Evolution

Hello everyone!

I hope you're enjoying our early evolution from winter to spring - I certainly have been! I'm trying hard not to think about the implications of possibly not having enough snowpack as a result of the recent warm weather... not easy. Regardless, I'm loving the milder temperatures and lack of ice on the roads.

I wanted to send this out before our next blanket day, which is Saturday. Last month, the whole day I felt like I never really got my feet under me. With our group growing, evolving, and more people coming to our blanket days, it is becoming difficult for me to keep up with everything going on, so I think we need to change how we do some things. I know this is long, please bear with me....


Supplies
A few times recently I've heard someone say something like "...if I don't take it now, it will all be gone." With that in mind, when someone sees something they'd like to use to create a blanket, they take it before it's gone. And they might take all of something even if there is a lot of it. There are a couple of problems with this. First, I have to note every donation that comes in for our chapter and list it on our quarterly report. We've had donations come in recently that were gone before I saw what it was. Also, everything that is donated belongs to PL...until it is deemed to be something we can't use. I certainly want you to have the supplies and have some fun with them, but I do have to see them before they go to the volunteers.  Second, not everything that comes into the blanket day is meant for our volunteers there that day. There are times when things come in meant for a specific person or with a specific purpose in mind....and even though these supplies may be far separated from the common work areas, they are taken.

So, we are going to start having a Take-It Table. Anything that is ready to go home with a volunteer will be on that table. If it is anywhere else in the room, please consider that to be 'not available', at least for the time being. You are free to ask about its intent... but please don't take anything that is not on the table. The fabric in the closet totes will be considered Take-It Totes.


Organizations Wanting to Help PL
In the last couple of years, I've had several organizations approach me with the intent of them wanting to help Project Linus. However, as I talk to them, I find they want the chapter to furnish the supplies for them to help. I've thought about this to great length.... I would love to have the help, however, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with supplies just for our routine blanket-makers. As you know, the only funds we have to purchase anything are the funds we raise. I try to use this to take the sting out of some of the supplies all of you use. I don't feel I have enough to supply other organizations, even if the completed blankets would come back to PL. I will add that I have tried giving supplies to organizations in the past, and the results were not particularly positive; I'm not sure I got back all the blankets I gave supplies for, and some that I did get back needed a lot of mending before I could give them out.

"But what about the Logos blankets for Marsha, aren't you giving fleece to them?" No. For those that don't know, Logos is the kids group at Marsha's church that meets one evening a week. The kids are elementary to high school. The evening has three parts...worship, dinner, and an activity. Several years ago, Marsha included blanket-making as one of their activities during the year. Because these are kids and there are only about 45 minutes, maybe less, to get things done, the blankets are all pre-cut... the kids just braid the fleece. I do help Marsha with this activity, in part because the blankets come to PL, and in part because it is just fun. However, we do not buy the supplies for this activity; the church and other sources have provided funding for the fleece. She does bring in some of the fleece on our blanket days so she can get some pre-cut.... nothing like big tables to make that job easier...but that is not PL fleece she is cutting. We do need to thank Marsha for sharing her fleece with our volunteers in January! I'd brought fleece the previous couple of months, but interest was low, so in January, I sacrificed that to bring in fabric ...and Murphy's Law took effect.

Along these same lines, I've had requests from other organizations for blankets to distribute... some of these requesting a significant number. Most of these organizations are well-run and with good intent. So how does one distinguish between an organization that we can help and those we can't? My policy is to give to hospitals, shelters, and aid organizations that provide help in a number of ways - e.g. Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc. However, if it is another organization whose mission it is to give out fun blankets to kids ... well, harsh as it may sound, they need to build a volunteer base to make blankets for them, just as we do. We give out many blankets in our area - for 2015 it was over 1400. Even with that number, we had shortages at times, and could give out even more. And honestly, it doesn't make sense to me to give a PL blanket, with our label, to Blankets4Kidz (I made that up!), they put their label on it, then FunBlankets (also made up!) gets some from Blankets4Kidz and puts their label on it...... you get the picture. All three of these groups might be reporting they gave out 200 blankets - which would appear to be 600 total - to the community, when it is actually the same 200 blankets with three different organization labels. So, for the foreseeable future, we will continue to follow our current policy of receiving organizations.


Tagging the Blankets
Use of the tagger gun continues to be a nightmare.... the tags break, the tagger gets jammed, it is used again before the jam is cleared and now it is really jammed... oy. The tags aren't that expensive, but the tagger gun kindof is. And I can't get to other things if I'm constantly having to tag blankets or unjam the tagger. So, let's try this...please just pin the ribbon to the blankets, and I will remove the pin and tag the ribbon as they are processed.


Donations
This is a tough one. We get some marvelous donations that have been such a blessing and allowed us to create some beautiful blankets. We've also gotten some that are less so. Last week, I spent over 2 days going through boxes of donations that resulted in maybe (!) 3 totes of usable fabric. Of the rest, I took 3 large bags to the Mission Thrift Store, stuffed enough scraps to make over a dozen dog beds, and 2 large bags went to the dump. Not a good use of my time, or my garage. Actually, I felt like I was cleaning the garages of about 5 other houses doing this. There was a bag of old clothes, a bag of clothespins, much polyester/satins/lace fabric that we just can't use, things pinned together for so long the pin had rusted in the fabric, stained and dirty fabric, old curtains, bedspreads, etc. People have suggested I be sure and ask if this is quilting fabric that is to be donated. Believe me, I do. However, if you aren't a quilter, you don't really know what that word means, and some believe it includes pretty much any type of sewing. Again, oy. Cost vs. gain. From this point forward, I will take only those fabric donations that I know will be of use to the group. If you know of someone wanting to get rid of some fabric, and you want to take it and sort through it, please feel free.


RSVPs
Marsha mentioned this last month, and I will mention it here as well... please RSVP to the evite whether or not you will be able to attend. It would really help Marsha, Cindy, and I be better prepared with any supplies we might be planning to bring for our block of the month or other activities.


Facilities
We have been blessed in being allowed to host our blanket days at the Moose Lodge in Great Falls/Black Eagle and now in Helena. Please keep in mind that these facilities are used by many others. We need to be respectful of any rules or policies that might be commonplace for a public facility.


Labels
For those who are sewing the PL label on their blanket, some of these are starting to drift farther and farther into the body of the quilt. You can shift it a little to the side or down to keep from covering a design, but please try to keep this close to the upper right corner of the front of the blanket.


Kits
We are happy to offer kits to construct as we are able. We have noted, however, that not all the kits taken are being returned as either a PL blanket or even an unfinished kit. There was a kit taken that was completed and entered in the State Fair...but it still has not been returned to PL. I have always taken an honor policy approach in letting people take home supplies, without deadlines, and I would very much like to continue in this manner. And I have no problem with the blankets created from PL supplies/kits being entered in either a local quilt show or the fair. However, if a blanket is made from PL supplies, please ensure it finds its way back to the organization.


Show and Tell
This is another tough one. For many, this is the favorite part of a blanket day! It is always so inspiring to see the many creative ideas! I am wondering, though, if they might be getting a bit long. With 80 to 100 blankets coming in, is there a way we can pare down the time some? Maybe if you made 2 nearly identical blankets, show only one in detail. I don't want to shortchange anyone's bragging rights.... but I know some want to get back to work. I'm open to ideas on this.


Okay....that's a lot. I'll end now, and start getting ready for Saturday. I do hope I'll see many of you there!

Hugs and Blessings
gina