The Layette Program provides over 40 complete layettes a year to the Public Health Nurses. Extra layettes are available for any special request or need. In December the Diocese of San Jose Office of Women holds a Layette Celebration and all Catholic Churches in the Diocese with a Womens Guild, Sewing Circle, or similar group attend, bringing layette items they have made throughout the year. These items are displayed at the celebration and then collected and brought to the Womens Auxiliary layette storeroom to be sorted and made into layettes that are distributed throughout the year.

This year (1999) the Holy Spirit Layette Program contributed 54 blankets, 28 quilts, 12 afghans, 108 receiving blankets, 108 disposable diapers, 20 onesies, 116 knit caps and bonnets, 125 bibs, 8 sweater sets, 24 pairs of socks, and diaper pins, hgowns and crib sheets. Also included was a holiday gift basket for the raffle and a $200 check.

Our group consists of a seventeen women who meet the first Monday of each month, in the parish hall at 9:15 a.m. after the 8:30 a.m. Eucharist. We bring the items we have made during the previous month and get new materials to continue sewing, knitting or crocheting. Four layettes are also made up and after the short meeting , delivered to the Public Health Nurses.

We do not meet during the months of July and August.

A complete layette includes the following items we make:

• one blanket or quilt
• three receiving blankets
• one kimona
• two bibs
• one sweater
• one hat
• one pair booties
• one face cloth

Plus these items secured by other means:

• one dozen cloth diapers
• two baby pins
• two pair plastic pants
• one waterproof lap pad
• two gowns
• one terry jump suit
• two undershirts
• one pair stretch socks
• one rattle
• one item of used clothing when available