But it does describe something that is warm, protecting, and comforting, and that’s just what two industry veterans hope to do with a new project to aid those devastated in the war-torn country.

Simply, friends and business partners Gina Halladay and Beth Hawkins have launched the “Wrap Ukraine with Quilts” project. The effort aims to collect as many quilts as possible and distribute them to displaced Ukrainians in need or living in refugee areas both in and out of the devastated country.

“Quilts are more than a material object. They transcend the love and care and time that goes into making them,” Hawkins says via Zoom. “And the people receiving them know that someone out there in the world cares about them personally.”

As of the end of April, more than 1,700 quilts have been donated for distribution. The contributions of lap, throw, or crib-sized quilts should be handmade, new, or barely used, and clean. There’s a special need for smaller, child-sized quilts.

The germ for the idea came from information and feedback that Halladay’s husband Hal were getting from friends and business associates in Ukraine during the early days of the Russian invasion. And finding out just how bad things already were with large numbers of people being evacuated and displaced.

Halladay’s husband and son had both spent time in the country on a cycling trip. That led to Hal giving leadership workshops in the country, and one was attended by a woman named Nataliya, who kept in contact.

“We got a picture of our friend Nataliya over there and she and her kids literally just had a roller bag of clothes and fled. We asked her if she needed quilts on a Zoom call and she began crying. She said they just wanted to be seen and that the world cares about them,” Halladay recalls.

Without a formal plan and relying on the skills of themselves and those they recruited, Gina and Beth put up a website and began to set up overseas distribution in just 3 ½ weeks. And the quilts started coming in. And in, and in, and in. Halladay’s husband has already made the first of what is many planned trips to Poland to distribute the first 120 quilts to refugees.

“Sometimes, if you jump in there without a whole plan but with the framework, things will start to happen,” Hawkins says. She adds that partnering with a humanitarian organization called Lifting Hands International for transportation has been a huge help.

Amazingly, the company is based in Lehi, Utah—less than 10 miles from Halladay’s home. They send cargo planes overseas about every three weeks to areas including Poland, Germany, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine itself. They have also partnered with a couple of other humanitarian organizations. 

Halladay and Hawkins first met in person at the 2007 International Quilt Market trade show in Salt Lake City. That’s when both were new pattern designers trying to make their marks and had booths in the same aisle (though Halladay had interviewed Hawkins and her sister-in-law Liz Hawkins about their company, LizzieBCreative, for her blog QuiltersBuzz). They quickly became fast friends as their careers grew separately. And even though they don’t live near each other, these moms (and now grandmoms) have worked and played together, and their families have spent holidays together.

“It didn’t take long to immediately connect, both professionally and with what we had in common personally,” Hawkins says. “We’ve gone to our kids’ weddings and spent a lot of travel time together. I’m pretty close to my sister, but Gina knows more of my stuff than she does! My mom has even adopted Gina!”

“There’s just some people in your life that you have a deep, instant connection with, and that’s Beth!” Halladay adds.

Late last year, the pair launched a business together, HelloCottons.com, with the goal to offer online quilting courses and design and sell kits, patterns, and projects. But with pandemic-related supply chain issues slowing their desired progress, both threw themselves full force into this project.

What makes this project somewhat unique is that each quilt that is sent overseas has a label attached that identifies the maker/donor, who can leave a short, written message. They are also then pinned with a packing slip and unique assigned QR Code, which the eventual quilt recipient can scan and send a message back to the maker if they want to. Halladay says she’s already heard of friendships being formed and contacts continuing.

“We’ve gotten messages and have had to go to Google translate to see what’s being written!” Hawkins says. “And all it takes is a smart phone. The feedback from Hal was that it took a minute for people to get used to the idea. But that connection with the QR code and a person transcended everything.”

“We feel confident that even if we receive tens of thousands of quilts, we have the ability to distribute them,” Halladay offers. “There are refugee camps everywhere. And a need everywhere.”

And even if you don’t have a quilt to donate, there’s another way to participate in Wrap Ukraine with Quilts. The project is also accepting monetary donations to help defray administrative costs and shipping.

Halladay and Hawkins will also have an informational and quilt acceptance booth at both summer editions of International Quilt Festival in Salt Lake City (July 21-23) and Long Beach (August 4-6).

“I think we sit in our comfortable little spot in the world and read and see the news about this, and to make a connection to a person in need through the kindness we see among quilters is amazing,” Hawkins sums up. “Quilters know how to help. It’s not medical help or food or shelter, but we can serve a different type of need. And show that people really care.”

For information on the project and how to participate or donate, please visit www.WrapUkrainewithQuilts.com. You can also get a sticker and a downloadable pattern.