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

& MORE QUICK, QUIRKY STUFF-BANDANNA W/ BEADS NECK PIECE +++

This bandanna neck piece is really cute and only takes a little while to make. Just add some coordinating pony beads and stuff with, of all things, cotton balls, and you are good to go. I have always made these with left over batting or pillow stuffing but thought I would try cotton balls and they work really well and are all uniform in size. 

Just cut the bandanna according to instructions in the video, string on the beads and fill space with cotton ball to create fabric bead. 

Have fun with this one, the possibilities are endless. 

THE BANDANNA NECKPIECE 

The next piece is put together the same way as the bandanna neckpiece but uses lace ribbon. It has a Victorian look and feel and looks great with little summer dresses.

THE VICTORIAN LACE NECKPIECE

These neck pieces are popular bizarre items, don't take long to make and are not expensive to make.

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MY FAVORITE RECIPES

[they have to be quick, easy and really good]

To continue sharing my favorite, quick recipes that are favorites with my family and friends, I am including the following "Impossible Cheesecake" that, again, I have been making for years. I have never had a failure with this recipe. Mixed in one container-my blender, pour into a baking dish and that's it.

I had my first cheesecake at my friend's house when I was in grade school and thought it was the best ever but until I found this recipe by Bisquick in a magazine, none ever compared with my first cheesecake and it fits right into my criteria of quick and easy. I have the original little booklet that is dog eared it has been used. It has other "impossible" recipes that I have tried also and like every one. Each recipe makes its own crust.

If you like cheesecake, you need to try this one:

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHEESECAKE BY BISQUICK

3/4 CUP SUGAR

1/2 CUP BISQUICK BAKING MIX

2 EGGS

2 PACKAGES [8 OZS. EACH] CREAM CHEESE, CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES AND SOFTENED

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA

1/2 TEASPOON GRATED LEMON PEEL

-CHEESECAKE TOPPING [BELOW-THIS IS WHAT MAKES THE CHEESECAKE GREAT]-

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches.

Place all ingredients except topping in blender container. Blend on high speed, stopping blender occasionally to stir, until smooth, about 3 minutes. 

[Or beat in large bowl on high speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl constantly, 2 minutes.]

Pour into plate.

Bake until just puffed and center is dry, about 30 minutes. [Do not overbake.]

Spread Cheesecake Topping carefully over top as soon as it comes out of oven. Cool.

Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours. Serve with sweetened fresh fruit if desired. 

CHEESECAKE TOPPING

mix:

 1 cup dairy sour cream 

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

I have taken this cheesecake to all kinds of gatherings and it is always a hit.

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Happy Homemaking and God bless each of you

Carolyn Wainscott

PARTS 1 & 2-FELTED APPLIQUE NO PATTERN, LINED SKIRT & MATCHING TOP

This skirt can be made in any length you wish and is simple and quick enough that I used to get up an hour or so early to make one to wear out the door that day. Of course, they were just plain, not embellished as shown.

 This skirt is made the length that I wear which is to the ankle.

The self-lined skirt is formed by sewing fabric into a long tube, folding wrong sides together, matching seams and waist edges-fold will be bottom of skirt.  

Appliques were applied before sewing skirt.

Choose the length and fabric you wish to wear and lets get started. My skirts take less than 2 1/2 yards. I have used my top pattern for several years and it takes just over a yard in this wide fabric.

Elastic in the width you like and sewing tools are the only additional things you need plus optional trims, appliques if you choose to embellish.

I use t-shirt knits for several reasons:

-it comes in a 58"-60" width so it fits hip measurements up to that width and I am not that big yet so I am still safe for a while

- it is comfortable and easy to wear

-it washes well

-it is fairly easy to work with if reasonable care is taken not to stretch while sewing

-it is economical, especially when I catch it on sale  [I have paid as little as $1 per yard-I'll take a $3.50 outfit any day! that is what the one pictured cost]

-Only three measurements need to be taken-

1. waist, then subtract 4"-5" for elastic length [or what is comfortable for you}

2. hip at widest, add 1" for seam allowance, add 3" for comfort [or what is comfortable for you]

3. from waist to desired length, add 1/2" for seam allowance, add width of elastic

double the total of these 3 measurements

[my chosen length is 37" + 1/2" + 1 1/2" [elastic] = 39" x 2 = 72"]

[by hip " [no, I'm not tellin'] ok-45" + 1" + 3"=49"]

so my skirt panel was cut 49" x 72" to include self lining

>watch videos for more information<

-to form skirt tube-

1. fold panel in half lengthwise, right sides together

2. fold this in half of width [bottom of skirt], matching skirt waist edge to lining waist edge

3. from skirt bottom fold-measure  9" on each side, mark with pins 

4. to sew tube:skirt-sew from top of waist edge to pin marking slit, skip to pin marking slit on lining, sew to within 2" of top of waist

in photo below-fabric folded back at bottom of skirt alongside ruler, elastic at waist edge, tube will be sewn alongside tape measure-down one side, up the other.  

Fold tube, wrong sides together, matching seams and waist edges.

To form casing for elastic:

1. waist edges of skirt & lining-fold to inside 1/2" all around, pin together

2. topstitch or serge together

3. sew parallel seam width of elastic all around to finish casing

4. insert elastic in opening left in lining seam

5. finish slit at skirt bottom by turning in 1/2" and topstitching.

The following videos give tips to create the skirt in "The Felted Applique No Pattern, Lined Skirt & Top Series".  

You can see these and other videos on FaveCraft.com. Join us online at: http://favecrafts.com/ for free tutorials and patterns in:crochet, knitting, beadwork, scrapbooking, kids crafts, jewelry making, needlework and much, much more.   

