April Newsletter

                                                          

April, 2020

Welcome Spring Blanketeers,                                                                            

We hope that you are all staying safe and healthy during these very trying times of this COVID-19 virus. Due to this virus all of our April sew dates, meetings are cancelled. As soon as we get the all clear, we look forward to receiving many many wonderful and beautiful blankets for the children.

There have been a few inquires regarding Project Linus making face masks. I have spoken to Project Linus National Headquarters and according to our Mission Statement, this does not come under our umbrella. But, that being said, as sewers and being apart of our community there have been several quilt shops and face book pages that have set up directions and drop off information. We are a “ Village” and will get through this one day at a time.

**** Very sad news to announce- ****

Yaple’s 801 W. 26^th Street will be closing on March 30^th.

21 years ago, this store was our first place that our organization held monthly meetings and Appreciations Days. Their support will be greatly missed. Moving forward our monthly meetings will be held at my home : 1446 Patterson Ave 16508 when we resume meeting

ODDS & ENDS:

-        UPMC Hamot NICU has an ongoing need of gently used receiving blankets- store bought, that they use to support the tiny heads of the infants in their carriers. They can be dropped off at all of our local drop off locations. Again, these are items that I have seen at Garage Sales and have picked up for a quarter or so and brought home and washed up.

-        There is still a need for boy blankets of all types and sizes. When we deliver blankets, we always try to put a mix of boy and girl blankets, so that the hospital or agency has a variety to pass out to their patients or clients.

-         

REMINDERS:

-        Please be cautious of the crochet or knitted patterns, along with the type of yarn and needle size, so that the finished afghan doesn’t have too big of “holes” in it or too loose. It was brought to my attention that “Little fingers” can become entwined in them or caught on hospital equipment.              

-        Due to children’s unknown allergies, Respiratory issues and sensitivities please be cautious of perfumes, dryer sheets, fabric softeners and scented bags in regards to making, storing blanket making material or dropping off a blanket. These are things that we may not even think of that could set off a medical situation for a child.

Monthly meetings:

April  1st-      Millcreek Sewing Center                         6044 Peach Street       1:00pm- 4:00pm  Cancelled

April 13th -    Coordinator Home                                  1446 Patterson Ave     9:00am-11:00am Cancelled

April 16th -    Doug Yaple’s Vacuum                             1815 E. 38^th Street       10:00am- 2:00pm Cancelled

Looking Ahead:

May 9^th                        “ Spring Sew In” Hampton Inn

August 11^th-                 Erie Gives

 Follow us on Facebook for updates as well. You can find us at:

·       NWPA Project Linus -    Like us -and that automatically will add you to our friend list.

·       www.nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com- is our web page

Warmly, 

COVID-19 and drop off locations

March 17,2020

Dear Blanketeers,

As we all adjust to the restrictions due to the COVID-19 virus, NWPA Project Linus has suspended our drop off locations. Actually, all of our stores and Quilt Shops have closed as mandated by the Governor. During this time we hope that you would continue to make blankets as we “ self distance” ourselves. We continue to say that it takes a Village to what we do, and that is, bring comfort to children in need with new hand made blankets.

Thank you for your understanding and as we get information pertaining to when drop off locations will be open, we will pass that information onto all of our Blanketeers.

Stay safe and healthy during these trying times .

 Follow us via Facebook as well. You can find us at:

• NWPA Project Linus -    Like us -and that automatically will add you to our friend list.
• www.nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com

  NWPA Project Linus NWPA Project Linus is one of 400 plus chapters of the national organization of Project Linus. We cover the counties of Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Warren in Pa and Ashtabula Co in OH and Chatauque Co in NY www.nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com

  - is our web page
  
   
  
  Warmly, 

JoAnn Burkhart

NWPA Project Linus Coordinator

1-814-864-9389   1-814-392-5583

nwpaprojectlinus@hotmail.com

NWPA Project Linus    FaceBook

nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com    

Store closing announcement

* Announcement ****

This news is very sad to NWPA Project Linus, as 21 years ago Yaple's Vacuum & Sewing Center at 26th and Liberty was our first store that we held our monthly meetings and drop off location at and yearly Appreciation Days. We will miss you all.
Thank you for your support !!!!

