quilts_for_survivors

08/27/2026

🧡 September at Quilts for Survivors 🧡

September is going to be a busy and exciting month at Zaagi’ine Gamig, and we’d love to have you join us!

📍 58 Legion Drive, South Porcupine, ON

🍲 Wednesday, September 3 — Potluck Lunch
12:00–1:30 PM
Bring a dish to share and come enjoy some good food and great company with us.

🧵 Wednesday, September 3 — Block Making
1:00–2:30 PM
Our Block Making Day happens on the first Wednesday of every month. Come sew with us and help create blocks that will become part of quilts presented to Survivors.

✂️ No Intro to Sewing this month
With our annual retreat happening at the end of September, Intro to Sewing will return in October.

🧡 September 27–30 — 4th Annual Orange You Glad We’re Sewing Retreat
Four days of sewing, community, learning, laughter, culture and connection right here at the home of Quilts for Survivors.

🏠 Regular Studio Hours:
Tuesday to Thursday
10:00 AM–3:00 PM

Whether you’re a longtime volunteer, new to Quilts for Survivors, or simply curious about what happens in our studio, we’d love to see you.

Have questions about any of our September activities, volunteering, or the retreat?
📧 Email me at [email protected]

Please share our September calendar and help us spread the word. 🧡

08/23/2026

📣 Studio Closed This Week

The Quilts for Survivors studio will be closed this week while our staff takes some well-deserved vacation time. 🧵💛

Our team works incredibly hard throughout the year to keep quilts moving, support our volunteers, and continue presenting hugs to Survivors across Canada. This week gives everyone a chance to rest, recharge, and spend some time with family.

We’ll be back in the studio next week, ready to get sewing again!

Thank you for your understanding and for continuing to support Quilts for Survivors and the work we do to honour Survivors. 🧡

08/23/2026

🧵🧡 COME SEW WITH US THIS SEPTEMBER! 🧡🧵

Our 4th Annual Orange You Glad We’re Sewing Retreat is coming up September 27–30, 2026, and we would love to welcome you to Zaagi’ine Gamig in South Porcupine, Ontario for four unforgettable days of sewing, learning, laughter, culture and community.

This is so much more than a sewing retreat.

It is an opportunity to step inside the home of Quilts for Survivors, experience the work we do firsthand, meet the people behind it, and help us continue to to Survivors across Canada.

🎟️ In-person registration is $260

Your retreat experience includes:

🧵 Plenty of sewing and creating
🍽️ Lunches and dinners
🧡 A hands-on, in-house Quilts for Survivors volunteer experience
🎁 Swag bags and prizes
✂️ Patterns
🪶 Time for culture, Truth & Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day
🤝 Connection with other quilters who believe in using their hands and hearts to make a difference

✨ Our special guest is Bridget O’Flaherty — The Sustainable Quilter.

And yes — you also get to spend time with Vanessa Genier, Founder & CEO of Quilts for Survivors.

This isn’t a quick hello from across a room. Vanessa will be there throughout the retreat — sewing, sharing stories, answering questions, laughing with everyone and talking about how Quilts for Survivors grew from a small idea into a national movement that has now presented more than 9,200 quilts to Survivors.

You’ll hear some of the stories that don’t always make it into a Facebook post or video, learn more about the heart behind this work, and have the opportunity to genuinely connect in the place where so many of these quilts begin their journey.

There is something very special about gathering together at Zaagi’ine Gamig.

You see the fabric.

You see the quilts.

You see the work.

But most importantly, you feel the community behind every single quilt that leaves our doors.

Whether you have supported Quilts for Survivors for years or you are just discovering us, you are welcome here.

🧡 Come sew.
🧵 Come learn.
🪶 Come connect.
❤️ Come be part of something that is much bigger than a quilt.

📅 September 27–30, 2026
📍 Zaagi’ine Gamig, South Porcupine, Ontario
🎟️ Tickets: $260

👉 Get your ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/4th-orange-you-glad-were-sewing-retreat-tickets-1767179574679

Can’t travel to South Porcupine? You can still join us! 🎥 Livestream registration is only $5.

Limited in-person spots are available, so don’t wait.

And please share this post with your quilting friends. Sometimes all someone needs is an invitation to join us. 🧡

Presented with love. Always honouring Survivors.

08/17/2026

🧵✨ **SUMMER NIGHT SKY — MYSTERY SEW ALONG 2026–2027** ✨🧵

We are excited to open registration for our next **Quilts for Survivors Class Quilt**!

This year’s quilt is called **Summer Night Sky**, and there is a very special story behind its name.

