Our members are committed to put their talent to work for those in need. Each year, the guild chooses one or more charitable organizations to receive community service quilts and quilted items from Quilters by the Sea, Inc.
Organizations we have contributed quilts to include Quilts of Valor, Robert Potter League for Animals, Better Homes & Gardens Million Pillowcase Challenge, Quilts for Kids, Ronald McDonald House, Young Mother Shelters, Gabriel’s Project, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Portsmouth Police Department, Lucy’s Hearth, New England Quilt Museum, local families in need, and local libraries.
This year our guild is focused on several projects and we are collecting for these year-round:
NICU Quilts
QBS also donates baby quilts to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Women and Infants Hospital in Providence., RI The quilts are used as isolette covers for premature babies in the NICU. Quarterly themes are given to members who wish to participate. NICU quilts are displayed at the meeting and members vote for their favorite. All quilts are donated, but the winners are put on display at the upcoming quilt show (quilts are still donated after the show). Quilts should be about 40″ x 40″ and prewashed prior to donating. Quarterly Challenge themes are below. For more information, please contact Helen G.
- Dec. 2026 – All Creatures Great and Small: Anything Animal Themed
- Sept 2026- A Star is Born: Anything with Stars
Meals on Wheels
QBS has been working on making placemats for recipients of Meals on Wheels. Placemats should be gender neutral, non-holiday themed, and large enough to fit a plate with a cup and saucer, roughly 12″ x 18″. 50 placemats were donated in December 2025! We are currently working on and collecting more placemats for 2026.
Comfort Quilts/Community Closet
Members are working on replenishing our “Community Closet” which contains a variety of quilts of any size and style destined for those in our community who have faced a disaster and are in need of some warmth and cheer in their home. We are encouraging our members to contribute large quilts, but welcome quilts in a variety of sizes. In 2025, QBS donated 27 quilts to Adoption RI and 5 quilts to Widows of Veterans. For more information, please contact Noreen K.
Wheelchair Quilts
Wheelchair quilts are smaller quilts designed to fit comfortably on the lap of those that use wheelchairs, keeping them warm while reducing the risk of rolling over excess fabric at the edges of the quilt. Over 20 wheelchair quilts made at our recent workshop were donated to Dawn Hill Rehab.
Quilts of Valor
QBS members, in partnership with the Quilts of Hope – Quilts of Valor Foundation chapter, have been making quilts for service members and veterans. These quilts are a way to thank them for their service and offer comfort after coming home. Quilts typically follow a red, white, & blue theme, but that is not a requirement, and measure between 55″ x 65″ and 72″ x 90″. QBS members meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month at Radiant Church from 10-2pm to work on QOV quilts.
This organization donates fun pillowcases to children in need, particularly those in hospitals. The whimsical pillowcases help boost children’s morale and help families forget about the stress and emotional impact of illness, if just for a moment. QBS is constantly collecting new pillowcases to donate – for more information please reach out to Lori B. Looking for a pattern? Try this website!
