Patient Comfort Station

A Welcome Donation

Our local animal shelter in Turlock was very grateful to receive 46 pet pillows made by the members of Wistaria's Patient Comfort Station. They required that the pillows' filling not cause a choking hazard for the animals ... no worries, we use unwanted scraps of material for this purpose.

PATIENT COMFORT STEPPED UP TO HELP PETS NEEDING TO BE ADOPTED DURING WINTER THROUGH FRIENDS OF TURLOCK

In support of the Order of the Eastern Star's General Grand Chapter designating Service Canines as one of its identifying charities, Wistaria Chapter generously donated monies to their Paws for Purple Hearts and Dogs4Diabetics projects. While these projects are nationwide, at home we chose to connect with a shelter in Turlock which provides pets for our neighbors who are in need of comfort and companionship. How wonderful it was to find another organization that is "Paying Goodness Forward." As requested, our members created and donated 40 pet pillows to Friends of Turlock during this very cold winter season. The pillows' stuffing is made from shredded material that cannot be used in our other Patient Comfort projects, so they are machine washable. An unexpected benefit to new pet owners!

Paying Goodness Forward with Patient Comfort Station as a monthly activity, we gather together with family and friends to make fidget quilts, meal aprons, rice pillows, port pals, comfort pillows, mastectomy pillows, hats, scarves, and lap quilts for donation within our community and throughout California to individuals experiencing medical challenges and undergoing stressful situations. Most recently, with Canine Service Dogs being an identifying charity of our General Grand Chapter, Wistaria has begun creating dog pillows for a local pet adoption agency.

Great teamwork and fun produce wonderful results!

PATIENT COMFORT STATION MEETINGS

Third Wednesday of Each Month

9:30 AM

108 S. Thor Street, Turlock

Family and friends are invited and welcome to attend

We have supplied patterns for various items at the end of this section

Meal Aprons

Meal aprons assist adults living in local care facilities as well as children who use wheelchairs

Fidget Quilts for Children

Comfort Pillows

Comfort pillows are given to local First Responders to distribute to children in stressful situations.

Rice Pillows

Rice pillows, once heated in a microwave and applied to a patient's arm, allow caregivers who need to draw blood the ability to make veins more accessible

Fidget Quilts for Adults

Fidget quilts are designed to engage children with stress disorders such as autism or ADHD and adults living with dementia or Alzheimer's or who are under hospice care

Port Pals

Port Pals help prevent damage by seat belt straps to implanted ports

Pillows, Hats, Scarves & Lap Quilts

Mastectomy pillows, hats, scarves, and lap quilts offer comfort to individuals undergoing chemotherapy and dialysis treatments

Paying Goodness Forward Blesses Wistaria & the Recipients of our Efforts

Dog Pillows

These comfort items are made for a local pet adoption agency and are filled with all of the scraps of our Patient Comfort Station's unused fabric ... waste not, want not.

WISTARIA RICE PILLOW & PILLOW CASE

A pillow is warmed in a microwave, placed into a pillow case,

and applied onto a patient’s arm to make their

veins become more easily accessible to

caregivers needing to draw blood

PILLOW

Cut fabric into a 10” x 10” square

Fold over fabric 1/2” with pattern on outside, press, and pin

Turn fabric so pattern is on inside

Sew 5/8” seam on both of the unfinished edges without pins

Clip corners of smallest unfinished edge without pins

Turn pillow so pattern is on outside

Turn corners and remove pins

Fill bag with 2 cups of rice

Sew the pressed edge closed with 1/4” seam

PILLOW CASE

Cut fabric into an 11” x 11” square

Fold over fabric 1/2” with pattern on outside and press

Sew 1/4” seam on the fold over fabric

Turn fabric so pattern is on inside

Sew 5/8” seam on both of the unfinished edges

Clip corners of smallest unfinished edge

Turn pillowcase so pattern is on outside

Turn corners

Iron on Eastern Star Label

SUGGESTIONS

Use the same fabric for the pillow and pillow case

Use different dimensions for creating customized pain relief pillows

FIDGET QUILT – 4 SQUARES

Used for Adult’s Quilts

Create 4 each 6 ½” finished squares

Cut 1 each 18” X 18” backing

Cut 1 each 18” X 18” batting

Cut 2 each 3 ½” X 12” side strips

Cut 2 each 3 ½” X 18” top and bottom strips

Sew squares together with 2 on top and 2 on bottom to form a square of 4.

