Library Display
For anyone in or visiting Great Falls, be sure to take a few minutes to stop by the Great Falls Public Library. Their June-July display is Project Linus Blankets, and it stretches from the room off to the left of the entry, to the foyer, to the kids room to the right of the entry. The 2018 Fabric Challenge (that stretched into 2019) quilts are in the foyer so be sure to stop by and vote for your favorite! The blankets will be up only for another week or two so hurry in to see them!
I know I sound like a broken record but we have to be better about checking blankets for pet hair. It is especially bad with fleece blankets because of their static electricity. If you are one who likes to crochet around the edge while watching a bit of television, maybe put the fleece in a large plastic bag while you work on it. I spent a lot(!) of time getting this last delivery ready because so many of the blankets had pet hair on them. I washed, I dried, I tried everything I could. Most were finally to the point I could give them away, but it took a lot of hours(!) on my part to get there... not exactly how I want to spend my time. There are a couple where the hair is so snugged into the fibers, I don't think I'll ever get it all off... and they may become shelter beds. Considering we buy a lot of this fleece, and you spend the time to turn it into a sweet blanket, it breaks my heart when it can't be used. Please, please, please do what you can to keep the pet hair off the blankets.
I did find one straight pin, and one piece of metal that looks like it might be the head of a needle that punches the batting fiber into the scrim. It was no more than half an inch long, and while the metal detector was pointing it out, it still took me 10 minutes to find it. But it was sharp(!), and eventually would have been found the hard way. This is exactly why I do the metal detector on every blanket.
I recently had a conversation with Cindy, Becky, and Marsha (yes, she's still part of the team!!!) about the tags we attach to blankets. I'm not talking about the satin labels - those are mandatory. I'm talking about the paper tag and business card we attach with a ribbon. PL National changed printers recently and while the new business cards are nicer, they are also more expensive. For the number of blankets we're delivering in a year, it would come to about $300. So we tossed around what we've been doing with the business card and poem/name tag on the blanket and the necessity of these. In the end, we all agreed the business card wasn't necessary but we all thought the poem/name tag was a nice touch. So that's what we'll do now... just that tag, which also has my contact info on it.
This year has been a bit skinny for financial donations so far. We've had some, and are still blessed with a monthly contributor. But some of the businesses we've been supported by - well, I still have hopes, but haven't heard much. What this means? Fleece. Right now I don't have enough to go on a fleece spree. We have batting, and quilting cotton - and more of this has been donated over the summer, but our fleece supply is down. We've had some donated, but not a lot. What I'm saying is be prepared to not have a lot to use as we start up the blanket days again. Tides may turn, but I can't guarantee that.
Mystery Quilt
One of the ways our chapter does raise funds is through the Project Linus Mystery Quilt, and Mary, our PL VP has been busy with the ideas! This year's mystery is named after Logan - twin brother to Luke who was the honoree of the original Project Linus Mystery Quilt - Lukey the Lucky Penguin. All we've seen so far is the informational flyer....but it looks like it will be a fun one! Registration opens Monday, August 19, and I believe the first clue will be released on our first Great Falls Blanket Day. It is the same great deal as before... a $15 donation to Project Linus gets you access to all the clues - and these are both written and in video format. PLEASE BE SURE TO INDICATE THE GREAT FALLS and HELENA, MT CHAPTER AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE DONATION. Otherwise, the money goes to national headquarters. Your finished quilt is yours to do with as you please...it does not have to be donated to Project Linus. More information will be shared as it comes available.
Patterns
Speaking of quilts and patterns... yes, there has been discussion about the patterns we will demo the coming year. Is there a theme, you ask? Of course there is a theme! This year's theme is (drumroll, please....) Slice It, Splice It! So we will be building block/shapes, slicing them up, then splicing them back together in a different shape. FUN! I'm working on writing up the patterns now, and will get another post out soon with supplies info.
For those who have not yet heard, our Helena Blanket Days have a new home! Donna and Julie of Montana Longarm Quilting offered a room of their shop for this. It is smaller than the room at the Helena Moose, but the lighting is better - it's nice and bright! I really think we can make it work. The shop is at 3310 McHugh Ln, (west side of road), about 1/3 to 1/2 mile north of Custer Ave, in Cottonwood Center (I think that's what it's called). There are no steps. Dates will still be the second Saturday, 10:30 - 2:30. And looking for inspiration? They always have some great quilts on their machines... and they offer classes on using their machines so you can quilt your own!
I think that's it for now. My yard work is calling! For those who have been working on blankets and dropping them off... THANK YOU! I delivered 170 blankets last week, and every donation helps. Make sure you enjoy our always too short Montana summer a bit, too! I want you relaxed and refreshed for when we dig in come September!!!
Blessings to you all!
gina
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