Seward finished the 2020-2021 UFO Contest year with 47 projects completed. In the five years since we started this makes 131 projects completed.This doesn't include the incredible number of service quilts worked on and donated for Baby Welcome Wagon, Mountain Haven, and Fire or Hug quilts across the years. Nor all the masks, gowns, or Veteran quilts for our local heroes, or the quilts that went to the Kenai groups in the last two years. We are an AWESOME group of sewers!
We have a good start to the 2022 year with 7 signed up (email: hmj.seward2015@gmail.com if you would like more information), 86 projects are currently on the list, with 3 projects completed (in FEBRUARY!!!!). Heather sends out an email early in the month with the stats, a little personal journaling on a de-hoardinghouse cleaning, and sometimes a funny photo to inspire you on to complete something that month. At the end of the year there are cash prizes to look forward to and everyone gets a participation prize- Heather comes up with some interesting stuff. Just ask to see what I've gotten over the years.
We started the project of making quilts for our local veterans and eliciting the help of our local American Legion to distribute them. So far, we have furnished slightly over 100 quilts. We were hoping that they could be given out at events. Then, COVID. While the Legion has been giving them out, there are many veterans out there that don't take advantage of their social offerings. Thanks to some creative thinking, many of the Veteran quilts we had made were finally delivered in person to recipients by Seward Area Quilters. We probably have 50 or 60 to go and are busily sewing to meet this need! It's such a joy to honor those of us who served our country.
In other news, the Seward Area Quilters have had two Winter Retreats at the Army Resort this year- January and February, with plans for more in March and April. We have also been able to start up our Tuesday sewing again at the Army resort every other Tuesday.