Yaple's Vacuum & Sewing Center
1 hr ·
Due to Health Reasons and Retiring Employees - Yaple's Vacuum and Sewing Center will be closing their doors on March 31, 2020. Store Hours will be Monday thru Friday from 10:00 - 3:00 p.m.

March Newsletter

March, 2020

Hello Blanketeers,                                                                            

I would like to thank all of our Quilt Shoppe’s and Blanketeers for supporting National Make a Blanket Day. Without all of you, we would not be able to deliver nearly 200 plus blankets to our 3 local hospitals and countless agencies that service children in our area on a monthly basis. “ It really does take a Village”… …..Our Blanketeers are a true testament to that statement. Thank you, thank you.

**  -Spring “Sew In”- Saturday May 9^th at – Hampton Inn Erie, 8050 Old Oliver Rd 10:00-4:00

Odds and Ends: We are still in need of boys blankets, all sizes and kinds.

REMINDERS:

-        Due to hospital equipment and little fingers, when knitting or crocheting an afghan please use patterns or needle size with corresponding yarn so that the completed blanket isn’t too loose. Sometimes it might only take going to one size needle smaller to make all of the difference.

 -Due to children's allergies and possible respiratory issues, please refrain from the use of dryer sheets, fabric softeners and scented bags when either laundering or storing blanket making material.

Monthly meetings:

March 4th  -    Millcreek Sewing Center                6044 Peach Street      1:00pm- 4:00pm  

March 9th -   Yaple’s Vacuum & Sewing               801 W. 26^th Street      9:00am-11:00am

March 19^th-     Doug Yaple’s Vacuum                      1815 E. 38^th Street     10:00am-2:00pm

Looking Ahead:

April 18^th – Ag Fair North East

May 9^th -    Spring “ Sew In “@ Hampton Inn

August 11^th-   Erie Gives

 Follow us via Facebook as well. You can find us at:

·       NWPA Project Linus -    Like us -and that automatically will add you to our friend list.

·       www.nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com- is our web page

Warmly, 

Make a Blanket Day Reminder

NATIONAL MAKE A BLANKET DAY
2-15-2020
REMINDER

Looking forward to another wonderful day of our Blanketeers helping to bring warmth and comfort to children in need in our community balnket day 

reminderwith new hand made blankets.

NWPA National Make a Blanket Day Schedule is as follows
Kelly’s Sewing Corner- 3330 W.26th Street (Village West) 10:00-3:00
Drop off location
Millcreek Sewing – 6044 Peach Street 1:00-4:00
“Sew In”- kits provided
Fox’s Sew & Vac Sales and Service Downtown Mall – Meadville PA 10:00-3:00
Drop off location
St. Michael’s Church- 76 North High Street, Greenville, PA 10:00- 3:00
“Sew In” –Bring your sewing machine, kits will be provided
Doug Yaple’s Vacuum- 1815 E. 38th Street 10:00- 2:00
Drop off location
Super Stitch – 10429 W. Main Street North East 10:00-2:00
Drop off location
For more information contact JoAnn Burkhart- Coordinator- NWPA Project Linus 814-392-5583

Make a Blanket Day Reminder

NATIONAL MAKE A BLANKET DAY

2-15-2020

REMINDER

NWPA National Make a Blanket Day Schedule is as follows                                                                  

Kelly’s Sewing Corner- 3330 W.26^th Street (Village West)                         10:00-3:00

Drop off location

Millcreek Sewing – 6044 Peach Street                                                           1:00-4:00

“Sew In”- kits provided

Fox’s Sew & Vac Sales and Service Downtown Mall – Meadville PA        10:00-3:00

Drop off location

St. Michael’s Church- 76 North High Street, Greenville, PA                       10:00- 3:00