The quilt was designed by our volunteer **Lora Andrishak** in honour of **Vanessa Genier, M.S.M., BBA**, Founder and CEO of Quilts for Survivors.

Vanessa’s Spirit Name is **Summer Sky Woman**, and Lora drew inspiration from Vanessa, her love of quilting, and the work she has built through Quilts for Survivors. From that inspiration came the name **Summer Night Sky**.

And because this is a **mystery sew along**, you will not see the full quilt until the very end!

From **September 2026 to June 2027**, join Vanessa online for **10 quilting classes**, held on the **third Sunday of every month from 2–4 PM Eastern Time**.

Each month, another part of the quilt will be revealed as we sew, learn, visit, ask questions, and create together.

💜 **$5 per class**
💜 **$50 for the full 10-class series**
💜 All classes are recorded and available afterward, so you can watch or rewatch at your own pace.

**Summer Night Sky** was:
✨ Designed and sample pieced by Lora Andrishak
✨ Inspired by Vanessa Genier
✨ Quilted by Vanessa Genier
✨ Bound by Vanessa Genier

Your registration also helps support the cost of **shipping quilts to Survivors across Canada**, so every class you join helps us continue our mission.

👉 **Register here:**
https://quiltsforsurvivors.ca/studio-programs/

Come quilt with us and watch **Summer Night Sky** slowly come to life, one mystery piece at a time.

**Let’s quilt with purpose, creativity, and heart.** 💜

07/25/2026

🎉 Our new website is now LIVE! 🎉

The address hasn’t changed—it’s still https://quiltsforsurvivors.ca/—but we’ve completely updated the website to make it easier to use and easier to find the information you need.

Whether you’re looking to:
🧡 Request a quilt
🪡 Volunteer
🤝 Support our mission
📅 Register for events
📖 Learn more about Quilts for Survivors

…it’s all just a few clicks away.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post. Every share helps us reach more Residential School, Day School, Sixties Scoop, and Intergenerational Survivors and their families who may not yet know they can request a quilt.

Together, we can continue shipping hugs and healing, one quilt at a time. 💛

A community-led initiative offering handmade quilts to Residential School Survivors, Day School Survivors, Sixties Scoop Survivors, and their families.

07/21/2026

🌿 Come visit us at CreeFest! 🌿

We’ll be at CreeFest from July 21-23 at the McIntyre Arena Auditorium! Come stop by the Quilts for Survivors booth to learn more about what we do, pick up some information, and say hello. CreeFest is a free celebration of Cree culture featuring performances, vendors, food, art, language, and more.

While you’re there, don’t forget to head over to the curling rink to check out some incredible artwork, including Vanessa’s beautiful quilt and other amazing pieces on display.

We’d love to see you there! 💛🧡🪶

07/07/2026

🧡 Help Us Reach Every Living Survivor 🧡

Our vision at Quilts for Survivors is simple:

To see that every living Survivor receives a quilt.

Since 2021, more than 9,100 quilts have been presented to Residential School, Day School, and Sixties Scoop Survivors across Canada. While we have come a long way, we know there are still many Survivors waiting.

If you are a Survivor, or you know someone who is, we invite you to help us.

You can submit:
🧡 Yourself
🧡 A family member
🧡 A friend
🧡 A neighbour
🧡 A community member
🧡 Any Indigenous Survivor you know who has not yet received a quilt from Quilts for Survivors

Simply visit:
🌐 www.quiltsforsurvivors.ca

Every submission brings us one step closer to our vision that every living Survivor receives a quilt.

A quilt is more than fabric and thread. It is a tangible reminder that each Survivor is seen, honoured, remembered, and loved.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with your family, friends, communities, and organizations. Together, we can ensure no Survivor is forgotten.

🧡

06/30/2026

🧡 Join Us This July at Quilts for Survivors! 🧡

Looking for a meaningful way to spend a few hours this summer?

Drop into the Quilts for Survivors Studio and help us create hugs for Residential School Survivors, Day School Survivors, Sixties Scoop Survivors, and others impacted by trauma. Whether you sew, cut fabric, iron, organize, bind quilts, or simply enjoy good conversation, there’s a place for you.

📍 58 Legion Drive, South Porcupine
🗓️ Open Tuesday–Thursday
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

No experience is necessary—we’re happy to teach you.

✨ Even during Cree Fest (July 21–23), our studio will remain open while we’re also out in the community.

Every stitch is an act of kindness. Every volunteer helps us wrap someone in comfort, hope, and healing.

Come help us . 💛