Newsletter

October 2009

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Make a Blanket on Make a Difference Day

When: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9 am to 3:30 pm
Where: Cornerstone Church, 501 NE Missouri Road, Lee's Summit, MO (directions to the church are below)

As you may know, Make a Difference Day is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Created by USA WEEKEND magazine, it is an annual event taking place on the 4th Saturday in October. We celebrate it by gathering to make security blankets to give to children in the Kansas City area.

Come for all or part of the day. Our featured quilt pattern is called Scrappy Squares Plus Strips. There will be quilts to tie and fleece to make into blankets for those that don't want to sew. If you finish early or don't bring fabric, you can stitch a precut quilt kit.

Someone from Truman Medical Center will speak at 11:30, followed by a buffet lunch of cold cuts and bread for sandwiches, chips, veggies and more.

  

We will have coffee and iced tea. Soda is available from the church vending machine. A small contribution ($2 or less) to help pay for lunch is requested.

There will be a small bag of goodies for everyone who attends and some door prizes. Please preregister by October 16 using the online form on our preregistration page. This helps us estimate the number of people attending and eating lunch. Those that preregister by Oct. 16 will get extra entries in the door prize drawing. You are welcome even if you don't preregister.

Things to bring:

  • Fabric for our featured quilt (details below)
  • Sewing machine and supplies
  • Small cutting mat & rotary cutting tools
  • Extension cord or power strip
  • Finished blankets
  • Money for lunch

We have Warm & Natural quilt batting to use.

Coordinator's Corner

It's hard to believe that fall is here. I'm still trying to figure out what happened to July and August!

Make a Difference Day is right around the corner and I'm busy getting ready. I'm working on goodie bags and a few door prizes to show appreciation for all that you do. I hope to see many of you at Cornerstone Church on the 24th.

Make a Difference Day will be the kickoff for a

  

Quilt Challenge. I've picked a cute fabric that appeals to all ages and a coordinating print for the challenge packet, which will cost $1.50. Please see the article below for more information.

Incoming blankets increased in the last couple of weeks, so I'm hoping you're back to making blankets after your summer activities. Thank you for the blankets you make. Please know that they are all appreciated.

SusanB

Blankets Delivered

3rd Qtr. 2009

– 810

Oct. 1, 2008 through Sept. 30, 2009

– 5,209

Inside This Issue:

Coordinator's Corner

Drop-Off Locations

Blanket Group Mtgs.

Make a Difference Day Quilt Project

Directions to Cornerstone Church

Quilt Challenge

Financial Report

News Briefs

Project Linus of
Jackson/Clay/Platte
Counties, MO

Coordinator: Susan Brazeal
Email:
Phone: 816-761-4137

Website & Newsletter Editor:
Susan
Brazeal
Email:

We're on the Web!
http://KCProjectLinus. home.att.net

Drop-Off Locations

We have a new drop-off location. The Bernina Sewing Center in Blue Springs recently agreed to accept blankets for Project Linus. The store is on Highway 7, 1 mile south of Highway 40. Thank you to Myron Schwery and his staff for becoming a drop-off location. Important: Only the Blue Springs store is becoming a drop-off location.

A complete list of drop-off locations is in the next column. Remember that if you leave your blankets at Harpers Fabrics or Missouri Sewing Machine in Kansas they will be picked up by the other Kansas City Project Linus chapter and will not be delivered to children in Jackson, Clay or Platte County, MO.

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

  

You may turn in your blankets at:

  • Missouri Sewing Machine (the 3 Missouri stores)
    • 210 NE Barry Rd, Kansas City, MO (816) 468-5799
    • 3010 S. 291, Independence (816) 373-7997
    • 1011 Truman Rd., Kansas City, MO (816) 471-1276
  • Bernina Sewing Center
    2402 SW Highway 7, Blue Springs, MO (816) 220-2223
  • Quilt'n Down Home
    10 W. Kansas, Liberty, MO
    (816) 792-0300
  • SusanB's house in Lee's Summit, north of Longview College. Call 816-761-4137 to arrange a time.

You can also turn in your blankets at any of our monthly blanket making group meetings.

Blanket Group Meetings

We have groups that meet monthly to sew blankets. Join a group and have fun working with others.

More details are in the Calendar of Events

 

or call (816)761-4137.

To add your group to this list, contact SusanB at or (816)761-4137.

WhenWhere

2nd Tuesday
1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Lone Jack Christian Church
200 W. Lone Jack/Lee's Summit Rd, Lone Jack, MO

Do not bring sewing supplies. At the meeting, you will receive a pattern and select fabric to stitch at home.

3rd Sunday
1 to 4 p.m.

Jo-Ann Fabrics
3810 Crackerneck Road, Independence, MO

Bring sewing machine and basic sewing supplies. We have fabric cut, ready to sew. We also have quilts to tie if you don't want to sew.

3rd Tuesday 1 to 3 p.m.

Quilters Stations
824 SW Blue Parkway, Lee's Summit, MO

Bring your sewing machine and basic sewing supplies. Peggy always has great kits to stitch.

