The Quilters Netflix Documentary Proves There is Healing in Doing Good for Foster Youth

The Quilters Netflix Documentary Proves There is Healing in Doing Good for Foster Youth

The Quilters is a moving Netflix documentary released in 2024 that highlights an extraordinary restorative justice program inside Missouri’s South Central Correctional Center. Inmates in this program make quilts for children in foster care. They use old sewing machines and donated fabric to create each quilt with care and love.

This project gives foster kids, who often have very few belongings, something to call their own. The program also offers the inmates a chance for healing, purpose, and creative expression. 

A Summary

The documentary follows inmates in a maximum security prison as they sew and design quilts with so much love, care, and intention. Working with limited resources, mostly outdated sewing machines and donated fabric, they still manage to make each quilt unique. Many quilts include a child’s favorite colors or patterns, and some even have their names stitched on. Some quilts are weighted to comfort children with special needs.

Throughout, the inmates share how much the program means to them. Many say it gives them peace and feels like a sacred space where they can focus their energy into something good. One inmate shared, “When I do this, I don’t even be in here.”

The film gives us a real look into the inmates’ lives and the regrets they carry, but it gives us moments of hope. Seeing the emotional moments when inmates see photos of kids holding their blankets shows just how much this program means to them. Overall, The Quilters shows us how art and creating something with your hands can be healing for everyone involved.

All in all, this is a touching documentary. If you’re looking for a story that’s both uplifting and real, this is a must‑watch!

What Redditors Are Saying

• “They really made some beautiful quilts-and with a lot less fancy tools than I used. I was truly impressed.”
• “Made me cry when you saw the children being given the quilts. If it’s anything like England, foster children sometimes don’t have much in the way of belongings and move sometimes so it means a lot when they have something big that isn’t borrowed.”
• “The children getting those quilts absolutely have had difficult lives. I love that the inmates making the quilts are able to personalize the quilts in terms of putting names on them and style choices for the kids.”
• “It was too short imo, I know the casual watcher wouldn’t be that interested but I reckon they could have done at least another half hour on how they make their design choices.”
• “Imagine if your entire adult life is defined by your worst day. It takes courage and humility to face that every day. May each one be blessed and find peace.”
• “I love how much pride and care they put into every aspect of the process. I wish it was a full length feature or even a limited series. 30 mins was nowhere near long enough!”
• “It honestly made me want to sort through my stacks of fabric to donate. I would love to live in a world where they are inundated with fabric for kids.”

How You Can Get Involved and Make a Difference

If you’re inspired by the mission behind The Quilters, there are lots of ways you can help foster youth feel seen, supported, and loved:

• Donate to the quilting program: While the program used to accept fabric and yarn, they are now overwhelmed with donations and running out of storage space. Instead, they encourage monetary donations to help fund quilting supplies and other important Restorative Justice programs. You can find full details on the official Missouri Department of Corrections page here.
• Support kids in foster care through Foster Love: Join one of our service activities, like assembling Sweet Cases or building bikes. These hands-on projects (much like the quilt program!) help give children in foster care comfort and a sense of belonging with new duffle bags, birthday boxes, and other essentials. You can learn more about our programs here: https://fosterlove.com/sponsor/ 
• Spread the word: Share these programs with your friends, family, or on social media. Every share helps us reach more people and support more kids.
  

By supporting Missouri’s Restorative Justice programs or joining Foster Love’s service activities, you turn kindness into real change. Together, we can bring hope, healing, and comfort to foster youth, just like the quilts in The Quilters Netflix documentary symbolize warmth, care, and second chances.

Let’s work together to bring dignity and hope to children who need it most.