|
ABOUT PROJECT LINUS: MILESTONE!!!! TUCSON'S CHAPTER COMFORTS OVER 20,000: As of September 30, 2008 we had delivered 20,000 blankets to children in the Tucson area. When the chapter began, the goal was to ultimately reach 1,000 children. Instead, look what's happened!!!! With the help of over 200 women, men and children, who regularly make and contribute blankets, Project Linus Tucson has given the gift of a security to many thousands of children. As of June 2008 there were 406 Project Linus Chapter. Chapters are in all states of the USA. Together, these chapters had given 2,293,340 security blankets to children!
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION'S MISSION STATEMENT: Project Linus is a volunteer non-profit national organization with a twofold mission.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY: Project Linus began in Denver on Christmas Eve 1995 when an article appeared in Parade Magazine entitled, "Joy to the World". Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Eddie Adams, it featured a petite downy-haired little girl who had been undergoing intensive chemotherapy. The article stated that her security blanket helped her get through treatments. Karen Loucks read the article and decided to provide homemade security blankets to Denver's Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer Center. The idea grew, Charles Schultz's family gave permission to use the blanket-toting Linus as the logo, and Project Linus was born. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Members List:
Links Section
Coordinator:
Marge Koeller 578-7115
AsstCoord:
Jody Elmer 760-8852
NW Area:
Elizabeth Stewart 825-0963
SE Area:
Jan VandenHeuvel 885-3126
NE Area:
Mary Dimercurio 885-5703
SW Area:
Marge Koeller 578-7115
GREEN VALLEY:
LOIS WESTERVELT 399-1411
Patterns
|
|
Editor's note: You should be able to print this page from your computer. You should also be able to highlight only the pattern that you want, copy/paste it into a word processing file. Some computer platforms or security may not allow printing; we hope this is not your situation.
Visit also our "Links" section for web sites that offer free patterns for crochet, knitting, and quilting.
C R O C H E T:CROCHETED NO-HOLES BLANKET:
Size: Approximately 30" x 30"
Materials needed: 4 skeins chunky yarn (600 yards total), size J crochet hook. To use different yarns and hooks, or to change the size, just make the foundation chain the desired length by having a multiple of 3 plus 2 chains.
Directions:
Chain 83.
Row 1: (right side): In 5th ch from hook work (sc, hdc, dc); *sk next 2 chs, in next ch work (sc, hdc, dc); rep from * across to last 3 chs; sk next 2 chs, dc in last ch. Ch 2, turn.
Row 2: In next dc work (sc, hdc, dc); *sk next 2 sts, in next dc work (sc, hdc, dc); rep from * to beg 4 skipped chs; sk next 2 chs, dc in next ch. Ch 2, turn.
Row 3 (right side): *In next dc work (sc, hds, dc); sk next 2 sts: rep from * to turning ch-2; dc in 2nd ch of turning ch. Ch 2 turn.
Repeat row 3 to desired length. At end of last row, do not ch 2, do not turn. Finish off.
Thanks to Cindy Adams, Cactus Needles Knitting Guild for the pattern. For more patterns, vist Project Linus National's website. It's as easy as clicking on the Link at the end of our web page.
F L E E C E:
NO SEW FLEECE BLANKET - TEEN SIZE You will need:
Step 1: Before you begin, trim off selvage edges and square uneven edges as needed.
Step 2: Cut a four-inch square from each corner of the fleece. (Cut a 4" piece of fabric, batting, or cardboard to use as your corner template. Place it exactly in one corner, aligning with the edges of the fabric. Trace along the one vertical and one horizontal side of the square that lie on the fabric. Using your ruler and rotary cutter, carefully cut vertically and horizontally ALMOST to the where the two lines meet. Use scissors to carefully finish the corner; remove the 4" square of fleece and discard. Repeat for all corners.
Step 3: The fleece now looks sort of like a Red Cross symbol (with 4" "arms"). The four "arms" will become fringe; the center of the cross is the blanket. Cut the 4" wide "arms" every 1", resulting in 4"x1" fringe around the blanket. (You may find it helpful to mark the "arms with masking tape to keep your fringe exactly 4" deep.
Step 4: Using a seam ripper, make a tiny slit in the top of each piece of fringe (that is where the blanket ends and the fringe begins).
Step 5: Feed the end of each strip of fringe through the back side of the slit you cut, and pull through to create a neat and secure fringed edge.
