Donor Stories: Jan Tarasi
Pittsburgh Walk Volunteer Uses Quilting Hobby to Raise Money for Autism Speaks
When retired accountant Jan Tarasi took up the hobby of quilting, she had no idea the effect she could have on the autism community. What started out as a hobby has quickly turned into a powerful fundraising tool and has brought attention to a subject that is near and dear to her heart; finding the cause and a possible cure for autism. Jan's 4-year-old grandson was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder at the age of 18 months and with his diagnosis, Jan was introduced to autism.
In January of 2005, after encouragement from her sister-in-law, Jan began taking classes to learn how to quilt. After four frustrating and difficult months learning different patterns and techniques, she finally found a pattern for a biscuit quilt and completed her first project. Biscuit quilts are made of individually stuffed squares – biscuits - which are all sewn together to make a whole quilt. This type of quilt was extremely popular during the Victorian era.
Although Jan says that the pattern for the quilts is easy, it is extremely time consuming and can take up to 40 hours and 5 yards of fabric just to make a single quilt. After Jan's niece saw the second quilt she had ever made, her niece told a friend who was having a baby and before she knew it, Jan had sold her first quilt. Even though Jan had no intentions of making quilts to sell, she enjoyed sharing her new hobby and decided that whatever money she might make from selling quilts, would go to supporting the mission of Autism Speaks, to help her grandson.
Since her grandson's diagnosis, Jan has become an active advocate and volunteer in the autism community. She participates at her local Walk Now for Autism at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and continues to donate any quilting proceeds to Autism Speaks. Last year alone, Jan made a $1,755 donation to Autism Speaks from her new hobby. Although most came from the sales of her $75 handmade quilts, she received so much interest that even those who couldn't afford her quilts wanted to help her cause. She has received donations of thread and fabric to help her make the quilts, as well as monetary donations that she passes along to Autism Speaks. She was surprised by how many people wanted to help once she got started.
In addition to her biscuit quilts, Jan surprised her grandson with a “transportation quilt” which has cars, trucks, trains and airplanes on the fabrics. She also made an American flag quilt for another grandson. Jan looks forward to learning even more techniques and hopes that her added skills will help her raise money to fund important research that will someday find the causes and a possible cure for autism.
If you have a unique way to fundraise for Autism Speaks, we'd love to hear about it. Write to us at editors@autismspeaks.org to tell us your story.
Although Jan says that the pattern for the quilts is easy, it is extremely time consuming and can take up to 40 hours and 5 yards of fabric just to make a single quilt. After Jan's niece saw the second quilt she had ever made, her niece told a friend who was having a baby and before she knew it, Jan had sold her first quilt. Even though Jan had no intentions of making quilts to sell, she enjoyed sharing her new hobby and decided that whatever money she might make from selling quilts, would go to supporting the mission of Autism Speaks, to help her grandson.
Since her grandson's diagnosis, Jan has become an active advocate and volunteer in the autism community. She participates at her local Walk Now for Autism at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and continues to donate any quilting proceeds to Autism Speaks. Last year alone, Jan made a $1,755 donation to Autism Speaks from her new hobby. Although most came from the sales of her $75 handmade quilts, she received so much interest that even those who couldn't afford her quilts wanted to help her cause. She has received donations of thread and fabric to help her make the quilts, as well as monetary donations that she passes along to Autism Speaks. She was surprised by how many people wanted to help once she got started.
In addition to her biscuit quilts, Jan surprised her grandson with a “transportation quilt” which has cars, trucks, trains and airplanes on the fabrics. She also made an American flag quilt for another grandson. Jan looks forward to learning even more techniques and hopes that her added skills will help her raise money to fund important research that will someday find the causes and a possible cure for autism.
If you have a unique way to fundraise for Autism Speaks, we'd love to hear about it. Write to us at editors@autismspeaks.org to tell us your story.
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