MY PROJECT LINUS QUILT

The Project Linus  has donated almost 4,000,000 quilts and blankets to needy children and has almost 400 chapters. I have heard about Project Linus along the way but had never thought seriously about looking into it since my life is like most other people's, very busy with every day.  Maybe a fleeting thought of putting something together for the project, sometime, when the time is right, when there is nothing else to do-right!

Then the craft site, Craftsy, that I visit online put out a call for donations that could be given to Project Linus for needy children. Craftsy is trying to collect 1000 quilts by December-plus 1000 hats. I went online to research Project Linus and found just how much good had been spread by the organization. That is where the 4,000,000 figure came from-isn't that astounding?

Now, I have made many quilts for children in jeopardy on an as need basis when the call comes in and when I saw some of the photos on the site of children receiving quilts made especially for them by loving hands, I knew since there was never going to be a just right time when there is nothing else to do.

So in the middle of making things for Christmas for great granchildren [who are blessedly all in good health!!!], my Linus Quilt needed to be done. How much easier could it be? Craftsy provided us with an address to send our quilts and they will even deliver them for us. Good job, Craftsy! I hope we reach the 1000 quilts and hats.

The 1000 hat request was put out first and since I was already crocheting, whipped up some hats to send. Then came the 1000 quilt announcement.

So, if you would like to help these ventures here is the Craftsy address:

Keep A Kid Warm

c/o Sympoz Inc.

1553 Platte #202

Denver, Co. 80202

or

go to the Project Linus website. You may want to become involved in a local chapter if there is one near you. If you need any ideas or patterns, they are provided on the site.

Here is my Linus quilt:

 The angel fabric I had kept squirreled away for a special project was brought out.  The Linus Project children are so special, they deserve the best.

The feather fabric was chosen for the back to coordinate with the angel fabric. One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 91:4-He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shall thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

I always put a pocket on the back of every child's quilt that will hold a book or little soft toy. As soon as I get the pocket on this quilt and find the right book, it will be wrapped up with the hats and sent off to Craftsy.

Here are the little hats I made:

There are also several scarves that will be included in the package.

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The Linus quilt was made in a quilt-as-you-go method shown in the video:

The video along with complete instructions can also be seen @ http://www.FaveQuilts.com/Tips/Techniques. While you are there, check out other patterns, tutorials and videos that can be used for your project.

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

STILL WAITING FOR MY BOX OF SCRAPS

SSoooooooooooo

Sissy's Sewing Box of Scraps Challenge has become more interesting. Sissy liked the blog I wrote yesterday but she contacted me via Facebook and said that the box I had was way too big. She had specified the SMALL flat rate box so I am going to have to scale down the array I had in the bigger box. My senior mind just didn't remember. Sorry, Teresa [she is to receive my  box of scraps]. 

I had to go to the post office to mail a package to my grandson so I picked up the SMALL flat box [I already had the medium size box I had intended on using]-oh, my goodness! It is the size of a vcr cartridge about 6"x8"x2". Now this is going to be a real challenge. Sissy said that she wanted to keep the projects small and I can understand that. There was actually almost enough fabric to make a full size quilt I was getting ready to send out. Now, boohoo, I am going to have to take a lot out. 

Excuse me while I go take care of that little chore and take a picture to update.

While I am gone, you have time to go over to Sissy's Sewing on Facebook and look over the challenge. You still have until Oct. 8, 2011 to become part of all this.

If you don't sew, you can glue, felt, use any of the fusibles to create anything of your choice. There are a lot of crafts out there that don't require sewing. Christmas is coming up-what about ornaments. Go over to FaveCrafts.com and look at the 1000's of ideas for all kinds of things to sew, glue, bead, felt, tie, twist, crochet.

And by the way, I joined the challenge before I found out there were going to be prizes and several have been donated since. Things of interest-some classic fabrics, some gift certificates, a lot of different things but like I said, I decided to take part before there were any prizes like most of the other participants. You can take a look at them here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.255597114462616.63447.141477279207934&type=3  if this doesn't work, just go Sissy's Sewing on Facebook and click on the prizes photo album. I don't know Sissy, don't have any connection, I just think this is something that will be fun to do and maybe you will, too. 

Be right back.

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OK-here is the current box of scraps that will be sent unless I have messed up again. I will not be sending the scraps out in the post office box, though. It will be cheaper to send with my own wrapping. I just used the box for sizing and you know it just broke my heart to take out some of those fabrics. I did try to leave the ones that coordinate so Teresa won't be taking my name in vain.

This is from the original  box:

Like I said, Sissy's Sewing Box of Scraps Challenge has just gotten more interesting.

I'll keep you posted as things go along.

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

WAITING FOR A BOX OF SCRAPS

You would think I didn't have a yard of fabric to my name as I sit here anxiously waiting for someone I don't even know to send me a box of scraps and leftovers from her [his?] projects.

