clean and washable materials. Blankets
need to conform to additional guidelines
to protect the health and safety of the
recipients. For example, blanketeers must
launder blankets from households without
pets or smokers and refrain from using
dryer sheets, to protect kids with allergies.
Blanket designs must also be free of long
fringe, buttons, ribbons or puffy paint
decorations, which could create choking
hazards.
In addition, notes Burkhart, knitted or
crocheted blankets for babies shouldn’t
have a loose stitch that could catch on
hospital equipment or a little hand or foot.
“For babies, sometimes it just takes
reducing the needle size,” she points out.
WHERE TO DONATE
Most blanketeers work on blankets
at home and take them to Project Linus
drop-off locations. Erie-area locations
include Yaple’s Vacuum and Sewing Center
and Kelly’s Sewing Corner on West 26th
Street, Millcreek Sewing Center and JoAnn
Fabrics on Peach Street, and Doug Yaple’s
Vacuum on East 38th Street. Blanketeers
in North East can take their donations
to Super Stitch on West Main Street, and
those in West County can take blankets to
Marie Bissell in Lake City.
“We’re very grateful to those locations,”
says Burkhart. “People drop off blankets,
the stores or locations store them, and they
may even call us to let us know they’re
ready. We’re so thankful they’ve done that
free of charge for so many years.”
Some blanketeers work through
organizations such as Tri-Boro Senior
Center in Fairview. According to Burkhart,
the center is one of the local Project
Linus chapter’s most active and faithful
participants. “We get blankets from them
almost monthly, and they do a beautiful
job,” she says.
Tri-Boro Senior Center member Carol
Gabbard says there are between six and
eight members who knit, crochet, sew
or tie fleece blankets for Project Linus.
They often purchase materials on their
own, but occasionally receive donated yarn
or fleece.
When a blanket is ready for delivery
to a child, the blanketeers at the senior
center—like others throughout Northwest
Pennsylvania—add a Project Linus tag to
let kids and their families know who made
it for them.
Tri-Boro Senior Center member Carol
Vorse adds that the center encourages
all members to participate. Volunteers
occasionally put fleece blanket projects
out on a table at the center, allowing
members to tie strips around the
edge to finish them. “Everyone can work
on it when they have a few minutes,”
she says.
“I wish some of the other centers would
get involved,” adds Gabbard. “It’s really
rewarding to know a little guy or girl is
wrapped up and snuggly warm in one of
your blankets. And if they take care of
them, they’ll have the blankets for a long
time.”
“
Hospitals
have blankets,
but they don’t
have blankies.
WORKING TOGETHER
”
Although Project Linus’ primary
mission is to help children get through
a hospital stay, trauma, or illness by
providing them with the love and comfort
of a security blanket, the organization
also has a secondary mission of providing
enjoyable service opportunities that
benefit children.
The NW Pennsylvania chapter holds
monthly meetings from 1 to 4 p.m. on
the first Wednesday of each month at
Millcreek Sewing Center. Blanketeers use
sewing machines in the store’s classroom
to create quilts, often from kits that
Burkhart puts together from donated
fabric.
Janice Taccone at Millcreek Sewing
says, “She does a fantastic job. You would
swear she picked the fabric out. It’s
amazing how coordinated the kits are. She
is excellent at what she does and makes it
easy for us.”
Taccone notes that people attending
monthly meetings often complete one or
two blankets in an afternoon. “Everyone
just seems to enjoy doing it,” she says.
“They don’t mind putting in the time.”
There is limited space and a limited
number of sewing machines in Millcreek
Sewing Center’s classroom, so Taccone
suggests calling ahead if you’re new to
Project Linus meetings. You may be able
to arrange to pick up a kit and sew a quilt
at home.
The organization also holds annual “sew-
ins” in the fall at the Hampton Inn on Old
Oliver Road. Burkhart says blanketeers
bring their sewing machines and notions
and work together for “a wonderful day
of sewing.” The Project Linus chapter
provides kits, beverages and snacks.
Another popular annual event occurs on
the Saturday after Valentine’s Day. Project
Linus blanketeers meet at various drop-off
locations for National Make a Blanket Day.
Ann Maas, owner of Super Stitch, says
her business opens its classroom for the
event, offering online registration to local
quilters.
Over the last few decades hosting a
Project Linus drop-off location, Maas has
seen an ongoing commitment from the
North East community, with people
donating beautiful blankets to the
region’s children.
Even if you can’t sew, crochet or knit,
there are plenty of opportunities to
support Project Linus, such as attending
events to help press seams, tie fleece
blankets or sew on tags.
Burkhart adds that community
members also donate to the organization
directly or through Erie Gives as well as
finding ways to support blanketeers.
“One woman said that she has a friend
who isn’t crafty but sends her yarn,” she
says. “It’s heartwarming to hear things like
that.”
For more information on the Northwest
Pennsylvania Chapter of Project Linus
and blanket donation guidelines, visit
nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com, email
[email protected], or visit
the NWPA Project Linus Facebook page.
You can find ideas to get started at
projectlinus.org/patterns. Blankets of all
sizes for boys are currently in demand. n
MILLCREEK
❘
WINTER 2019
35