Thank you for your suggestions. I just returned from TSWLTH (Joann's) I bought a lovely fleece that looks like animal fur in beiges and browns. I have several Giraffe embroidery designs to put on it. She is a dear person and I just want her to have some extra (((hugs))).
-- Sugar & Spice Quilts by Linda E
Thank you Kate. The idea of tieing the quilt is a good one. The designs I want to put on are a bit dense so that will help. I appreciate your prayers for Adrianne.
-- Sugar & Spice Quilts by Linda E
I think some of the sizes suggested here may have been overgenerous. Remember, whatever you make she'll either have to leave at home or carry around (down long hallways) along with her.
36" square will cover the lap and legs while sitting in a wheelchair. Make it 48" or 50" long and she can pull it almost up to her neck, while still being fairly easy to compact into a shopping bag to carry with her.Also, make sure it's easy to wash over and over and over again. Most fleece I've seen loses its nap fairly quickly. Even if you go with the animal fleece just to get something to her quickly, I'd start working on a quilt make with regular cotton (which gets softer the more it's washed) to have it ready to give her when the fleece falls apart.
Finally, only use natural fiber (soft) thread, cotton batting, and I'd really hesitate to embroider it. Monofilament and other artificial fibers can be scratchy and irritating even to normal skin, and most chemos seem to produce dry, itchy, and sensitive skin. (The first time a patient told me how Bag Balm had helped her, I thought she was pulling my leg. Udder cream? It took hearing the same recommendation from several more patients before I realized they were serious.) If you really want the embroidery, try it on a sample square first and wash it a few times to see how the embroidery feels against the most sensitive skin you have. If it is at ALL irritating, I guarantee it will irritate your friend more.
What you want to do is laudable, and will carry your love and support to your friend while she goes through a difficult time in her life. I just hope my experience can help you make the best selections for your friend's comfort.
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