PART 1-EMBELLISHING SKIRT

PART 2-FINISHING SKIRT

                                                  

Happy sewing and I hope this has been of help to you. 

Carolyn Wainscott

the quilting granny    

MARKING TIME AND SAVING MY SANITY WITH CRAFTING

Crochet is my present mode of marking time and sanity saving. As with a lot of you, crafting has been my therapy whether it was crochet, quilting, sewing, mosaics, beadwork, papier mache or whatever I was involved in at the time. Crafting is my way of keeping busy and working through instead of wringing my hands and pacing. In some instances I would have no skin left on my hands and no floor left under my feet.

  

The impetus to set aside quilting for a while and drag out my hooks and yarn  was fueled a couple of months ago by a young lady named Meghan when I read about her and her friends who were making blankets for underprivileged and sending them with missionaries on the mission field. You can read about  them in "Meghan's Ministry" at wwwTheAlabasterBox.blogspot.com.

Much has been crocheted in the last several weeks that normally would not have been finished because much has occurred-much pain, much waiting, much concern, much prayer. I have actually finished: 2 baby  blankets, 3 little girls' sweaters, 3 matching dresses, 4 hats, 3 granny square purses to complete the sweater/dress ensembles, 2 pairs of knee high foot warmers  and since this post was started a week or so ago, another toddler dress. Under normal circumstances, I would have been hard pressed to have one sweater done. Handwork like this is usually done as my Granny used to say in "snatches and grabs" instead of almost full time as recently.

One of the blankets was done as I sat with my sister-in-law who  was found to have a tumor on her brain and was rushed to have emergency surgery.  She did really well but has to have care 24/7. The squares that were brought out with coordinating yarn after I met Meghan and troop were put to use because they were so handy. These were finished in a granny square. I do a lot of granny square-it is kind of a mindless pattern that I don't have to think much about as I work.

The foot warmers were crocheted for my 2 oldest grandchildren to keep them from taking my pair that my sister, Jackie, had made for me for my birthday. Both were threatening to take them.  These were also done as I sat with my sister-in-law.

The second blanket was completed a week or so later as we  waited all day for word on grand nephew, Ayden, who is only 9 months old. A brain tumor had been found and he was having a scan and mri. They were expecting to have to do emergency surgery but that was scheduled for a week later. Prayers went into each stitch. I made sure the blanket got to him several days before  his surgery.

The day before Ayden's surgery my son, Jeff, had surgery on his shoulder. One of the sweaters was worked on as I waited during his surgery. The matching pieces were also worked on as I cared for him after his surgery during the waiting week for Ayden's surgery.

In all this,  news came that niece, Debbie, has breast cancer. More intense crocheting, crocheting, crocheting-something to keep busy, something productive to do, something of beauty to create for 4 beautiful little girls.

Having the girls' outfits done,  I had been searching for sweater patterns for my great grandsons so they won't feel left out when their sisters get their new outfits. An email arrived announcing new hard to find crochet patterns for boys from Hooked On Crochet at AllFreeCrochet. I will be using one of the new vest patterns-it is just what I was looking for.

You see, Debbie's surgery won't be for a couple of weeks and I need the calm of handwork. I started one of the boys sweaters earlier today.

Being busy is a blessing, being able to be busy is a blessing.

Below are photos of the 3 sweater outfits and granny square dress that I have been able to make for my great granddaughters-Hannah, Jenna,  Ashlynn and Maizin and the site where I got the inspiration and patterns.  My friend, Valerie, sent me the link that I have looked over almost every day. 

It is a site for all kinds of crafts with patterns and even video tutorials and instructions. If you work with children's groups, there are a lot of crafts for reclyclables and all of this is free. From that site, I have gone to several others that I didn't know about.

I have downloaded enough patterns to keep me busy for the next 200 years even if I work 24/7 and they are all gorgeous. 

The original site Val sent me is: wwwfavecraft.com and from that I have visited:

AllFreeCrochet-Hooked on Crochet

Redheart.com

crochettoday.com

knittingtodaymag.com

LionBrand.com

Caron.com

Annie's Attic
and there are many more

On favcraft, I seem to pick patterns designed by "doublestitch twins" [see photos-sweaters/newsboy hat, below] and Vintage Creations [see photos-dresses, below. There is also a beautiful crochet lacy duster that one day I may get to for myself].  

I so admire the people who have designed the wonderful patterns available. Robin Murphy on the Red Heart site has some of the most beautiful little girls' dresses I have ever seen-they are breathtaking.

For Hannah-size 6, Jenna-size 4-5, Ashlynn-size 2-3
BIG & LITTLE DRESSES by Groovy Crochet

NEWSBOY CAP PATTERN BY "DOUBLESTITCHTWINS"

Flower Child's Sweater by doublestitch twins-FAVECRAFTS

Vintage Rose Pattern-FAVECRAFTS

Granny Square Purse-use any Granny Square pattern to size desired

For Maizin-size 18 months

Granny Square Yoke Dress Pattern by Valerie Moffitt on RedHeart.com

I have really enjoyed working on these outfits for the girls in the light coral, yellow and white. 

Two of each pattern-one for me and one for my sister were printed,  put into page protectors and into notebooks. The extra set made a nice gift for my sister who is an avid crocheter and I keep adding to our collections.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR YOU TO GO TO FAVECRAFTS AND LOOK FOR YOUR FAVORITE CRAFT-I HOPE YOU GET AS MUCH ENJOYMENT AS I DO FROM THE SITE:

HAPPY CRAFTING!!