On March 9, the Greater Kansas City Area Chapter divided into 2 Project Linus chapters. After a year off, Patty Gregory is back as a chapter coordinator. With 2 chapters and 2 coordinators we'll be better able to serve the children in the Greater Kansas City area.

No matter where you live or donate your blankets, both chapters need and want security blankets like you've always made; afghans, quilts, single-layer fleece, 2 layers of fabric, etc. Keep making the same types of blankets you always have.

In addition to our regular security blankets, Patty will be making weighted blankets for autistic and special needs children in the entire Greater Kansas City area. Anyone, anywhere in the area is invited to help. If you want to help make weighted blankets, please contact Patty.

Keep making blankets. Drop-off locations haven't changed. Patty picks up blankets in Kansas and Cass County. SusanB picks up blankets in Jackson, Clay and Platte Counties.

The mailing list has been divided. This newsletter is being sent to those living in or nearest to Jackson, Clay and Platte Counties.

Most quilts and afghans we receive are toddler size or smaller. Some facilities like the smaller sizes, but we need larger blankets too.

Crittenton Childrens Center serves ages 5 to 18, no toddlers. A teen at Children's Mercy was seen covered with 2 small blankets. I guess they didn't have a larger blanket available.

Don't stop making small blankets. But for every 5 blankets, please make at least 1 child or teen-size blanket (about 40" x 60" or larger).

We also need more blankets. February

is the only month in the last 6 months in which more blankets were turned in than were delivered to hospitals and shelters. In March, 340 blankets were turned in and 460 were delivered in our new chapter area. We've reduced the number of blankets delivered to stretch the supply, but the supply of blankets will soon be gone.

Please try to make an extra blanket or two, but also spread the word about Project Linus so that we get more blanketeers making blankets.

SusanB

The Cass Co., MO / Johnson & Wyandotte Counties, KS Project Linus chapter is hosting a Blankets 4 Autism blanket day. We will be making weighted blankets for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

1 in 150 children is affected by Autism in the general public and 1 in 88 in children in military families. Children with Autism have a hard time calming themselves and these blankets have a calming effect on these children. They enable them to sleep through the night and are used during the day to calm the child.

There is a waiting list for weighted blankets. They are very simple to make and it will be great fun.

If you plan to attend please call Patty at 816-331-9101. Everyone that attends will receive a pattern for the blankets.

When: Saturday, June 13, 2009, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: 13720 Roe Ave, Leawood, KS 66224, in the East building, Suite 300.

Things to bring:

• 1 1/4 yards of child friendly cotton fabric
• sewing machine
• basic sewing supplies
• iron
• ironing pad

Autism affects 4 boys to every 1 girl!!! When purchasing fabric, please keep in mind that we will need many more boy blankets than girl blankets.

In early February, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued guidelines for charities regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This is wonderful news and allows us to continue making blankets with very little or no change.

The guidelines state charities do not have to test donated items if they are made of exempted materials or materials we are sure do not contain lead. Yarn, fabric, batting and non-metallic thread are exempted materials. Blankets must also meet our long standing Project Linus safety standards.

8 BLANKET DO'S AND DON'TS

1. Do make blankets from new, machine washable and dryable yarn, fabric and batting.
2. Do remove all pins before donating blankets.

3. Do keep pet hair, cigarette smoke and other allergens and contaminants away from blankets. If necessary, launder to remove odors and allergy triggers.
4. Do NOT use metallic sewing thread or yarn with a metallic thread.
5. Do verify that fabric markers are non-toxic before using them on a blanket.
6. Do NOT use fabric paints.
7. Do NOT add embellishments that can be chewed or pulled off. This is a choking hazard. This means no buttons or bows. No ribbon or trim woven through a lacy edge, unless it is securely stitched on all edges so it can't be pulled out.
8. Do NOT attach anything made of metal or plastic.

If you have any questions, please contact SusanB.

Recently SusanB had to wash a few afghans you made due to a careless mistake. To her horror, one of them started coming apart and two others had part of the yarn tails pull out.

The larger or thicker an afghan is, the more it will shift and tug on the yarn ends. Here are some tips to help make sure the afghan you made doesn't come apart or have unsightly ends appear after it becomes a child's favorite blankie.

1. Never cut yarn near a knot or joining point. Short, 1 to 2 inch tails pull out and knots work loose. Don't rely on knots to keep an afghan together.
2. Always leave long yarn ends – at least 5 inches, 6 to 8 inches is better.
3. If there is a knot in the skein of yarn, cut it out and attach the rest of the yarn like you would a new skein. Always leave long yarn ends.

4. Use a yarn needle or blunt tipped tapestry needle. Thread the needle with the yarn end and use the needle to weave the yarn under or through the stitches. Work from the wrong side and try to make it invisible.
5. After weaving in about 3 or 4 inches of the yarn, stretch the blanket gently so the yarn is not pulled too tight. Then, weave an inch or two in a different direction. Make sure you don't undo the first part of your weaving. Changing direction keeps the yarn end from shifting and popping out when the blanket stretches.
6. If you have trouble anchoring the end in a really open design, reverse the direction of weaving. Loop around a stitch or part of a stitch, then insert the point of the needle into the middle of the yarn tail that is already woven in and weave the end though the middle of the yarn strand.

