Has Anyone Worked With Project LINUS?
 

I've been quilting with a group of women in my church, making quilts for those battling cancer and I love that rewarding feeling of giving back. I've always wanted to do more specifically with ailing children, however. As a Senior in HS I interned/job shadowed on and off for over a year with Pediatric Hematology/Oncology nurses. The first shadow I had, I worked with one specific child and after he died later that year, I realized I couldn't cut it as a nurse. I was devastated and couldn't separate myself from the patients enough to be their nurse. Since then, however, I have wanted to be involved in making quilts and blankets for those little ones. Long before I knew how to quilt, lol. I don't know how to get started, though. Has anyone worked with Project LINUS before?

I worked with my local chapter a while ago--they met once a month to sew labels on donated blankets. This particular chapter got lots and lots of fleece blankets where they just cut the edges of the fleece and called it a blanket. The majority of the volunteers there were knitters and crocheters--in fact I was the only quilter there. As luck would have it I started working the overnight shift and couldn't go to the meetings so I just make my own quilts and drop them off over there. You can look up your local chapter here: http://www.projectlinus.org/chapter.php They gratefully take all donations for children 0-18. It's a great cause.

I have worked with Project Linus for several years. It is a wonderful opportunity to bring comfort and warmth to children. Each chapter is a little different because of the varying needs in each community and the talent and skills of the volunteer blanketeers. They do have standards, so that means that donated blankets are screened, which to me is important.

The chapters I have worked with have many experienced quilters, and they work in cooperation with the local quilt guilds.

If you work with a chapter, you will enjoy the other volunteers -- they, like you, have a heart for children!

Dayle

I am a Project Linus Coordinator for Tioga County in PA. It is a very rewarding organization to work for. Although I never get to see the children receiving their quilts, I have had nurses tell me how much the children and their parents appreciate them. My blanketeers love doing Linus quilts because of the freedom it allows them in the use of fabrics and designs. Many use Linus quilts to try new patterns and techniques, because they only need to do a small project, and if they don't like it, it is still put to good use. Longarmers love to use them for practice quilting! Go for it!

I'm the assistant coordinator for our local chapter and have been donating quilts for several years now. It's really rewarding. We have a handful of quilters, a larger number of knitters/crocheters, and then we get groups that bring in the tied fleeced blankets off and on.

I was fortunate enough to get to go with the coordinator to give blankets to kids in a classroom who lost a classmate tragically and suddenly. It was a really moving experience. The teachers were crying, and the kids just loved getting a blanket. One little boy said, "I've never had a blanket before!" I had to hide a laugh, because I'm sure he had plenty of blankets at home, but hey, maybe not one of his very own!

Our chapter is not picky -- no quilt police. It's a good way to try new things, because kids don't care about cut off points or slightly crooked themes. I usually go for lap size with fleece on the back. I tend to think the blankets need to be quilt sized, but that's not necessarily true, the kids like the blankets to hold. I try to picture them on a hospital bed -- something cheery to brighten up the room, something a yard or so wide, and 40-50 inches long. We do make some bigger for teens.

Most of us work on our own and drop our things off to the coordinator. We do try to meet once a year, and I wish we could meet more often, but it hasn't worked out that way so far...

I hope you decide to work with Project Linus!

Everything I've ever heard about Project Linus is positive. They not only supply quilts to hospitals but to foster children, police, and other community needs. There is also another group called "Quilts for Kids" that you might want to check out. They have more "rules", but they are pretty simple, mostly dealing with size and the amount/type of quilting (lots and only machine). They will also send you a kit that includes pre-cut fabric for a top and back - you supply construction, batting, and the quilting. Most of their quilts go to kids in hospitals where the quilts have to stand up to daily washing in commercial machines so the rules make sense.

Pam

Project Linus is a fabulous charity to work with. I've been making quilts for them for 15 years or more. They take all sizes and especially need quilts with boys in mind, meaning less pink and flowery : ).

Google Project Linus, and find the coordinator in your area to find out where to donate. You will definitely feel the satisfaction of doing something special.

My LQS is a receiver for the quilts. I just drop them off & someone from the shop takes them to the local Project Linus office.

I've made tops for PL, I give them to a friend who does a lot of charity quilting. She quilts them and passes them on to PL.

Have you ever thought of Quilts for Kids? Check and see if they have a local chapter near you. I have a good friend that started a chapter in St. Louis and my guild just donated 102 quilts to them.