Friday, April 19, 2013

Project Fill A Bear - Educate yourself about Child Sex Abuse

Does it seem like I've been missing in action lately?  Yeah...well...I've been doing lots of this...  
Cutting up gorgeous fabric into 10" squares.  I swear no other charm size feels as substantial as a 10" square.  It is just solid, like you are really getting a good sample of that fabric.Cutting fabric and watching Vikings. Pretty good night!
And as you can imagine all of this cutting results in a lot of trimmings.  Lots and lots and lots of trimmings too small to be scrap.  This, below, is from cutting 4 different fabrics into blocks.  That is a substantial amount of waste.
Stuffing
What do I possibly do with this waste?  Haha, you don't think I actually throw it away do you?

Me?  The I can find a crafty use for everything chica?

For a few months now I have been working on Project Fill A Bear.
Rag Bear - stuffed with sewing bits too small for scraps
This guy's tummy and head are filled with all the trimmings from the last swap, every quilt I've worked on since December, every piece of clothing I've sewn, every bit of fabric waste has gone into his little belly.  Now I'll be starting on his arms and legs.
The bears - I have 20 empty muslin shells - are intended for child sex abuse victims.  Before the age of 18, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is a victim of sex abuse.  Does that make you uncomfortable?  Good.  It should.  If more people knew what was going on then we could stand up together and act to put an end to this life altering crime.  The first step is to Educate yourself and Teach others the facts.  Make smart choices for your children and your grandchildren - if you don't who will?
This morning was the first time I shared this project with my Guild (via Facebook) and everyone is being so supportive!  Promising me scraps and to even make bears.  I am so touched!  
Laying out the 10" charms!
And when I need a break from ironing and then cutting each 2.5yds of fabric?  I add to my piles.  ;)

If you want to be involved in Project Fill A Bear in some way or learn more about child sex abuse feel free to let me know.  Being afraid or ill-informed is not going to change anything.

- rebecca lynne

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with nor do I work for Darkness to Light.  I am familiar with their work and support their efforts  to empower people about the facts of child sex abuse.

15 comments:

Jennifer Thomas said...

Beautiful cause. I love your bear. Have a super day!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

What a wonderful cause - those statistics are frightening and have given me the chills. I hope the bears bring some comfort to the children who 'adopt' them xxx

Jenny Squawk said...

Great cause. Its really hard. We had to make a decision based solely on the age our children to not take foster children with sexual abuse, but really its so hidden that it might just be the reason the child enters care. Its terrible because it changes the child completely that some children will act out on other children. When the girls are older, we will change our policy. I can only pray that God will equip us.

Erin @ Once Upon a Donkey said...

I was just thinking about blogging about this tonight. My bear is starting to have a full tummy too. Love the idea and love being involved. Feel free to send me more shells or flick through the pattern. xxx

Erin @ Once Upon a Donkey said...

I was just thinking about blogging about this tonight. My bear is starting to have a full tummy too. Love the idea and love being involved. Feel free to send me more shells or flick through the pattern. xxx

Canadian Abroad said...

What a wonderful thing you do. The statistics you quote are so sad. Makes me thankful for the happy childhood I had and desperate to provide the same for my girls.

Annabella said...

That really is super scary Rebecca - thanks for making us all a little more aware.

Annabella said...

That really is super scary Rebecca - thanks for making us all a little more aware.

Leanne said...

People are often not nice creatures, your project is interesting and I will read more about it. Glad that the scraps from the swap are going to be part of it.

Allison said...

could you send me the info for the fill a bear program please?

Anonymous said...

I'm a foster parent and children in my care have benefited from this program, though none have had bears. It means a lot that people are caring about the children I love in a special way. Thank you.

Katy McCoy said...

Where do we get the bears?

tobiaskj@comcast.net

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

Is there a pattern for the bear...I can't see one?

Kelli Fannin Quilts said...

Is Project Fill a Bear a project that you've started grass roots? That's so cool! Feel free to send me a muslin shell, too! Along with all of the info. xoxo

Lucy | Charm About You said...

You are a wonderful woman! Great project!