“Sew In” –Bring your sewing machine, kits will be provided

Doug Yaple’s Vacuum- 1815 E. 38^th Street                                                    10:00- 2:00

Drop off location

Super Stitch – 10429 W. Main Street  North East                                        10:00-2:00

Drop off location

For more information contact JoAnn Burkhart - Coordinator - NWPA Project Linus 814-392-5583

February Newsletter

                                                          

February, 2020

Hello Blanketeers,    

Once again I am re-posting the information that was taken from our National web site regarding the beginning of National Make a Blanket Day. I have been asked of its origin many times, so here it is:

HOW DID IT BEGIN?

National Make a Blanket Day began in 1999 after the terrible events that took place at Columbine High School. We found that suddenly we were in need of a very large number of blankets, and quickly. Our chapters came to the rescue, holding “blanket bees” all over the country and then sending those blankets to our local chapters in Denver. It was a huge success, and we learned that we had a national network of people who could and would help. It was decided that we would hold an annual Make A Blanket Day where each chapter could host activities in their area to promote Project Linus and to increase our inventory of warm cuddly blankets. Generally, we can attribute the collection of 75,000 to 100,000 blankets to National Make a Blanket Day! 

We are looking forward to a very successful Make a Blanket Day, please come out and support us.

NWPA National Make a Blanket Day Schedule is as follows                                                                  

Kelly’s Sewing Corner- 3330 W.26^th Street (Village West)                         10:00-3:00

Drop off location

Millcreek Sewing – 6044 Peach Street                                                           1:00-4:00

“Sew In”- kits provided

Fox’s Sew & Vac Sales and Service Downtown Mall – Meadville PA        10:00-3:00

Drop off location

St. Michael’s Church- 76 North High Street, Greenville, PA                       10:00- 3:00

“Sew In” –Bring your sewing machine, kits will be provided

Doug Yaple’s Vacuum- 1815 E. 38^th Street                                                    10:00- 2:00

Drop off Location

Monthly meetings:

February 5^th -        Millcreek Sewing Center               6044 Peach Street      1:00pm- 4:00pm ( regular meeting )

February 10 th -   Yaple’s Vacuum & Sewing               801 W. 26^th Street       9:00am- 11:00am,

February 20^th -       Doug Yaple’s Vacuum                      1815 E. 38^th Street     10:00 am- 2:00 pm

Odds and Ends: 

JoAnn Fabric’s nation wide have placed in stores that are current drop off locations new Drop off boxes for new handmade blankets. We are grateful for their support and for the support of all of our quilt shops and stores that continue to be apart of the Project Linus mission. Thank you !!

Reminders:

·        Due to children's allergies and possible respiratory issues, please refrain from the use of dryer sheets, fabric softeners and scented bags when either laundering or storing blanket making material, or dropping off completed blankets. Although they may have a pretty aroma, the scents absorb into the materials, which may be difficult to remove.

• When making a Single Layer Fleece No Sew Blanket we recommend at least 1 ½ to 2 yards of Fleece fabric. And most important, before you start to cut the strips that, FIRST you TRIM the 2 SELVAGE SIDES, then from there you have options in how you wish to tie your blanket.

                   

                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

             
                                       

I put this reminder in occasionally, as we still receive blankets with the selvage still on the blankets. We then have to trim each strip of the selvage before that blanket can be delivered.          

Looking Ahead:

February 15^th            -National Make a Blanket Day

April or May              Spring “ Sew In “ to be announced

August 11^th-               Erie Gives

 Please follow us on Facebook as well, for up to date and current events. You can find us at:

·       NWPAProjectLinus-    Like us -and that automatically will add you to our friend list.

·       www.nwpaprojectlinus.blogspot.com- is our web page

Warmly, 

JoAnn Burkhart

NWPA Project Linus – Coordinator

814-864-9389    814-392-5583 (c)

Nwpaprojectlinus@hotmail.com