For over 35 years, the members of Carquinez Strait Stitchers have been reaching out to the community to lighten the burden of those in need by providing comfort quilts and other items. We are proud to have provided hundreds of quilts and other items to Solano County men, women and children. Community Outreach is an integral part of our guild and we are happy that together we can make an important difference in our community.
Community Outreach workshops are held on the 2nd Friday of every month
10:30am – 2:30pm
Heritage Presbyterian Church
1400 East Second Street, Benicia
Free to all members!
Current recipients of CSS Community Outreach are:
- Project Linus, Solano County Chapter, with the mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to all children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans. Kits are provided by the guild, or you may use your own fabrics. Donations are delivered about every other month, or when we have 12 or more completed. Please see size guidelines below.
- Vallejo Kaiser Permanente Intensive Care Nursery, isolette covers to protect babies’ eyes are made with two 32″ prewashed flannel squares sewn together using 1/2″ seam allowance & topstitched; kits are provided by the guild. Donations are delivered quarterly.
- CASA of Solano County, pillowcases are created from quality quilting cotton for foster youth; kits are provided by the guild. Donations are delivered quarterly.
- Knitted or Crocheted Hats & Scarves, for Vallejo’s unsheltered community and the San Francisco Night Ministry, in partnership with United in Grace Lutheran Church. We will also be contributing to Solano Coldwell Banker’s annual Coat Drive. Donations will be given during the cooler months.
- Seniors served by Benicia Community Action Council, annual holiday gifts & ongoing food donations.
- Seniors served by Vallejo’s Love Is…, annual Santa Loves Seniors holiday gifts.
- Other quilt recipients may include families in crisis referred by the Benicia Police Department or The Family Resource Center, as well as other groups as they reach out to us.
Here are some examples of our gifts:
How you can help:
- Attend a monthly Community Outreach Workshop on 2nd Fridays
- Take home a kit to sew (pillowcases, quilts, placemats, etc.)
- Machine quilt tops at home
- Sew binding on quilts at home
- All finished products free of pet hair please!
- Donate unused quilting weight cotton fabric that is not musty from storage.
If you are interested in learning how you can help or picking up kits to sew, contact:
info@cssquilter.org
If you are making donation quilts or tops on your own, below are the approximate sizes which best serve our recipients. Please use only quality 100% cotton and avoid any embellishments that can be pulled off and swallowed. Kits are provided or you may use your own stash.
Project Linus:
* Baby Quilts (30” x 30” or 36” x 36”)
* Child Quilts (40” x 60”)
* Teen Quilts (60” x 54” to 60” x 72”)
Emergency Quilts for the Guild:
* Toddler Quilts (40” x 40”)
* Adult/Senior Quilts (40” x 60”)
If you need ideas some Free Quilt Patterns are listed at the bottom of our Resources page.
If you are cutting scraps for Outreach donations, here are the preferred sizes:
2 1/2″ strips, 5″ squares, 6-1/2″ squares, 10″ squares
Carquinez Strait Stitchers 