ROCKFORD—“We feed you and then you work!” said Rosie Scalise Sheridan, co-chair with Linda Stoinski, as they welcomed around 120 women to the 2017 blanket workshop sponsored by the Catholic Women’s League (CWL).

 

The Dec. 7 event at St. Rita Parish began with a Mass for Deceased Bishops, Priests and Religious of the diocese. Father John Evans, pastor at St. Rita, and the parish’s new parochial vicar, Father Adrian Ladines celebrated the Mass. 

 

Father Ladines experienced his very first snow that morning, Father Evans said, adding that the parish already had given their new associate an electric blanket.

 

After the Mass, Father Ladines offered the meal blessing and blessed the blankets and scarves before they were completed after the brunch. 

 

Earlier, the CWL Sewing Guild crocheted the edges of 111 blankets. Another 140 fleece blankets were ready to be tied at the workshop. 

 

The resulting 251 blankets and 190 scarves were designated for distribution mostly to children served by several agencies, including Pitney Place, Rockford MELD, Remedies, MotherHouse Crisis Nursery, Rock House Kids and Forest City Rehabilitation. The guild purchased bolts of fleece for the blankets during the year when it was on sale.

 

Excluding the blanket workshop, this year the members of the CWL Sewing Guild made 216 quilted lap robes, 253 pillows and 262 blankets (fleece, afghans, baby quilts), and made or purchased numerous  other items from baby booties and toys to walker bags and adult bibs. 

 

The guild meets twice a month for a morning of work followed by a bring-your-own sack lunch and meeting. It is one of several standing committees of the Catholic Women’s League.

 

“The Sewing Guild is one of Catholic Women’s League’s oldest committees,” says a flyer at the blanket workshop. “The items we make are meant to bring some extra comfort to the children, men and women who receive them ... We donate our time and talents knowing that our work can help make someone’s day a little better — a little bit brighter.”

 

Info: CWL Sewing Guild, Rosie Scalise Sheridan at 815/978-4779 or Louise Rodriguez at 815/965-3147.