Teachers, staff, Sisters of Charity, students from MSJ, and students from Seton High School and Elder High School, came together Sept. 6th to build beds and make blankets for children in need.
This event was led by Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a volunteer organization that builds simple wooden beds to then deliver to children who have only the floor to sleep on.
All the volunteers met in the Cedars Room at the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Motherhouse to hear from the head of the Cincinnati branch of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and to hear some testimonials. From there, those of us who signed up to build bed frames went to the back parking lot and those of us who wanted to make blankets went to the dining room. I joined the people in making blankets.
The woman who taught us how to create tie blankets, a student at University of Dayton, told us about how she established this branch of the organization. Sleep in Heavenly Peace began as only building bed frames, but she saw a need for blankets and created SoulTies – a way to keep families warm and create connections. For those who have never made a tie blanket before, the process is relatively simple……First, gather two pieces of fabric that are the same size. Second, lay one fabric on top of the other (making sure both pieces of fabric are laying the way you want them to go). Third, use a pair of scissors to cut about a 4-inch x 4-inch square through both pieces of fabric. This will serve as a reference for the strips in the next step. Fourth, cut thin strips about one inch thick that match the height of the first square you cut. Cut strips on all sides of the blanket. Fifth, tie the strips of both pieces of fabric (tie it until secure) and do this for all the sides. Sixth, once all the strips are tied together, shake off any fuzz on the blanket and gently pull the corners to flatten it if necessary (the ties may cause the blanket to scrunch).
The group made about 30 tie blankets! When we finished the blankets early, I went to see if the volunteers building bed frames needed any help. It was a very well-organized system! There were groups of people sanding 4x4 and 2x4 planks of wood, drilling screws into planks to make headboards, ensuring the headboards were secure, branding the headboards, and putting some type of coating on the wood. I got to help with drilling screws to make headboards, securing the frame, and making sure everything was sanded down before taking it to be branded.
Our goal was to make 40 beds, and the organization received funding from the Sisters of Charity to make 80 beds. It was wonderful to witness the community coming together to give families something as simple yet essential as a bed to sleep on! Many of us take for granted things such as a good night’s rest until we sleep in a bed that’s not as comfortable as ours and realize how tired or cranky we are the next day. Imagine having to sleep on a hard floor with little to cover yourself with every night, or even seeing your kids sleep on the floor. The work of Sleep in Heavenly Peace is having a profound impact on every family they serve. I encourage everyone to get involved in some way! Maybe you join Sleep in Heavenly Peace at one of their events, or give them donations to create more beds and blankets. If you prefer to help from home, get the materials to make tie blankets and invite some people over. You can send your finished blankets to Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s warehouse or bring them to a nearby shelter. Whatever you do, no matter how small, know you are making an impact!
Links:
https://cutesycrafts.com/2018/10/how-to-make-a-tie-blanket-from-fleece.html