Project Linus: Providing Security through Blankets

As a child, I had a favorite blanket which I called my "bye." Actually, there were two or three of them that were identical, and mom would sneak a dirty one away and replace it with a clean one while I slept. Today, one of those very same "byes" lives in my 5-year-old's bed and has been renamed the "Hugs and Kisses Blanket." Every night before bed, I fill it with hugs and kisses and wrap it around her in case she needs any "mommy love" while she sleeps.

Even though I'm "all grown up" now, I still love that bye, and perhaps that's part of what fueled my favorite hobby of making quilts. I'm certainly not an expert blanket maker but I really enjoy the process of choosing that special pattern for that special someone, selecting the right fabrics, piecing them together and admiring how yards of fabric can become something so special. Maybe that's also one of the reasons I'm so attracted to an organization called Project Linus.

From the Project Linus website:

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:

First, it is our mission to 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, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Together we have distributed over two million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.

You don't have to know how to sew, knit or crochet to become involved with Project Linus, though their website does offer lots of great blanket patterns that would be fun for people of all ages to make, including a really simple "no sew fleece" pattern. If you'd like to donate supplies, you can find your local chapter and contact the coordinator for more information. Or, you can make a monetary donation on the Project Linus Website or by mail.

What a great gift to give a child in need... the love, warmth and security of a made-with-love blankie. These are gifts that can make such an important difference that can truly last a lifetime.

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat