Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions
 

What are the guidelines for hospital donation quilts?

First, thank you for donating your time and energy to make a quilt for a child in need. We truly appreciate our volunteers' efforts to make our mission possible. Please see a list of guidelines for quilts to be donated:.

FABRICS

• We ask that quilts be made with new quilting cottons, no 'previously loved' fabrics like shirts or otherwise upcycled quilts. 

• Fabrics with beloved cartoon characters, bright colors and other juvenile prints are most appreciated.  We are unable to distribute quilts that include any religious or political themes. Please avoid holiday themes except Christmas. The quilts are distributed randomly to children of many backgrounds all over the country, please keep this in mind when choosing fabrics. 

BATTING

• Cotton and 80/20 cotton-poly blend battings are preferred over a polyester batting, as they will stand up better to hospital washings. 

STITCHING/QUILTING

• The quilting pattern you choose should not to leave more than about 4 inches unstitched.  The more stitching, the more it will stand up to the industrial machines used in hospital washings.

• Machine quilting is required. Hand quilting is not strong enough to withstand hospital use.

• We ask that you pay special attention to the binding stitching. Binding that can lift up and get snagged on wires and tubes can cause issues for a patient. Machine stitching is strongly recommended.

• Additionally, we must pay special attention to not have folds in our quilting. Folds or pockets of fabric are another snagging hazard for patients.

• Please do not use monofiliment thread as it may melt. Cotton threads are preferred. 

SIZE

• The size of the quilt should match that of our kits, at minimum 38" wide x 44" tall.  This is good for baby quilts for hospitals and we appreciate throw sized and even twin sized quilts.  (The twin sizes often go to Sleep in Heavenly Peace charity organization and are much appreciated!)

• Smaller or larger quilts are set aside to go to an appropriate recipient. We do get individual requests for all ages so we happily accept all sizes. 

FINISHING TOUCHES

• The quilt should be washed using a color catcher to avoid color bleeding onto other items. Also please try to avoid strong scents in the detergent or dryer sheets.

• Please do not add your own personal label to the quilt. Our volunteers will add a Quilts for Kids label with your name on it before it is shipped to a hospital. 

Please always review your quilt for the following issues as they might prevent use by our recipients: 

• fabric folds

• holes in the seams

• gaps in the binding stitches

• pins or needles

• stains

• odors

• loose or broken threads

 These issues should be avoided to the best of your ability or remedied prior to submission. 

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Can I donate a quilt I already own that I am not using or buy one?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept 'pre-loved' quilts or store purchased quilts. Due to hygenic requirements of hospitals, the items we send must be clean and unused prior to submission. We are proud to provide our recipients a new quilt made just for them.  

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Do you accept 'rag' or 'tshirt' quilts?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept these types of quilts for hospital donations. Due to immunity issues that the children may have, only NEW 100% cotton fabric is allowed. No re-purposed fabrics can be accepted, so please do not use shirts, sheets, curtains, etc., for fabric. 

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Is it OK to use flannel?

If it is a high quality new flannel, feel free to create a quilt out of it. Lower quality flannel pills and looks used the moment it is washed so please do not use a discount store flannel which does not have the high thread count necessary to stand up to numerous washings.

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Do you accept hand-quilted, fleece or tied quilts?

Unfortunately, we are not able to accept tied quilts due to the potential choking hazard that hand ties create and their inability to stand up to the hospital washers and dryers. All quilts have to be machine quilted for that same reason. Fleece is not acceptable because it causes static which can interfere with hospital equipment.

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Do I have to use one of the patterns featured on your website?

Not at all.  We are endlessly fascinated by the variety of patterns and ideas that come in to Quilts for Kids.  Use any pattern you like!

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May I keep the quilt made from the quilt kit I purchase?

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Unfortunately, no. All quilts made from quilt kits must be returned to the Pensacola QFK organization for quality control, QFK labels, and appropriate record-keeping for distribution to our cause. Each quilt is carefully checked for pins and loose threads; if a quilt has not been washed, we do that, too. Careful records are kept regarding the number of kits sent out and the number of quilts returned to us.

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My quilt is ready to go. Where do I ship it?

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Send your finished quilt to:

Melanie Patterson

6541 Scenic Hwy

Pensacola, FL 32504

Please be sure your name and return address is included on the packing slip, decreasing the odds of your package from becoming lost. We also ask that you always please include your name, address, phone number, and email on a slip of paper inside the package so we can be sure to have the most current contact information and log the donation appropriately.

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Can I donate fabric and not a quilt?

We would love to accept your fabric to make kits for quilts. The fabrics would need to be juvenile or at least child friendly prints. We can use fabrics that are quilting cottons only and are selvage to selvage, free from stains and odors. 

If you do have an excess of precuts or other fabrics that for one reason or another are not kit friendly, we can accept donations that are saleable fabrics. We would use these donations to raise funds for shipping and other costs. 

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