|
Most “stitchers” have a heart of gold—and a sizable fabric stash, too! While there are many, many charitable organizations out there, we’ve found two in particular that need sewing donations. The first is Operation Care Package, and the Second is Project Linus. Here at Stitches Etc Home Center, we act as the collection point for your donations to both programs! |
|
Make a Drawstring Bag to Help Operation Care Package! |
|
L to R Debbie Durawa, Pat Curran and Debbie Smothers |
|
Drawstring Bag for Operation Care Packages! Stitch some up! They’re fast, fun, and for a good cause! Bet you can’t stitch up just one!! Get creative—use fun novelty fabrics, make them out of patchwork, add embroidery! |
|
Operation Care Package Operation Care Package is a volunteer 501 (c)(3) public charity, dedicated to their mission that no “Hero” serving our Nation should be forgotten. Their goal is to support our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen through care packages and letters of encouragement. The group was formed in March of 2003, by Debbie Smothers, Debbie Durawa, and Pat Curran. Debbie Smothers' brother, David Bishop, an Army Green Beret for 19 years, has served in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other countries. Debbie Durawa's son, Matthew Zwolinski, and Pat Curran's son, Joe Curran, both serve in the Army and were deployed in Iraq. Some of the soldiers don't receive anything in the mail, and they exist on little supplies," said Smothers; “I don't think any of them should go without something from mail call." With the help of so many generous individuals and businesses throughout the Country, Operation Care Packages been able to reach thousands of our Heroes throughout the world. Operation Care Package can not continue this vital work without your help. Thank you, and please continue to keep all of our Military and their Commanders in your thoughts and prayers.
Stitches Etc Home Center is encouraging as many folks as possible to stitch up a draw string bag that Operation Care packages can use to fill with plastic zip type gallon bags of hygiene items. The drawstring bags give the soldiers something to keep their personal items in besides just a plastic bag and sometimes they pass the drawstring bags onto the children in the area. Click HERE to find the pdf file of the draw string bag pattern! It’s super fast and easy to stitch up, uses only 3/8 yard of fabric and is guaranteed to make you feel good because you’re helping a great cause! When you complete the drawstring bag(s) you can drop them off at the shop for us to send off to Operations Care Packages or you can send them yourself. Please check out their web page www.operationcarepackages.org |
|
Some of the Stitches Etc Home Center Ladies making drawstring bags for Operation Care Package! |
|
Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve their mission statement, which states: First, it is our mission 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, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.” Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children. Together with their volunteers, Project Linus have distributed over two million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.
Check www.projectlinus.org for information on their program and for suggested quilt patterns for blankets! Drop off your completed blanket(s) at Stitches Etc Home Center and we will get them to our local chapters!
Quiltmaker has supported Project Linus, with free patterns since 2000. Check out their list of free patterns at http://www.quiltmaker.com/projectlinus/
If you are in need of a pattern, project or inspirational “push” to get you started on a Project Linus quilt, afghan, or blanket then be sure to check out |
|
2195 Greenspring Drive Timonium, MD 21093 410-561-3101 Tuesday-Friday 10 am—6 pm Saturday & Sunday 11 am—4 pm |
|
Cool Scarves Needed for Operation Care Package A “Cool Scarf” is a strip of cotton fabric that has been filled with nontoxic polyacrylamide crystals. When the scarf is soaked in water, the granules absorb the water, expand and then turn into a crystalline gel. The troops wear them like tires around their necks and as the water evaporates from the gel in the scarf, they get a cool feeling. Click HERE or go to http://www.water-sorb.com/polymer_cool_nec_bands.php for instructions on how to make a Cool Scarf. Be sure the fabric is cotton and do NOT use bright colors. Tans, browns, dark greens, sand colors are best, since they will be wearing them they don't want anything that will attract attention. Please bring your completed drawstring bags and cool scarves to Stitches Etc Home Center so that we can send them on to those great folks at Operation Care Package for distribution to our deployed forces all over the world. |
|
Sewing to Help Others |
