Come join The Stitchn‘ Bees and be involved in something that “warms your heart.” We meet on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to Noon in St. Matthews Fellowship Hall. If you are looking to fill up some free time on your calendar each week or just once in a while, come sew, knit, crochet, bring your own projects, or just come for wonderful Fellowship… (The treats are terrific too!)

Our mission is to make and supply our sick and homebound parishioners with handmade lap blankets to provide a little warmth and comfort in their time of need, to have new mothers within our parish receive a handmade baby blanket, to provide fellowship on Tuesdays, and to reach out to others in our community with our blankets.

Counting Our Blessings

In 2023, we have given out 2 quilts to new babies and 2 for an adult. We contributed 36 polar fleece blankets to Fostering Dignity. As of June Fostering Dignity had to suspend services for foster children as DCFS and the State of Illinois was/is to take that service over. We contributed 30 blankets, polar fleece or cotton quilts to Fill the Crib for the Crittenton Center. Then towards Christmas time we contributed 40 blankets, 7 polar fleece and 23 cotton quilts to “Stuff The Bus” to help local children in crisis by contributing to the Brightpoint Bloomington Crisis Nursery formally The Children Foundation. We found out when delivering our quilts to Stuff The Bus that they have come to hopefully expect us to come with our trunk full of blankets every year. We also delivered hats and scarves to the Mission. During the Christmas season, members of St. Matthews, The 12 Step Groups from the rectory, and The Stitchn’ Bees; have had the opportunity to donate to the two Mitten Trees that have been placed within the church building. The trees are decorated with stocking caps and scarves, and gloves and they go to the Boys and Girls Club.

The Stitchn’ Bees now have blankets all over the world, for we have sent blankets to Moscow (Russia), Mexico, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Burundi (Africa), Tabora, Tanzania (Africa), Peru, St. Vincent, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Ganidia (Spain). With these shipments of blankets our group has touched the lives of children all over the world in addition to our own country and community.