FLEECE FRINGE LOOP BLANKET, MADE FROM A PILLOW KIT
WATCH FOR PILLOW KITS ON SALE!!!This simple pattern was given out at the Project Linus National Conference, along with a pillow kit. Each kit included two pieces of fleece, one patterned, one plain.
The print fabric is the main square of the blanket and the fringe will be cut from the solid color fleece.
Use a walking foot:
From the 40" square of printed fleece, cut 1/2" square from each corner.
From the solid fleece: Cut four 6" strips, the entire WIDTH of the fabric. (This will be trimmed after it is attached to the main square of the fleece.)
Attach the four solid strips to the printed fleece with a straight stitch.
Fold each of the 6" strips in half (toward the blanket)and attaching the other side of the strip with a zig-zag stitch (or other decorative stitch as desired).
You now have four folded borders, 3" wide. Cut the borders every 2"; the result is a border of fleece loops.
K N I T
MODULAR BLANKET FOR PROJECT LINUS
By Connie Mallette based on Modular techniques from many sources
Materials and Equipment needed: Enough yarn of approximately the same weight to create the desire size blanket and appropriate needles for the yarn. Mix and match leftover stash yarn or make it all one color. Change colors only when right side faces you.
Gauge: The blocks are worked in garter stitch so knit a sample square with your chosen yarn to determine the size of your block and plan your finished blanket.
Abbreviations:
CCO Cable Cast On Insert the left needle tip between the last two stitches on the right needle, wrap yarn and pull it through, placing the new stitch on the right needle tip. Insert left needle tip between this stitch and the previous one to space the stitch before drawing up new stitch.
Always pick up and knit with the right side facing you.
pm place marker
mm move marker
Pattern multiples: The blocks can be worked on almost any even number of stitches. For a small blanket try 24 stitches, medium size 36 stitches or 48 for a larger blanket. The overall size is determined by how long you keep working and how many blocks you make. If you are using multiple colors get a piece of graph paper to plan your colors. I use the 3x5 cross hatched cards and my box of colored pens.
Remember the preferred sizes for Project Linus blankets: Preemies: 26x 26 to 36x36 (soft yarns/fabrics only), Babies: 36x36 to 36x42, Child/pre-teen: 40x60to 45x60, Teens: 45x60to 45x72
Instruction Details:
Block #1
Cast on 24 (36, 48) stitches.
Row 1: (WS) Knit 12 (18, 24) and place marker, K to end.
Row 2: Knit to within 2 stitches of marker, K2 tog, mm, ssk, K to end
Row 3: Knit
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until 2 stitches remain, K2 tog. If changing color cut yarn but do not pull loop through. If maintaining the same color, continue as below.
Block #2 and remaining blocks for top tier of blanket: With RS facing, pick up and knit 12 (18, 24) stitches along side of Block, pm, CCO 12 (18, 24) stitches. Repeat rows 2 and 3 of Block #1 until 2 stitches remain, K2 tog. If changing color cut yarn but do not pull loop through. On last block, break yarn.
Tier 2:
Block 1 next tier:
Cast on 12 (18, 24) stitches, pm, pick up and knit 12 (18, 24) stitches along bottom of the first block of the tier just completed.
Knit block as block 2 of tier 1.
Block 2 of tier 2:
Pick up and knit 12 (18, 24) stitches along side of block just completed, pm, pick up and knit 12 (18, 24) stitches along bottom of block above. Knit block as before, decreasing on either side of the marker until 2 stitches remain, K2 tog.
Continue across the remaining blocks of this tier, and break yarn.
Each tier begins by picking up an edge of the first block of the preceding tier, and the casting on of the remaining stitches required for your size block. Watch to be sure your lines of decreases create a uniform pattern*, either all pointing the same direction, or alternating.
Complete as many tiers as desired, depending on the size of your blocks and the number required to fit the blanket sizes above.
Finishing:
Finish the edge with a narrow crocheted edge to stabilize the blocks. Wash blanket and block to size.
*or not depending on the yarn you use. It is an exercise in planning to get them to all go the same way, but it can be done. Have fun!
KNITTED NO-HOLES PATTERN:
This blanket is a basket weave pattern with a seed stitch border all around it. Bonnie Eldridge has made this pattern for years, and it is soft and beautiful -- with no holes to catch on hospital tubing. Thank you, Bonnie for letting us post your instructions on our site.
