A Newsletter for WakeMed Cary’s Sewing Community
May 2021
Current Patient
Needs:
Adult shawls and
wraps
Adult crocheted,
knitted, or fleece
blankets
Baby Hats -
Holiday themed
(Fourth of July,
Halloween, Fall,
Thanksgiving,
Christmas)
Surgical caps
with band and ties
Crocheted or
sewn stuffed
animals – see
Volunteer
Services for sizes
Mask Extenders
What is “Threads”? Threads is a WakeMed Cary Volunteer Board committee that coordinates the
efforts of our community sewers who make patient comfort items to meet our
patient and staff needs. Our goal is to keep our sewing community connected
with our hospital community through personal contact and newsletters. Let us
know how we can assist you.
WakeMed Cary Hospital is Growing!
On April 20, Cary Hospital opened Floors 4 West and 5 West. The expansion
added 40 larger patient rooms on Floor 5 West. Now that the new rooms are
open, repairs will be made on Floors 1 East and 2 East, the original portion of
the hospital. When all rooms are opened there will 208 licensed beds at Cary.
With new beds and
additional patients, our
need for patient comfort
items is growing!
Each item is a special
benefit to our staff and
patients, especially during
the pandemic when visitors
and family members are
restricted. We are so
grateful for all that our
Community Volunteers
contribute to making
WakeMed Cary a special
and caring place.
Did you know that all your
handmade items are
represented as volunteer
hours and reported
monthly to WakeMed
Administration? Individuals
and group sewers
contributed more than
22,638 hours from October
1 to March 31.
A patient room on the new 5 West floor
Thank you
to all our wonderful
sewers, quilters,
crocheters and
knitters for bringing
comfort to our
patients and families!
Welcome New Staff Member -
Pennie R. Graham
We are so fortunate that Pennie joined the Volunteer
Services staff as the new Volunteer Services
Representative on February 1, 2021. She is the
friendly face that greets you when you go to the
Volunteer Office or the welcoming voice on the phone.
She assists with individual and group communications,
receipt of items, new volunteers, tracking of handmade
items, reimbursements, answering questions,
providing patterns, and fulfilling requests.
Pennie is married and has two grown daughters. She has been in the Raleigh
area since 1989 and previously worked at North Carolina State University.
Pennie joins us with a background in HR, Training and Development, and
Customer Service. In her spare time, Pennie enjoys crocheting and knitting.
Pennie enjoys working with people and is looking forward to working with our
volunteers.
Call Pennie at 919-350-2363 or email her at [email protected] to drop of
your handmade items from 9-12pm or 1:30-4pm M-F. Thank you, Pennie, for all
you contribute to the Community Volunteer program!!
You are Sew Awesome!
The Volunteer Office recently received a wonderful note from a very grateful
patient. It reads:
To the Volunteers who knit and crochet items for the patients at WakeMed
Hospital, thank you for the blue shawl that one of you crocheted for me. It was
right after my surgery that someone appeared in the doorway of my hospital
room holding up two items. She gave me my choice and just said they were
made by their volunteer groups. I chose a light blue shawl. It was long enough
to cover my back and shoulders just like a bed jacket and it had two buttons to
fasten it so it would not fall off. It was just what I needed to keep warm in my
drafty hospital gown. Thank you very much! I really appreciate your generosity
and kindness in using your time and
talents to keep a stranger warm.
Thank you for comforting our
patients at WakeMed with your
handmade items!
We also received many thanks for
the tape measures we mailed out for
Volunteer Appreciation week, please
let us know if you have not received
your tape measure!
Wanted: Patient Shawls and Wraps We asked and you have delivered beautifully handmade shawls and wraps for
WakeMed patients! Please enjoy some recent donations:
SHAWLS
Large Crocheted Shawl Medium Crocheted Shawl
39” midpoint x 70” across 28” midpoint x 58” across
Small Crocheted Shawl Large Knitted Shawl
25” midpoint x 50” across 40” midpoint x 75” across
• Triangle shape 25”-40” (max) midpoint (height in the middle)
• 50”-75” (max) across
• Medium and Large sizes should cover patient’s arms
• No large holes in crochet pattern and no long fringe
• Soft yarn, 4ply or 5ply
WRAPS
Fleece Wrap with Crocheted Edges Knitted Wrap 22”h x 52” w
22”h x 60” w
• Rectangular Wraps can run from 22”-26” x 60” long
“Anyone who works on a
quilt, who devotes her
time, energy, creativity,
and passion to that art,
learns to value the work
of her hands. And as any
quilter will tell you, a
quilter’s quilting friends
are some of the dearest,
most generous, and most
supportive people she
knows.”
