A new connection
As the facility was only five years old, they had not yet had any interaction with a quilt guild. In total, the Cabot Quilters’ presented 41 wheelchair/lap quilts at two events, one in December and another in March. Each quilt came with a bag so residents could carry their quilts with them or hang them on the back of a wheelchair. Each quilt had a label which read, “made by a member of the Cabot Quilters’ Guild.”
By breaking the project down to two deadlines December and February, the outreach committee movef things along quickly and efficiently. They provided members with a simple wheelchair quilt pattern as a guide but also allowed for lap quilts.
It was more than just donating quilts. Members engaged with the seniors and talked about quilt-making. For some residents it brought back memories of growing up and their mother making quilts.
All quilts had the above label.
Cabot Quilters’ at Westbury event in March: (left to right) Michelle Whelan and Wilma Philpott.
Cabot Quilters’ at Westbury event in December: (left to right) Margaret Wade, Michelle Whelan, Wilma Philpott and Doreen Cummins.