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Blankets made to ease sorrow

In the name and memory of her son Cole, a local woman is continuing her mission of sewing baby blankets for families in need

In the name and memory of her son Cole, a local woman is continuing her mission of sewing baby blankets for families in need via Cole’s Blankets sewing bees.

Marcie Prediger, along with friends and family, hosted the fourth Cole’s Blankets bee on Feb. 9.

Since the first bee in 2011, more than 500 blankets have been made and donated to Red Deer Regional and Edmonton-based Louis Hole hospitals. Prediger says more than 100 blankets are made each bee.

In 2010 Prediger became pregnant with identical twins — Cole and Cade — however, at 27 weeks she lost Cole.

A blanket was made to mark Cole’s cremation and that was the original Cole’s blanket. It was during the next year that Cole’s Blankets became a project for Prediger and family. “We started because when we were pregnant with twins and lost one, we realized what a great need there is.”

“It’s healed me. You do it to make yourself feel better and to go through the grieving process,” she added.

Prediger’s sister has also lost two of her babies and her cousin lost twins around the same time she lost Cole.

On Feb. 9, a simultaneous Cole’s Blankets bee was held in Saskatchewan by Prediger’s high school friend Nancy Phillips, who has also lost two babies. The blankets are to be donated to hospitals in Saskatoon and surrounding areas. “She always wanted to come to mine, but just because she lives so far away,” explained Prediger.

“That’s my goal in all of this: to get blankets as far as I can go, as many as I can make,” she added.