Two Ladner quilters recently sent their love to Boston as part of an exhibit at the city's Museum of Fine Arts.
To Boston With Love was the brainchild of Berene Campbell of North Vancouver.
"When the news of the Boston bombings broke, I was shocked," Campbell said.
She decided to turn her shock and sadness over the event at the Boston Marathon last month into action and used her hobby, sewing, to express care for the city and those affected by the tragedy, which killed three and injured hundreds.
Campbell, a member of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild, came up with the idea to quilt flags embodying the theme "To Boston With Love."
Stacey Murton and Arita Rai, who both live in Ladner and are also members of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild, are happy to pitch in and quilt a few flags.
Murton contributed three flags while Rai made five.
"It was just very touching," Rai, who has been quilting for 25 years, said of the project.
"As quilters, I find in general that we like to give."
Murton, who has also been a quilter for 25 years, said she was happy to see such a positive response to the tragedy.
What started small soon grew through social media and the project was receiving flags from quilters all over the world. In the end, To Boston With Love included more than 1,600 flags from six continents.
"When tragedies occur, there is an instinct to help, but we often feel removed from the situation and powerless," said Holly Broadland, president of the guild. "To Boston With Love is a project that has empowered hundreds around the world to show their love to the people of Boston in a tangible way."
To Boston With Love was installed in the Shapiro Family Courtyard at the museum over the Memorial Day long weekend.
While admission to the museum was free for the weekend, any donations went to The One Fund Boston, benefiting the families of those killed and the victims most seriously affected by the bombing and its aftermath.