Jennifer Chiavernini
Group Spotlight - The Material Girls
The Material Girls has been busy making newborn quilts. This is a group that
works well together as each person does a part of the quilt, like an assembly
line! Rebecca Andrews and Cris Brookhart cut the fabric to put together the kits
for a quilt. Kathy Ackerman sews pieces together. Becky Harbour then uses her
long arm sewing machine which sews a beautiful pattern on the fabric. Finally,
Sue Moore puts the binding around the quilts. Cris completes some quilts
independently too. They probably made more quilts this year with everyone
staying home. It was nice to be able to “see” each other, dropping off quilts for
the next person. Just to say “hi” from six feet away!
This group started about
twenty-two years ago. It was
originally a book club for
neighbors. Then they
realized that a lot of them
quilted. They have done
other projects including work
with Camp Kesem, which is
for kids whose parents have
cancer. They took the
drawings the kids made and
turned those into quilts!
Another way they have helped is through assembling kits for Days for Girls. DfG
kits including items such as reusable pads, washcloth and soap are made for
girls in over 100 countries. DfG advances menstrual equity, dignity, and
opportunity for all.
The ladies were
looking for another
project a few years
ago when they saw
that WakeMed was
looking for items for
our patients. They
decided to make us
their next project,
while they still work
on Project Linus as
well. Thanks ladies,
for all you do!
The Material Girls and Threads Committee Member Cindy Larsen (far right) display some of their quilts
Individual Sewer Spotlight -
Dotty Morefield
Dotty Morefield has been crafting for Wake Med Cary for
14 years. She is currently a member of The Templeton
Threads, a recently formed group at the new Templeton
of Cary. A Founding Resident of The Templeton, Dotty
has lived there since last July, a month after the official
opening of the community. Prior to The Templeton, Dotty
lived at Carolina Preserve, where she was a member of
the Yarn Spinners group.
As a founding member of The Templeton Threads, Dotty
is helping to organize the group – still small but growing
as new Residents move in monthly. The group meets
once a month, but the members work on their hospital
contributions independently and in smaller groups.
Several of the Residents are currently taking knitting
Dotty Morefield lessons so they, too, can join The Templeton Threads.
Dotty’s interest in helping Wake Med Cary Hospital is
a personal one. When her daughter-in-law was dying
of cancer, a friend of Dotty’s made a wrap to keep
her warm. As the daughter-in-law passed, the wrap
was something she cherished the most, as the gift,
according to Dotty, “was just an act of pure love.”
“And that’s why I do what I do,” said Dotty. She
crochets beautiful shawls, as well as baby hats and
wraps, and mask extenders for the nurses.
According to Dotty, making the gifts for patients is an
act of love and encouragement, and creating the gifts
for the babies is an act of love and joy. As The Templeton’s volunteer librarian Dottie has collected, registered, and displayed over 1100 books in one year
Threads has supplies to share!
Periodically, Threads is fortunate to receive donations of current, quilt quality
cotton fabric, stuffing and yarns from various individuals, businesses, and
groups. If you need supplies, please let Diane Boyer or your committee contact
know or call the Volunteer Services Office at 919-350-2363.
Reimbursements for supplies may be provided by The Volunteers of WakeMed
Cary Hospital. As with many organizations, our FY21 budgets will be smaller
than last year due to cancellation of sales events and a decrease in revenues.
Use of coupons, on-sale items and donations help us to work within our budget!!
Thank you to everyone who donates yarn, fabric, stuffing, finished items, etc.!!
Our patient goals would not be met without the support of many people.
Searching for Creative Ideas?
Visit Volunteer Services! The Threads Committee and
our established groups are great resources for ideas
and patterns. Groups and group leaders have libraries
of ideas and patterns that have worked for them.
There is also pattern library available in the Volunteer
Office that can be shared via mail or email.
We have recently had requests for crocheted animals
and inquiries for suggestions of sewn items in addition
to pillows and huggable animals.
Crocheted Critters by Windsor Point
The Threads Committee has purchased several books
of crochet patterns. These can be loaned, or patterns
can be copied in the Volunteer Office. If you have a
favorite pattern to share, please let your committee
member know. Or bring it to the Volunteer Office and
they will copy and scan it for you to the pattern library!
Swaddle blankets are another new item for newborns:
Swaddle blanket made of
double gauze:
https://bellewoodcottage.com/diy-muslin-swaddle-
blankets/
Swaddle blanket made of soft flannel:
https://old.passionatehomemaking.com/2011/05/how-
to-make-a-flannel-swaddling-blanket.html
Baby burp cloths made of soft flannel:
https://bellewoodcottage.com/how-to-sew-baby-burp-cloths/
We are still receiving a few requests for crocheted mask extenders:
Use any 4ply soft acrylic yarn. Use a 5.5 mm (J-9) crochet hook.
Cast on 20 stitches. Double crochet in 4th
stitch in chain. Double crochet in each
stitch until the last stitch in chain. Three
double crochet in last stitch in chain and
continue going back up the row with a
double crochet in each stitch until the last.
