Coordinator:
Diane Whitehouse
Assistant Coordinator:
Jean Bishop

Links Section

	PROJECT LINUS NATIONAL SITE
	FLEECE PATTERN
	FLEECE EDGES
	FREE AFGHAN/CROCHET PATTERNS

Join us and make a difference in a child's life.

Become a Blanketeer!

Artwork by Grace Lee
www.cutecolors.com

We are a group of caring individuals who are making dark days brighter for children in difficult situations. There is nothing that will tear at one's heartstrings more than seeing the eyes of a child in crisis.

Project Linus is an all volunteer non-profit organization which began in December of 1995 by Karen Loucks in Parker, Colorado. Karen had read an article in Parade Magazine about a little girl who was comforted by a blanket through chemotherapy treatments. Having recently learned to crochet, Karen began supplying blankets to the Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer Center. As she told her friends about her self-appointed task, they offered to help. As a result, Project Linus has become a national organization with more than 400 chapters providing blankets to children in need all across the country.

Named after the blanket-toting character in Charles Schultz's Peanuts comic strip, the mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need, through the gifts of new, homemade, washable blankets and afghans, lovingly crafted by volunteer "blanketeers". Wouldn't you agree that,

"The best kind of sleep under heaven above, is under a blanket handmade with love"

In January 2004 Diane Whitehouse went into Austin Sew and Vac in Round Rock to purchase some quilting thread. There she picked up a brochure from Janome of America promoting the 2004 Project Linus Make A Blanket Day (MABD) scheduled for February. Her immediate reaction was "I'd like to continue helping children year round, not just once a year. What better way to make a difference then to give a child a BLANKET FULL Of Hugs." She went to the Project Linus national website listed in the brochure looking for the nearest chapter. Finding none close, she applied for chapter status and it was approved on April 12, 2004.

Much to Diane's delight, after a year, Jean Bishop offered to become her assistant. Since, Jean's crocheting expertise has helped educate and train others interested in making afghans. Jean has also begun to develop quarterly blanket making sessions in south Austin. These meetings will be in addition to the monthly blanket sessions in Round Rock that are currently being held.