Betty Taylor has been sewing her entire life. 

"My mama learnt me to sew," Taylor said.

What You Need To Know

  • The Foscoe Blanketeers make blankets for every baby born at Watauga Medical Center

  • They meet each week to sew blankets

  • The group has been creating blankets since 2004

It's something she loves to do.

"I'm teaching my great-granddaughter to sew on the sewing machine," Taylor said.

Her sewing skills aren't just gifts for her family. The 89-year-old is sharing her creations with as many babies in Watauga County as she can. Since 2004, she and the Foscoe Blanketeers have been able to work to craft blankets for newborns.

"If I see them in Walmart, I ask them, 'Where was the baby born at Watauga?' I said, 'Did you get a blanket?' Yes, ma'am," Taylor said.

Every Wednesday at Foscoe Christian Church, Taylor sews and others crochet. Thousands of blankets have been given out over the years. 

When they first started helping others, Catherine Bare says, they took a picture of every blanket made and numbered them to keep track. 

A scrapbook protects their memories over the years as some members have died. Each blanket includes a tag with the names of the creative women who designed it. They pray over them before delivering them to the hospital.

They don't ask for anything in return. It's a labor of love and they plan to make blankets as long as they can.

"It's a community thing," Taylor said.