Archie with two of his cousins who visited him while in hospital – Ella and Georgie MacGregor from Parkes.  Archie loved to go in his wheelchair to the Starlight Room. 

An army of quilters descended on Whichcraft over the weekend to complete a total of 59 quilts. Quilters came from Canberra, Ungarie, Rylstone, Cootamundra, Binalong, Marulan and Harden to attend. The ladies joked that they only came for the wine but there was plenty of chocolate on hand and many a laugh. They were incredibly industrious to have completed so many quilts over the weekend.

They hope to make it 60. The name Archie’s Army came about because Vicki Lovell and Emily Armitt had lost their beautiful grandson, Archie 8, after being diagnosed with Mitochondrial disease. He was flown to the children’s hospital from Canberra with his mum, Amanda, Vicki’s daughter. He passed away peacefully, after six weeks. He had been given a quilt by the Palliative Care Section of the hospital early in his stay.  A quilt he became very, very attached to and was with him till the end. His siblings Emmy, Mia and Axl were also presented with a quilt. Vicki said, “They say it will be a reminder of Archie and they will relate their quilt to their lost brother.” Vicki said that being a quilter she was deeply touched by the generosity of Palliative Care and also the fellow quilters who donated their quilts to Archie and his siblings.

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One of the hand crafted quilts from Saturday’s workshop

Quilters Jo and Kathy from Ungarie and Sue Chesworth were the instigators of the weekend. Vicki said that they had fabric and cash donated from as far away as Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, Goulburn, Coleambally, Cowra, Marulan and locally. Vicki said that she and Emily and his great aunt Rosemary along with Archie’s mum will deliver the quilts to Palliative Care in November. “It will be a heart wrenching trip for all of us but also very rewarding”, Vicki said. They will provide many more beautiful quilts for sick children and their families