Quilts for Project Linus

Remember Linus from Peanuts? The little boy with his blankie to his ear and his thumb in his mouth? This character by Charles M. Schultz, the embodiment of well-known positive impact on young children of a comfort blanket or toy, became the mascot for Project Linus.

The organization states that it has two missions:

First, provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”
Second, provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Rona Kleiman, one of my online Ravelry friends, who started the Project Linus program in Canada, recently visited Havergal College, an exclusive private girls school, to see what the 9th grade girls were making for Project Linus. 

These are the hand sewn, paper-pieced quilt tops they were making.

"They have an art teacher who has a PHD in art education," Rona says. The art teacher, Dr. Miriam Davidson, who is  head of the upper school art department as well as a teacher, started the quilt program five years ago and contacted Rona at Project Linus, because the girls were looking for a new place to donate. A relative of one of the girls had donated to Project Linus in the past, so the girl suggested the organization as a possible destination for the finished quilts.

When Rona arrived at the school, the girls were working on stone carvings. Rona says that they took her breath away. She was very impressed with the girls, too. "They were kind and funny and very smart. What a breath of fresh air," she says. Rona explained to the girls what Project Linus is all about. When she was finished, they were very excited about their donations. 

Rona started Project Linus Canada 20 years ago and was the international coordinator of the organization across Canada, until two years ago when she stepped down from that position and now runs the Toronto chapter. "I got really burned out from all the desk work," Rona says. When she started the program she didn’t expect it to expand to such a degree.  "Even the Toronto chapter is a big and busy chapter and requires a lot of work and running around, but I love the charity. It’s a part of me by now," she adds. There are now 40 chapters in Canada--something to be proud of.

I find the girls' quilts inspiring. Don't you? Even with hand-sewing and paper-piecing, these shapes are difficult to piece with this kind of precision.

For more information on Project Linus, especially how to get involved, contact--

Project Linus Canada: http://projectlinuscanada.org

Project Linus USA: https://www.projectlinus.org

Project Linus accepts knitted and crocheted blankets in addition to quilts. Check with them for requirements before making a blanket.

While I'm on vacation, I thought my readers might be interested in a valuable resource for children in need and a worthy place for quilters, knitters and crocheters to donate their efforts.

Preparing for Travel—Maybe!

The Fair Isle sweater for Lukas is done, shown here modeled by Carter.

Here's the link to the pattern, a free download on Ravelry. It's designed to teach people how to make a project that calls for knitting in the round and steeks (cutting your knitting), something they can start with that isn't a huge investment of time, but still gives a finished product that's useable for a doll or teddy bear. It buttons down the back, so you don't have to pull the sweater over the doll's head.

There is a tutorial for the project here. The sweater comes in three sizes for 18" (or so) dolls that are slim, medium or plus-size. (Carter is wearing the plus size, which is also appropriate for American Girl and Boy dolls.) Carter is from My Sibling Dolls. It's a good company serving several worthy causes.

Carter got his name by being designated to be part of the silent auction for Habitat for Humanity, Park City, in October. He and a girl doll will receive volunteer-made clothes and trunks to hold all their goodies. The dolls and everything that goes into each doll's wardrobe are donated. Last year two girl dolls brought in about $350 combined.

I mentioned last week that I ordered a Götz Katie (like my Mandy) for our granddaughter for Christmas. A little early, but this doll (with the red hair and freckles) is out-of-production, and the last retailer to have any in stock has the last of them. I ordered her as soon as I got paid. She arrived on Saturday. I opened the box and pulled out the cardboard drawer where Katie was held in place by restraints (poor thing, but it's for her protection). I was able to check her out to reassure myself she was uninjured from the long journey, get a photo with my live-in Götz dolls and get her back into the box.

Mandy thinks they could be twins. Katie will probably end up with Vroni's and Mandy's dresses, as I make more. (You can see that she has glasses for reading, too.) She will need a sleep mask and a chain or ribbon for her glasses, as well as clothes.

We have been going to Run-A-Muk Dog Park fairly frequently, because it's in a spot that isn't so windy, nor is it muddy, even after a rain. Wednesday the pups went to see the groomer. I wanted to get a photo of Dusty, to show how much lighter he's getting. Rocky decided to photobomb Dusty's photoshoot. At least he didn't hold a paw up behind Dusty's head.

Rocky had his annual physical and thyroid check this past week. Everything is good. Still waiting on the results of his--ahem--fecal check, but it has always been normal since we've had him, so I'm not worried. He really does seem to have more energy since he has been on thyroid medication for a while.

Vintage Stitchers didn't meet this week. Everyone was either out of town, had appointments or trying to get caught up before the quilt-shop-hop the beginning of next month.

We expect to be leaving Thursday or so to go camping in Oregon unless something comes up. (We have at least three issues that could get in the way.) Regardless, next week's blog post will be about some girls in a school in Canada who have been hand-piecing quilt tops to make quilts for Project Linus, an organization that provides quilts and knitted or crocheted blankets for children in need of warm fuzzies. I may be out of internet range, so this pre-programed post will show up. I'll check in if I can.

What's on my needles: Another Three Steps petticoat. I really want to make a Steampunk-style outfit as part of the "Sweet Pairings" KAL in the Debonair Designs group on Ravelry. Also still sewing the binding on the Kaleidoscope Quilt, but now I have a deadline, so it will get done.

What's on my Featherweight: Put away for now.

What's on my loom: Still waiting.

What's on my wheel: Stanzi also still waiting, but I'll have to get her oiled up when I get back, because Tour de Fleece starts the beginning of July.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Finished Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E. Ladd from Audible, probably her best novel so far. Now reading Hacker Mom by Austen Rachlis. It’s a real change of pace. On the Kindle app, I’m still reading Dying to Read, The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1.

What's in my wine glass: Still the same boxed wine as last week. Nothing to write home about, but it seems to be refilling itself.

What's my tip of the week: If you're cooking for two, you can still use recipes for four or more servings. I often make a long casserole dish with a recipe enough for three or four days for just the two of us. So we don't get tired of it, I put half of it in a foil-lined square cake pan after it's chilled enough that it doesn't fall apart when I cut it, if it's something like lasagne or enchiladas. I cover it with more foil, freeze and then turn the frozen casserole out of the dish, label and wrap in a plastic bag (like a produce bag) to keep the cold air from reaching the food inside. When I'm ready to serve it, I put it back in the cake pan, thaw it and heat up in the oven. For a stew or something that has to be spooned rather than cut, I just transfer half of it to a freezer container. This is great for camping or to pull out when I'd rather do anything but cook.. 

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals were harmed during the production of this blog post.