Pillowcases For A Cause.

September is Childhood Cancer Month, and Conkerr Cancer is hosting “Miles for Pillowcase Smiles”.  Their goal is to stitch 44,000+ pillowcases, this is one for each child who is battling cancer.  To help them with this goal, the children and I have been cutting out and sewing up pillow cases for the cause.

To make pillow cases to help them out, or just for your own personal family use, you will need:

3/4 yard fabric for pillowcase

1/4 yard fabric for trim on pillowcase

Cut the body of the pillowcase to 26 1/2″ by 40 1/2″ .

Cut the border to 10 1/2″ by 40 1/2″.

Fold border in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.

Place right side of border to right side of pillowcase fabric and stitch together using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Place right sides of pillowcase together and stitch down side and along bottom.  Turn to right side and press.

Finish seams to avoid fraying.

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A Fish Tale.

These are the ones that didn’t get away. These two fish are body pillows about 3 ft long.  There is one more set of them exactly like these yet to be done for lesser prizes for a local kids fishing tournament and a couple smaller fish sewing crafts yet to finish.  With the hot weather keeping me from being able to enjoy the shore line this summer, at least I’m getting to enjoy the catch, even if it is stuffed.

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June Is…..Adopt A Shelter Cat Month

With my son’s prompting I have decided to begin a new section to this blog. For a couple of years now we have celebrated various “bizarre and unusual” holidays as well as lesser known monthly events in this family.  It makes things fun for the children, my son’s whole reason for his prompting, as well as is a good educational tool for them and I’ll admit, also for me.

June is “Adopt A Shelter Cat Month”.  Anyone that knows me knows animals are very near and dear to my heart, especially those needing aid.  The two kittens in this picture are not shelter animals, but they would have been shelter bound if I did not take them in from the woods they were found in.  While it would be wonderful if you could find it in your heart to rescue and give a forever home to a shelter cat, I understand this is not always feasible.  Yet, there are other ways you can use your talents to make the stay for shelter cats far more comfortable and less frightening of an experience.

Local shelters often have no bedding or minimal bedding and no toys for the unwanted pets they take in, which often are numerous.  This leaves cats and kittens to sleep on wire cages, or worse, in their own liter pans.  Many welcome donations of bedding and toys for animals who have no one to care for them. Don’t fret if you are not the perfect seamstress, no animal has complained yet about uneven stitches or off kilter seams.   One only need browse the internet to find many sources, but I’ll offer you a few that I have used in past, and/or making presently for our local shelters this month. By the way, did you know that not only do homemade items help shelter animals relax but also have been found to increase their rate of adoption? For a few stitches and bit of fabric I’m more then happy to give them all the fighting chance I can give.

Remember in making the cat toys to add some cat nip to the stuffing to make it more appealing.  Also don’t fret about polyfil,  plastic grocery bags make a nice crinkle sound cats love to play with when used as stuffing material, also a good way to recycle them.

Fish Cat Toy

Catnip Mouse Cat Toy

Fleece & Cotton Cat Quilt

Small Pet Bed

Panda Stuffy

Bunny Stuffy

Teddy Bear

Bunny 2

Bunny 3

Birdy

Stuffed Mouse

Now, lets get crafting.

 

 

 

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Preemie Receiving Blankets

Today was spent cutting out flannel receiving blankets for a local shelter.  I cut a total of 20 today and hope to have completed 50 by Thanksgiving. I would love to supply 100 this year but materials and time may become a factor as there are so many other projects also demanding my time.

Many of the expecting mothers who arrive at shelters start with nothing for themselves much less their soon to be little ones.  A gift as simple as a receiving blanket to bring their little ones home from hospital with mean a great deal to them, and are often cherished.

Tomorrow I will do the cuts for the Preemie blankets, they are so tiny they look like they should be made for dolls.  Ranging form 12″ for smallest upwards to 18″ in size.  Hospitals struggle to find such tiny wrappings for these special little joys.

I also will whip up a few extra to sell to aid in supply costs to allow me to create more items for those who need them most.  Everyone deserves a bright start to life and perhaps, just perhaps, one of these special blankets will offer that to a special little someone.

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