Did you ever have a “blankie?” Do you remember the comfort that it gave you?
The Sawtooth Mountain Quilters know how much comfort a blanket can give, and this summer they are joining efforts with quilters, knitters, and sewers around the country to provide blankets for children who need some comfort.
Each year, the Sawtooth Mountain Quilters chooses a theme around which members secretly create a quilt to be revealed at their annual potluck. While the quilters don’t always donate their themed quilts to a charity, last year, they gave 30 quilts to victims of the 2007 Ham Lake fire.
This year, the group has chosen to create blankets for Project Linus, a volunteer non-profit organization headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois. The organization was started after a woman named Karen Loucks read a Christmas Eve 1995 Parade Magazine article about a three-year old girl whose security blanket had been comforting her through two years of intensive cancer treatment. More than 3,000,000 blankets have been distributed worldwide since that time.
The goals of the organization are 1) to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need, and 2) to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for people wanting to help children. Recipients are especially touched by the fact that the blankets are lovingly made by hand.
Project Linus was named – with the blessing of creator Charles Schulz — after the Peanuts comic strip character who took his blankie with him everywhere. Project Linus chapters—currently 405—can be found in every state, with the closest being a Northeast Minnesota chapter in Duluth.
The Sawtooth Mountain Quilters is inviting the community to join them in providing new, handmade blankets to children of all ages, from infants to teens. They can be dropped off at Crystal’s Log Cabin Quilts at 1100 West Highway 61 in Grand Marais. The quilts will be sent to children “in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anywhere that a child might be in need of a big hug,” according to the Project Linus website (www.projectlinus.org).
In an effort to make sure the blankets are safe and clean for the children who will use them, Project Linus has the following guidelines on its website: “Project Linus welcomes blankets of all styles, including quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors. Blankets must be new, handmade and washable.”
Project Linus blankets should be of excellent quality and made of cotton or cotton/poly blends. Knits, double knits, wool, and some other materials are not accepted. The blankets must be free from chemicals, contaminants, smoky smells and other odors, mold, and mildew. They should be checked for any remaining pins and should be free from embellishments that could be swallowed, such as buttons.
Blankets can be as small as 36″ x 36″ for newborns or as large as twin-bed size for teenagers. Many Project Linus blankets are crib size: 40″ x 60″.
“You don’t have to be an expert to create a blanket that is beautiful to a child!” says the website. Sawtooth Mountain Quilter Mary Brislance hopes the community will join in her group’s efforts to show love and give something practical and comforting to children in need.
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