What makes the Angel Quilt Project (AQP) unique?

A good question.

First: All those who participate in the AQP can rest assured that none of their personal information is ever given to ANYONE unless I get their permission first!  That is the NUMBER 1 RULE for the AQP.  I get personal information from everyone who participates but that is as far as it goes.  I only pass on information once someone has given me the okay to do it.  In such cases it happens only AFTER I get a letter from a family who has gotten one of our blankets and wants to get in touch with the stitcher.  I find out which hospital they got their blanket from and then ask for the name stitched on that piece.  I inform the family that I will have to contact that particular person to get permission to pass on the requested data.  I contact the stitcher and they tell me whether I can or cannot pass it on.  If I can I do so.  If I can't I let the family know that as well and ask them to send their thank you directly to me and then I will forward it, unopened, to the stitcher.  It's that simple and in the 13+ years I have never broken that rule and NEVER WILL!

Second: If you're a stitcher of some time ( it's 47 years for me ) then when you stitch you want to feel comfortable with what you're doing and what you're working on.  Right?  I thought so.  Therefore there is NEVER A DEADLINE to get a piece stitched.  NEVER!  I want everyone to do what they do best and never have to worry about being late with something. 

There is one exception to this rule though.

Fundraisers!

A couple of times a year, usually at the beginning of the year, I will post a 'Special Project' for the members who want to help express their intersts in working on.  These Fundraisers are usually larger blankets, usually twin sized, with up to 12 pieces of cross stitched or machine embroidered pieces on them.  Those finished blankets are then sold by me at local craft shows or listed on e-bay as auctions with all the proceeds going into the AQP coffers.  This year we are doing Hello Kitty Blankets.  There is a deadline on these Special Projects but they're usually not due till sometime after the end of June of that year, so that there is plenty of time to get the pieces to the finisher who will actually put the blanket together.

Third:  We are an ALL-VOLUNTEER group!  No one gets paid for what they do here, and never will.  I don't even get any monitary compensation and I don't want to.  The AQP is for the sole benefit of families with premature babies or with children in Regional Burn Centers or Children's Cancer Clinics.  All the finished blankets are freely given to the NICUs or SCBUs for the nursing staff to give to the families under their care.  Everyone associated with the AQP gives their time and talents to make this happen and I hace never had to pleasure to be associated with such a giving and caring group of people.  It is those people who deserve all the kudos and thanks, because without them there would be no AQP to make blankets for.

Fourth:  It's quite easy to join.  All someone has to do is get in touch with me at Eprise01@aol.com to get information and to get started.  It's that simple.  If you provide a phone number and a good time of the day to call you, I will do so and personally answer all your questions regarding the AQP.

If you are interested then please get in touch.

I look forward to hearing from you.

James Farmer, Founder
The Angel Quilt Project
www.aqphome.org