The Charlotte Quilters’ Guild donates hundreds of handmade quilts each year to comfort hospitalized infants and children, cancer patients, and veterans throughout the Charlotte community. We welcome quilt donations from members and non-members alike, quilts made as group efforts or by individual makers, and we provide FREE donation quilt kits with simple instructions that are perfect for beginners. These kits are offered as a convenience — feel free to modify our kit patterns, mixing in fabric of your own, and of course you are welcome to donate quilts of your own design made with all your own fabrics if you prefer. Kits are available for pickup and finished quilts can be dropped off at our monthly meeting, the first Wednesday of each month (excluding July) at 6:30 PM at the Tyvola Senior Center.
Cuddle & Comfort Quilts for NICU, Pediatric and Cancer Patients
Cuddle Quilts are given to the Child Life Specialists at Atrium Children’s Hospital and Novant Hemby Children’s Hospital for seriously ill infants and children. Larger “Comfort Quilts” are donated to Atrium and Novant for distribution to female cancer patients.
USO at CLT and Veterans in Hospice Care
Patriotic themed quilts are distributed to wounded veterans by the USO at the Charlotte Douglas Airport. We also donate lap size quilts to the Veterans’ Hospice and Palliative Care Center.
Charity Quilting Guidelines
Suggested Donation Quilt Sizes:
| Type | Recommended Width | Recommended Length |
| NICU Cuddle Quilts | 36-40″ W | 36-42″ L |
| Pediatric Unit Cuddle Quilts | 36-40″ W | 45-48″ L |
| Teen Cancer Comfort Quilts | 36-40″ W | 58-62″ L |
| Adult Cancer Comfort Quilts | 40-42″ W | 58-62″ L |
| Bereavement Quilts | 36-40″ W | 45″ L |
| Fidget Quilts | 16-18″ W | 22-24″ L |
| USO at CLT Quilts | 40-45″ W | 58-62″ L |
| Lap Quilts for Hospice Veterans | 36-40″ W | 36-38″ L |
| NICU Isolette Covers | 46″ W | 52″ L |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I’m a beginning quilter, what if my work isn’t good enough?
A: Our kits are designed with you in mind. The piecing is simple and we ask only that you do your best work. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Q: If I take a kit from the guild meeting, how long do I have to finish it?
A: Suggested turnaround time is 2-3 months. If you need more time to finish, no problem — take as long as you need!
Q: What kind of quilting is required for these?
A: We are not picky about quilting. We always have finished quilt tops that need quilting. Please hand or machine quilt at the recommended spacing for the batting used (please do not hand-tie quilts). We recommend 100% cotton or 80% cotton 20% poly blend batting. If you are a machine quilting beginner, we are happy for you to practice on our quilts! You can stipple, stitch diagonal lines, or use a design with a motif.
Q: I don’t do quilting. Is it okay if I take a kit and only do the piecing?
A: Absolutely! Just return the finished quilt top to us and we will enlist other volunteers to do the quilting and binding.
Q: Do I have to hand stitch the binding?
A: No, machine binding is fine. You can use a straight stitch, a small zig zag, or a small decorative stitch.
Your Question Wasn’t Listed?
Contact our Outreach Team at outreach@charlottequiltersguild.org.
Email info@charlottequiltersguild.org to explore the possibility of partnering with The Charlotte Quilters’ Guild to host your organization’s next service project event.