In the last stitch double crochet two
stitches. End.
If you leave long strings at each end you
can use them to sew on both buttons.
Otherwise sew in ends and attach buttons
with needle and thread. Examples of crocheted mask extenders
Newborn Guidelines Refresher
The Women’s Pavilion and Birthplace staff asked us
to revisit the newborn item guidelines to ensure
that every piece meets their current needs. This is
a repeat of those guidelines.
Dimensions
• Approximately 4.5 – 5 inches across the
widest part when laid flat
• Approximately 4.5 – 5 inches in height
Approved Yarn Baby hats by Cary Blanketeers
• Bernat Softee Baby, 3ply (light) acrylic 5oz/140g, 362yds
• Caron Simply Soft, 4ply (medium) acrylic 6oz/170g 315yds
• Or similar yarns
What you need to know:
• All yarn should be washable, acrylic or
cotton, no sparkles please
• Ruffles, pompoms, and ribbons are ok
• Fold over cuffs are ONLY allowed with
the approved above yarn. Please do not
use thick and chunky yarn for baby hats.
The hats made with thick yarns may
restrict breathing and swallowing due to
the thickness while baby is positioned on
their back. Assorted baby hats
Knitted or Crocheted Baby Blankets:
• Sizes: 32x32 to 36x36
• Yarn: Soft washable acrylic
Incubator Quilts:
• Size: 36x36
General Requirements: Assorted baby blankets
• No buttons or other choking hazards
• No odors from cigarette smoke, perfumes, strongly scented
laundry products
• No attached tags from individuals or organizations
• No sparkles in yarn
Holiday Newborn Hats Wanted!
Would you like to help us spread the holiday spirit in our women’s pavilion and
birthplace? You may already have your favorite patterns for Fourth of July, Fall,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas, however, if you do not, we have several patterns.
We need approximately 200 hats for each holiday to distribute the entire
month prior to the holiday. Let someone on the Threads committee know or call
the Volunteer Services Office at 919-350-2363 if you are planning to make
holiday items.
Please Note – Items not used at Cary:
WakeMed Cary has a very small pediatric patient population. Hats exceeding
4.5 – 5 inches width and height are shared with our volunteer program at the
Raleigh campus, the Children’s Emergency Department, the Children’s Hospital,
or community organizations. If we can provide appropriately sized patterns or
assist in modifying your favorite pattern, please let us know.
Please Spread the News!
NEW CRAFTERS WANTED: We have a great community group that always
exceeds expectations, but we are always growing! If you have a friend,
neighbor, individual or group that would like to be involved, please let us know.
You can contact the Cary Volunteer Office (919-350-2363) or any Threads
member to get started.
You’re Invited to Tour WakeMed
NOTE: Tours are currently not available due to visitor restrictions.
When restrictions are lifted and everyone feels safe to venture out into the
community, please join us for a tour of WakeMed Cary and see where your items
are being distributed.
Threads Committee
Contact Information:
Susan Coulter
919-630-6750
Diane Boyer
919-621-8513 (C)
919-859-1251 (H)
Cindy Larsen
919-606-9845
Sue ReCorr:
919-469-2702
Beth Turner
919-280-7586
Joyce Aschenbrenner
919-272-8300
Staff Liaisons:
Volunteer Development
Specialist:
Laura Riach
919-350-4008
Volunteer Services
Representative:
Pennie Graham
919-350-2363
Community Groups & Threads contacts
Group Contact
Ann Foster’s Workshop Sue ReCorr
Carolina Preserve Yarn Spinners Susan Coulter
Cary Blanketeers Diane Boyer/ Susan Coulter
Cary Quilting Joyce Aschenbrenner
Colonial Baptist Diane Boyer/ Cindy Larsen
Comfort Circle UMC Diane Boyer/ Sue ReCorr
Compassionate Knit Hearts Diane Boyer
Cornerstone Presbyterian Diane Boyer/ Cindy Larsen
CP Piecemakers Sue Coulter
Elegant Stitches Diane Boyer/ Cindy Larsen
Garner on the Mend Diane Boyer/ Susan Coulter
Harriett Kelner’s Group Diane Boyer
Hindu Society NC (HSNC) Diane Boyer/ Sue ReCorr
Holly Springs Newcomers & Friends Susan Coulter/Diane Boyer
Material Girls Cindy Larsen
Project Linus Laura Rich
Spring Arbor Cary Diana Boyer/Cindy Larsen
The Templeton Threads Joyce Aschenbrenner
Village Knitters & Crochet Sue ReCorr
Windsor Point Diane Boyer/ Sue ReCorr
Woodland Terrace Knit & Crochet Cindy Larsen/Diane Boyer
Thank You for All You Do!
Happy Summer 2021! Happy Stitching too!
Top Related