I'm so glad you like these blankets - I like them because the pattern is so easy! The yarn I use is called Baby Teri by Red Heart. I've only found it at the JoAnn Fabrics on the east side of town - their store on Oracle doesn't carry it. Sometimes I order large amounts on-line from Knitting-Warehouse.com - it's usually a little cheaper per skein - they charge shipping but it saves me a trip across town to get it. I know this pattern by heart because I've been knitting it for years but I've never written it down for anyone - I'll do my best on these directions!
With #8 knitting needles cast on 96 stitches. This is for a 28 X 28" blanket (can vary depending on how tight or loose you knit) I use about 2 and 1/3 skeins per blanket.
Row 1 - K1, P1 - repeat to end of row
Row 2 - P1, K1 - repeat to end of row - this will make the seed stitch.
Row 3 - repeat row 1
Row 4 - repeat row 2
Row 5 - K1, P1, K1, P1 - * K4, P4 - repeat from * to last four stitches - then K1, P1, K1, P1
Row 6 - P1, K1, P1, K1 - * K4, P4 - repeat from * to last four stitches - then P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 7 - repeat row 5
Row 8 - repeat row 6
Row 9 - K1, P1, K1, P1 - * P4, K4 - repeat from * to last four stitches - then K1, P1, K1, P1
Row 10- P1, K1, P1, K1 - * P4, K4 - repeat from * to last four stitches then P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 11 - repeat row 9
Row 12 - repeat row 10
Repeat rows 5 through 12 (you will see this makes the basket weave) until piece measures @ 27 inches ending with row 12. Knit 4 rows of seed stitch - (repeating rows 1 - 4) Bind off. Machine wash and dry on gentle cycle.
I've made these blankets for gifts and the feedback is always positive - the babies just love this soft cuddly yarn! Bonnie
Q U I L T:
There are so many wonderful printed fabrics these days that you can make a lovely blanket that looks like a quilt, but without stitching tiny quilt pieces together.
Materials:
Two pieces of cotton fabric of the same size, and one piece of batting, in the same size. Choose a design that you think will delight a baby, child or teen, and purchase fabric yardage accordingly. Use the same fabric for the front and back, or pick a backing fabric that goes well with the front. We've been asked about the size of the spacing between quilting stitches, or between ties. We usually say 4" to 6", but here's the easy rule of "Hand".
Stretch out your fingers and lay your hand on the blanket. Your fingers should touch ties or stitching. If any unfastened area of the blanket is larger than your hand, chances are that the batting may pull free and "lump up" in the laundry. Since your blanket is going to provide security and love for many years, it's worth the time to take an extra stitch or two if any area of the blanket doesn't pass the "Rule of Hand".
This display in the Bernina kiosk at Hancock's Fabrics (22nd & Wilmot) features three baby-sized quilts, made from six yards of fabric. (Thanks to Bernina Manager Kelly Glover for displaying them, and to Hancock's Store Manager Ed Valdez for supplying the fabric.)
PATTERN FOR "QUICK QUILT: THEME PRINT & BORDERS"
QUICK AND EASY SANDWICH QUILT INSTRUCTIONS
Lay out the batting, cover it with the backing facing up, then the quilt top facing down. Smooth and pin layers together. Temporary fabric adhesive spray helps. Stitch around all four sides leaving a 12 opening on one side. Turn inside out, put fingers inside to make points on corners and smooth seams. Stitch the opening closed. Machine stitch around the entire blanket to hold edges flat; tie yarn knots at 4-6 intervals to secure the layers together. Voila!
QUILTED AND TIED BLANKETS -- RULE OF "HAND":
STITCHING OR TYING ON QUILTS AND BLANKETS
IT'S AS EASY AS 1-2-3!
QUILTS AS EASY AS 1-2-3!
Stack three pieces of fabric, smoothing them so that edges are even. Trim them to the same size. Cut through all three fabrics to create from each: four borders, four corners and a center.
Mix and match centers, borders and corners, to create three very different looks! StItch them together and a quilt top is done! (I CUT the 3 fabrics AND SEWED them into 3 quilt tops in 1 1/2 HOURS.) Add batting and backs to complete three quilts!
*Please use baby colors and theme prints for this 1-yard-sized quilt. For preemies, baby colors and themes, but you only need 3/4 yard pieces. For older children choose appropriate colors and themes as follows: 1 1/4 yards for young children, 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 yards for pre-teens or teens.
Don't throw away wonderful theme fabric just because it is too small for a blanket! Add a border; add two borders; add more, until the quilt top is the size you want. 
PLANETS IN SPACE QUICK QUILT: THEME PRINT & BORDERS. This quilt was stitched in the ditch and additional tacking was added with invisible thread as needed to secure batting.
