Olivia's Blankets
On November 23, 2011 my niece Olivia Madilynn was stillborn. Her parents, my brother & sister-in-law, allowed me to be with them on her still birthday and to hold their precious daughter. Their strength and this experience changed me in many ways. Olivia's life with us was too short, but she has made such an impact on my heart. This project is about remembering Olivia, letting her know how very special and loved she is, & sending love to other families who experience this devastating loss.
If you feel moved to make blankets... First, Thank You! This project is about taking care of those in our community who have experienced an unimaginable loss and it is about a small gesture to let parents know they are not alone and that their baby is special, important, recognized, and remembered. There is no minimum number of blankets worth making. Every single blanket is important & will be in the hands of parents, holding their most precious child, in a time of great need. You can help in many ways. You can make a sample blanket using the tutorial & printables below and reach out to your local hospital's donation coordinator or to local bereavement not-for-profits who already have established relationships with hospitals. (Sawyer's Heart is an example of a group in my area in Illinois. Hospitals & Facebook are great resources for finding bereavement box groups.)
Note: This project was designed to meet most hospital's guidelines, but nearly all hospitals also require pre-approval & a sample (to ensure safety, quality, etc.) before accepting donations. Each detail of the Olivia's Blanket project has been revised many times, with the guidance of many wonderful donation coordinators, to use wording & materials that were appropriate for as many people & programs as possible. I would recommend not making significant changes to the wording to avoid wasted donations. Many parents have found this project therapeutic in their grieving process & have added their own child's name to the "In Loving Memory of" portion. In our experience this has been a fine change to make and has been accepted by all of our hospitals.
I would like to share this project freely & encourage individuals & groups to make blankets to donate to hospitals or groups in their area.
I do NOT give my consent for this project or my work or printables to be used FOR PROFIT in any way.
(In plain terms, do not sell these blankets to grieving parents. Donate or cover costs ONLY!)
I do NOT give my consent for this project or my work or printables to be used FOR PROFIT in any way.
(In plain terms, do not sell these blankets to grieving parents. Donate or cover costs ONLY!)
Printables & TUTORIAL
- The JPG can be uploaded to Vistaprint or other similar postcard printing services & ordered or the JPG can be downloaded & printed at home on your photo printer.
- The PDF can be printed at home or sent to a print shop. There are two PDF files--one with a single postcard & one with 2 postcards per page.
| scanned_postcard_2014_1_jpg.jpg |
| scanned_postcard_2014_1_pdf.pdf |
| scanned_postcard_2014_2_pdf.pdf |
Basic/Quick instructions
detailed instructions
Click on the first picture & then continue to use the > arrow to go on. Each picture has captions that give detailed instructions & links to the supplies used.
please visit olivia's mom's site dear olivia madilynn by clicking here.
Olivia's mom, Jen, is an advocate in the baby loss community. She shares her story & the really beautiful ways she honors her angel babies--Olivia & Asher. If you're ready to be inspired, visit her site!
blanket count
With this being a community-share style project we aren't able to keep an exact record of how many blankets have been made and donated. But from the start this project has never been about the big numbers. Every single blanket holds a precious life and soul that, to that family, is the whole world. In that spirit, thank you for each and every single blanket that has been made with the most love and care for the most precious among us. To honor them, to hold them, to love them, to remember them.
If you've made/donated blankets I would love to add a note to this page to recognize & honor your loved one & your special gift in their memory. EMAIL ME at Sissydec@gmail.com.
I will only use basic information so that you & your family's privacy will be respected & protected.
I will only use basic information so that you & your family's privacy will be respected & protected.
Olivia's Blankets have been donated to:
- Sawyer's Heart provides support & comfort to bereaved parents through Memory Boxes. Sawyer's Heart relies on donations. Please visit them on facebook to learn more about their beautiful mission. Want to help? Here's their wishlist!
- Mended Little Hearts of Chicago's Angel Boxes for parents whose children have passed due to a Congenital Heart Defect.
- Directly to community hospitals & bereavement groups.