Make a Difference Day Quilt Project
Scrappy Squares Plus Strips

On Make a Difference Day we'll be making a quilt that combines scraps with strip piecing. Look through your scrap basket and

 

fabric stash for lots of different fabrics. Each 6" block has only 3 pieces for quick assembly.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
Block Size 6"

Fabric width of 40" assumed
(not including selvages)

 

Quilt Size

Toddler

Child

Teen

38 ½" x 44 ½"

38 ½" x 56 ½"

49" x 67"

(30 blocks)

(40 blocks)

(54 blocks)

For blocks

Cut 4 ½" squares

30 squares

40 squares

54 squares

Cut strips 2 ½" x the width of the fabric

9 strips

12 strips

16 strips

    OR

  OR

  OR

  OR

Cut strips 2 ½" x 19"

20 strips

27 strips

36 strips

For Borders

Border 1 (choose a solid, tone on tone or small print that contrasts with your block fabrics

¼ yard

1/3 yard

½ yard

Border 2 (outer border)

½ yard

5/8 yard

1 yard

Backing fabric

1 3/8 yard

1 2/3 yard

2 7/8 yards

Cutting Instructions for Border 1:

Toddler (child): Cut 4(5) strips 1¾" wide by the width of fabric.
Teen: Cut 5 strips 2½" wide by the width of fabric.

 

Cutting Instructions for Border 2:

Toddler (child): Cut 4(5) strips 3½" wide by the width of fabric.
Teen: Cut 6 strips 5" wide by the width of fabric.

Directions to Cornerstone Church

From the west or north, take I-435 to I-470.

From the south, take Hwy. 71 to I-470.

  • Go east on I-470 to Exit 9, Douglas St.
  • Go south (right) on Douglas, 2 blocks to Mulberry St. (St. Lukes Hospital is on the right.)
  • Turn left on Mulberry St. Go 1 block and turn left on Grand.
  • Turn right on Missouri Road. Cornerstone Church is on the right.
  

From Independence, MO

  • Go south on I-470 to exit 10A, Colbern Road.
  • Turn left on Colbern and get in the right lane.
  • Cross over I-470 and turn right on Independence Ave.
  • Go 1 block and turn right on Missouri Road. Cornerstone is the 2nd church on the left.

The address of the church is 501 NE Missouri Rd., Lee’s Summit, MO. We will be in the Activity Center in the west end of the church.

You may stop in the circle drive to unload and move your car to the parking lot after unloading.

Quilt Challenge

We're having a quilt challenge.

  • Buy a challenge packet for $1.50 and receive 2 fat quarters of fabric.
  • Challenge packets will be available on Make a Difference Day and from SusanB afterward, while supplies last.
  • Make a quilt at least 35" x 40" using some of both fabrics in the challenge packet plus any fabrics you want to add.
  
  • Quilt must be a top, batting and back and meet Project Linus guidelines. E.g., no buttons; washable; enough quilting or tying to hold the layers.
  • Turn your quilt in no later than January 23, 2010.
  • Viewers will vote for the winner(s) with money. There will be a nice prize for the winner(s).

We'd like this to be a good fund raiser. If you know a place we could display the quilts for voting, let SusanB know at 816-761-4137 or .

Financial Report for 3rd Quarter 2009
Income    
  Donation – Wal-Mart $1000.00
  Total Income $1000.00
Expenses    
  Blanket Making Supplies $89.30
  Postage 87.50
  Printing 27.55
  Office Supplies 25.10
  Volunteer Appreciation 23.09
  Headquarters Support 200.00
  Total Expenses $452.54
Net Income for Quarter   $547.46
 

Chapter Account Balance on 7/1/2009 – $197.95
Chapter Account Balance on 9/30/2009 – $745.41

The most exciting part of this quarter's financial report is the $1,000 Community Grant we received from the Wal-Mart Foundation in July. This allowed SusanB to buy lots of fabric at the Chocolate Soup factory clearance sale (i.e., blanket making supplies).

The office supplies expense includes clear plastic trash bags for delivering blankets. The volunteer appreciation item is some 2" wide Project Linus volunteer buttons.

News Briefs

Trim Those Thread Tails

Please double check your blankets and trim all those bits of sewing thread from the beginning and end of your stitching lines.

If you machine quilt and move to a new line of stitching without cutting the thread, please be sure you go back and trim away all of those runs of thread on both the front and back of the quilt.

Thread tails and runs of thread are a safety hazard. They can catch and wrap around a little finger or toe.

Reminder

Don't forget! The October 1 edition of E-News contains the Griddle Stitch Afghan crochet pattern, a link to the Wacky Rail Fence quilt pattern and instructions on how to use the pillow case or quick turning method to turn your quilt top into a finished blanket.

 

Remove ALL Pins

Always remember to double check that all pins have been removed from your blankets.

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.

Send your email address to SusanB at to receive news via email instead of US Mail. Project Linus saves postage and printing costs and you receive E-News updates between newsletters.