We have lots of brand new, donated fleece and bunches of smaller pieces left over from blankets. Let's fight the summertime decrease in incoming blankets with a fleece extravaganza blanket day.

This will be an opportunity to make several different types of fleece blankets: braided edge, crocheted edging, faux rag style, bunny ears and fringed on 2 or 4 edges. But SusanB needs help finding a location to hold this blanket day.

Do you know a place we can have a blanket day? It needs to be available on a Saturday and needs to have tables, chairs and electrical outlets. Easy access and a convenient rest room are a plus.

If you know a place we might be able to use, please contact SusanB at or 816-761-4137.

We need your help to spread the word about Project Linus and recruit new blanketeers. We cannot keep delivering more blankets than we have coming in. Wear your Project Linus volunteer buttons and talk to anyone that might be interested.

SusanB can provide a short notice to include in church bulletins or club / guild newsletters. This is an easy way to create interest. Contact SusanB at or 816-761-4137 to get a copy of the notice.

Do you know a group that would be interested in learning about Project Linus? A speaker can make a brief presentation and answer questions about Project Linus. We have a 10 minute DVD about Project Linus that can be shown. Please contact SusanB at least 4 to 6 weeks before the meeting date to arrange for a speaker.

Is there a church or community event where we might set up a table or display and talk to people about Project Linus? Let SusanB know.

Drop Off Locations

You may turn in your blankets at the 3 Missouri Sewing Machine locations in Missouri.

• 1011 Truman Rd., Kansas City, MO
• 3010 S. 291 Hwy., Independence, MO
• 210 NE Barry Rd., Kansas City, MO

You may also bring blankets to SusanB's house in Lee's Summit, north of Longview College. Call 816-761-4137 to arrange a time.

Please do not leave donations at JoAnns Fabrics. JoAnns is not a drop off location. You may bring donations to the blanket group meeting on the 3rd Sunday of each month at JoAnns in Independence.

Are You the Unknown Donor?

The mysterious Unknown Donor turns in blankets every month; sometimes every week.

Don't be the Unknown Donor!

Be sure to include your name and contact information in the bag or box with your blankets so Unknown Donor doesn't get the credit for making them.

And please put your blankets in a bag or box so they don't pick up dust bunnies in your car, the floor of the drop-off location or our car when we pick them up from the drop-off location.

Chapter Account Balance on 1/1/2009 – $367.68
Chapter Account Balance on 3/31/2009 – $351.00

Thank you to everyone who donated cash and postage stamps during first quarter.

We redeemed 2,000 Best Choice UPCs ($60) and our annual $30 bonus certificate for a total of $90 from our Best Choice fundraiser. Keep sending those UPC codes!

The food/supplies item is cups, bowls, plastic utensils, creamer and sweetener purchased for the potluck lunch at National Make a Blanket Day.

About 28 blanketeers gathered at Cornerstone Church in Lee's Summit on Saturday, February 21 for National Make a Blanket Day. 47 blankets were finished that day. Blanketeers brought 41 finished blankets to turn in and 85 blankets were picked up the day before from Missouri Sewing Machine in Independence for a total of 173 blankets labeled and bagged ready for delivery.

The 3 Dimensional Bow-tie quilt was a hit with many colorful fabric combinations and block settings.

Four teen volunteers happily tied fleece blankets and some quilts. Your coordinator is thrilled to have all the former 2-layer fleece blankets retied and ready for delivery.

Cornerstone Church's bright, well lit Activity Center was a wonderful place to work with nice tables. The only complaint about the potluck lunch was there was too much food. Everything was delicious. Blanketeers went home supplied with donated fabric and yarn to make more blankets.

We Have a Winner! – Sara Smith won a Janome 3018 sewing machine from Missouri Sewing Machine Company.

Thank you to everyone who made blankets and turned them in at Missouri Sewing Machine by February 21, 2009 to enter the drawing. Over 900 blankets were turned in at Missouri Sewing Machine during the contest. Thank you to Missouri Sewing Machine for supporting Project Linus.

Mark your calendar. Make a Difference Day is Saturday, October 24, 2009. We'll be back at Cornerstone Church in Lee's Summit for another fun day

Fundraisers

Best Choice UPCs– Please save the UPC codes from your Best Choice products. We get $30 for every 1,000 UPCs. Please don’t send the entire label, we only need the UPC code.

Mountain Mist UPCs– Save the UPC codes from Mountain Mist batting or any Super Fluff product (batting, fiberfill, pillow inserts) for Project Linus. We can get 25 yards of quilt batting with 100 UPC codes and a small handling fee.

Send your UPCs to SusanB or turn them in with your blankets.