Teen Makes Quilt for Cancer Survivor

Story originally published by The Daily Standard

Lylly Vagedes, a junior at Coldwater High School in Coldwater, Michigan, gave her love of quilting a new meaning when she took on a complex project for recent graduate Sarah Bruns. Sarah was in the middle of a battle with cancer when her mother approached Lylly to create a quilt out of the pillowcases Sarah had accumulated during her stays at the hospital. With around 40 pillowcases in hand, Lylly wasted no time getting to work.

She used squares to create a weaving pattern-blacks and whites one direction and colorful prints going the other-and also designed a cancer ribbon to put in the middle of the quilt. With an abundance of leftover fabric, Lylly decided to use the pillowcases for both the backing. "I decided to make it kind of brick looking. There was also a pillowcase which had the handprints of a preschool class. I didn't want to cut that up, so I put that on the back so all the 'bricks' are surrounding that," she said.

The quilt not only brought a smile to her friend's face but it also qualified to go to the Ohio State Fair. Although the quilt didn't win, it brought happiness and comfort to a cancer survivor, which sounds like a win in our books! Bruns has been cancer-free for a couple of months and is ready for college. Vagedes will turned 17 in September and plans to pursue a career in the medical field. The two share a unique bond through the quilt.

Vagedes is already thinking about her next quilting project, something suitable for next year's fair. "What I am hoping to do is have all the different colors of cancer ribbons, and in the background there will be a giant lavender cancer ribbon for all cancers, she said. "I'm hoping to make that for next year." She also is hoping to donate that quilt to a cancer hospital to raise money.