There are shelves of fabric in my sewing room-piles of fabric pulled with patterns assigned and in line for my next projects close to the cutting table-yarns and crochet hooks in the basket next to my chair with a book of downloaded and picked up patterns at hand to be worked on while watching tv. So it's not as though I had nothing to do or to work with.

Now, really! What is wrong with this picture? Waiting for a box of scraps for possibly my next project if I can figure out what to do with a hodge podge of fabrics I may not even like. But I am not alone. There are other odd ducks out there waiting for their boxes, too.

The gauntlet was thrown down by Sissy's Sewing on Facebook and some of us picked it up. We are going to see what, if anything, we can do with someone else's scraps. You still have til October 8, 2011 if you think you would like to join in the challenge. Just go to Sissy's Sewing and submit your name. I wish I had thought about writing this a couple of weeks ago but too much has been going on.

I'm wondering if anyone else had as much trouble getting rid of their fabrics as I did. I put something in the stack, take some out, put some in, grab that little piece-I might need that for something special. It was really pitiful. I'm glad friend, Mary, was not here to see me sneaking a snippet out like it was too precious to let go of. I know some of you understand, don't you?

I finally got the box ready to send and so help me, a few minutes ago, I went over and stole a piece of red from Teresa's box. I hope she won't mind. Teresa, in Tennesee, is the name assigned to me to send my box to. While I was writing this my daughter called me with a project for me to do for a friend and I really might need that fabric with the gold stars, sorry, Teresa, honey. It really is just a smidgeon.

My box of scraps, soon to be on its way to Tennessee. Stay tuned to the saga of the box of scraps. Become more acquainted with some of them in this video.

I am looking forward to this challenge. I have never participated in one before. I can't wait to see what everyone creates. I hope to have photos here of each creation with their permission.

God bless all of you,

Carolyn Wainscott

HOW TO MAKE DOLL SANDALS FOR YOUR AMERICAN GIRL DOLL

Doll clothes are something I hadn't intended on getting into until a couple of months ago. My granddaughter wanted to give her boyfriend's daughter accessories for her American Girl Doll but couldn't afford to buy them. I told her I would help her out and make a couple of outfits for the birthday-and that started the whole thing.

I downloaded some crochet patterns and started with those. I looked up the dolls online and ordered a catalog. I like the concept of the doll with its historical background and line of books and things to do. I just can't get around the cost of eveything so a lot of clothes are being made and put aside for Christmas for my great granddaughters. I love dolls and being able to share this with them.

I have crocheted some hats and bags to match some outfits, even some Mary Jane shoes for one dress that I got carried away with making such a swirly skirt but it looks like I wanted it to.

This is one of my favorite little outfits. I love the two tierred swirly skirt. The top is from one of the downloaded patterns. I couldn't find a top I liked so I used one of the dress patterns and just didn't crochet the skirt. The fabric at the waist is a Tinker Bell piece which is just perfect with the little calico print. The flower on the headband is crocheted.

Let me say something about all those downloaded patterns-I appreciate them so much because they have helped me a great deal and I will share the links at some point. I did find, however, that some of the patterns are not accurate. I am not a greatly accomplished crocheter but one pattern I started several times was just not right. I have made lots of things but this one would not work no matter what I did.

The talented people who create these patterns and then share on the internet are wonderful and I have been able to follow along with almost all of them. It takes a lot of time to create and write instructions. Writing crochet instructions is far beyond me.

So, I had some outfits piling up and wanted shoes to match. I came up with making sandals that are really quick and easy. Since the crochet brigade is so generous in sharing their expertise, I am sharing my idea for the sandals. You can make dozens in an afternoon. If you are going to craft fairs, they would make an inexpensive item without too much time involved that should sell well for you.

I first used some craft foam sheets that I had on hand using my hot glue gun and that worked well. But wonder of wonders, I found the adhesive backed foam sheets, in glitter, no less. Here is the sandal to match the Tinker Bell outfits I made.

Throw away nothing! Even little 1/4" snippets can be used as jewels for trims here and there. Make up your own kit as a gift for children to design and make their own doll sandals. They will have the best shod doll in town.

To help secure the adhesive on the foam, add just a dab of hot glue or other good glue at the ends to keep it from coming loose.

I had fun creating these from anything and everything, hope you do, too. Here is my video showing you how to put these together. 

So get some craft foam or felt sheets and have fun.
God bless you,
Carolyn Wainscott
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Check out my reversible designs in My Pattern Store for doll clothes, quilts and other crafts on Craftsy.com @

http://www.craftsy.com/user/pattern/store/43851

video tutorial for reversible doll cape @
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJzQkEVTTWk



video tutorials @
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Hp75xJHn0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZeoePfP0NE