Sew one side strip to each side, and then sew one top and one bottom strip to squares.

Place backing face up on table and place squares face down on backing.

Place batting on top of squares.

Pin all 3 layers together and sew around edge ½” seam, leaving 2” opening to turn.

Turn to right side, pin opening, and hand sew to close.

Stitch in the ditch around the edge of 4 squares, then between all 4 squares, being sure to place a tag at the bottom of the quilt.

FIDGET QUILT – 9 BLOCKS

Used for Children’s Quilts

Cut 9 each 6 ½” x 6 ½” cotton fabric squares

Cut 1 each 18” X 18” flannel fabric backing

Cut 1 each 18” X 18” quilting batting

Sew 9 squares together with ½” seam to create quilt top (3 squares across X 3 squares down)

Place flannel backing with pattern face up, place assembled quilt top with pattern face down on top of backing, and place batting on top of back side of quilt top. Place Eastern Star tag on bottom inside between backing and quilt top, ends on edge.

Sew ¼” to ½” around edge, leaving about 3-to-4-inch opening at bottom.

Trim and turn right side out, pushing out corners. Use clips to secure all edges then sew in the ditch between each square. Hand sew opening closed.

FIDGET QUILT – RECTANGLE

Used for Hospice Quilts

Cut 1 each 13” X 20” cotton fabric rectangle

Cut 2 each 3 ½” X 13” cotton fabric or flannel fabric borders

Cut 2 each 3 ½” X 26” cotton fabric or flannel fabric borders

Cut 1 each 18” X 24” flannel backing

Cut 1 each 18” X 24” quilting batting

Sew rectangle together with 4 borders with ½” seam to create quilt top

Sew ¼” to ½” around edge, leaving about 3-to-4-inch opening at bottom.

Turn right side out, pushing out corners. Use clips to secure all edges then sew in the ditch around border (additional stitching is at your discretion). Hand sew opening closed.

FIDGET QUILT SUGGESTIONS

(REMEMBER TO KEEP CLEAR THE ½ INCH SEAM ALLOWANCES ON EDGES)

KATHY CAP

Cut fabric into shape of homeplate - 21¼" bottom X 12½” sides x 15” tips

Cut batting 18” x 3½”

Cut ¼” elastic into 7” strip

Make ¼” hem on edges (A to B and A to C)

Fold in Point A about 1½”, fold label in half, place under tip, and sew through tip to secure to material

Sew ½" from fold to make casing

Turn under ½” on F-G and press

Fold up dotted line E-D (approximately 4½”) and press

Place batting inside of the E-D fold, pin or baste, and turn to inside (this will make a finished 4” hem (batting should not extend clear across as casing for elastic will be made at sides)

Stitch folded portion of cap close to edge nearest E-D, and 3 more times 1” apart and parallel to the E-D line

Make a ¾” casing from E to C and from D to B, ½" wide finished

Thread elastic strip through the E to C, tip, and D to B casings

Fasten strip by sew to cap

NOTES

5/8 yard of material will make 2 Kathy caps

HEART, ANGEL & TEDDY BEAR COMFORT PILLOW

Cut 2 pieces of fleece fabric into shape of pattern

Fold label in half and baste to right side of one shape

With right sides together sew ½” seam leaving opening at bottom for adding stuffing

Notch all curves

Turn right side out

Expand seams of shape using a point turner

Stuff with washable fiber fill

Blind stitch (slip stitch) the opening close

MASTECTOMY PILLOW