Snug as a Bug
The Snuggle Rug Project with Rita Summers

Imagine you are an orphan living in an orphanage in the former Soviet Union. You are there because you have no parents, or because your parents can no longer care for you. It could be that they are too poor, or that they have AIDS*, or that they are alcoholics or drug addicts. Maybe there is abuse in the home, and so you run away. (* The former Soviet Union has the highest incidence of AIDS in Europe.)

Yes, these tragedies happen in Australia, too. The problem is that since the former communist regime collapsed, the infrastructure to help these children is woefully inadequate or even non-existent. The orphanages in many cases are full to overflowing, and many children are turned away because there is no room for them. The ones that are admitted suffer from poor self-esteem, lack of hope, loneliness and rejection. They often feel unloved and of little use.

How can I, one person living on the other side of the world, help them? Is it possible for me to show even one orphan child that I care?  I thought about this, and came to the conclusion that YES, I can!  I love to make quilts. Other people also love to make quilts. We make them for ourselves, our families and our friends. We display them in our homes, in exhibitions, in shops and even in magazines. Eventually, we run out of places to put them and people to give them to!

How about making a quilt for one orphan child? Or two children? Make as many as you like, in any pattern you like, in any colour you like. The only restrictions are the size of the quilt (100 cm x 100 cm) and we would like you to tell us the age and gender of the child the quilt is intended for. And can you add somewhere on the quilt a “snuggle bug”. This can take the form of a bug button, an appliqué bug, or the use of  bug fabric. The only other things to remember are to make each quilt cheerful, happy and full of love, and to stitch a label (with your name, address and message) to the back of the quilt. (Note - Quilts with buttons are not recommended for under 3’s.)

The quilts will be taken once per year in bulk direct from Australia to the orphanages, and distributed personally to the children. To highlight the plight of these children to other quilters and to the wider community, negotiations are currently underway to display the quilts at quilt exhibitions around Tasmania. They will also be shown at Gone Rustic Quilt Studio and Gallery in St. Marys. In addition, plans are being made to set up a website with photos of the quilts for all the world to see.

This the the quilt that started it all. Rita says. "I found out about the plight of the Russian orphans when I was trying to find a safe way to send a community quilt to Beslan school in Russia where there was an awful hostage situation with teachers and children being killed. 

Australia Post could not guarantee safe delivery, even if we paid $200 for postage and insurance!  Someone gave me a contact here in Oz, a group which regularly visits Beslan and other areas of need in Russia, including orphanages. I have been receiving their newsletters, which is how I read about the conditions in the orphanages. The contact I have has also agreed to personally deliver the Snug as Bug quilts about oncer per year.

If you would like to get involved, just start stitching!
Send your quilt/s to:  Rita Summers
“Snug as a Bug” Snuggle Rug Project, 37 Main Street St. Marys, Tasmania 7215  and attach the form available here.  Snug as a Bug Form