There were 16 of us at today’s meeting. We are still waiting for the maintenance to
finish the cabinet project. So far, we
are managing to work around the chaos.
Last week I gave 56 stuffed toys to the Lake Panaskoffee
United Methodist Church. The lady who
picked them up was excited to see them.
She told me about a little girl who called out of the car window while in
the food pickup line to say that it was her birthday. Next time she will get a toy.
I talked about a new charity I have learned about called Kennel Quilts. The following is a description from their web
page:
“Kennel Quilts is a volunteer organization that
is available when disasters strike. It is a way to join a larger effort to help
our animal friends in times of need by doing what we love. The Kennel
Quilt team supplies kennel quilts to shelters.”
When I checked last Friday, the quilts were going to Michigan. Today the current need is listed as
Hawaii. Wherever there is a current
disaster, the address of the appropriate Humane society is posted on the web
site. If any of you are interested in making these quilts,
you can hand them in at any time. I will
hold them until I have enough to fill a mailing box, them mail them to
whichever organization is coordinating the current need.
Here are the guidelines for making these quilts:
Guidelines for Small Kennel Quilts:
·
Materials used
should be 100% cotton (biodegradable) on the advice of a veterinarian. This
includes the fabric, batting, and thread. Do not use fleece for it sheds to
much. Do not use flannel for it often has synthetic fibers. Even 100% cotton
flannel tends to pill and it is not suitable for Kennel Quilts during a
disaster. Terry Cloth is not suitable for Kennel Quilts. Little claws can catch
on it. Batting cannot have scrim for scrim is usually made of polyester. This
is a safety issue in case the pet chews the Kennel Quilt.
·
You do not have
to prewash the fabric, but wash the Kennel Quilt after it is made. (pets can
have allergies just like humans). (Note: I will wash them as a group before
mailing.)
·
Finished size
should be 12" x 18". This fits the most commonly used small kennel
used at shelters.
·
When piecing, use
a small stitch length (e.g. 14 stitches/inch).
·
Do not use
binding as it can be hazardous to pets if it becomes loose. Layer, sew around
the edge using a small stitch length, and turn quilts pillow-cover style.
Whipstitch the opening with small, tight stitches.
·
Use only simple
appliques that are secured with tight stitches along the edges. Avoid using
fusibles.
·
Keep the quilting
simple and use small tight quilting stitches that won’t catch on pet claws. Do
not tie quilts as the ends can get caught in claws or chewed off.
·
Do not use any
metallic threads or other embellishments (e.g. beads, charms, buttons, ribbons,
lace, trims, etc.) of any kind. Do not add handles or loops to the quilt.
Show and Tell:
Janet Murtaugh showed a kid’s quilt she made.
Louise Stem made
2 pillowcases
for her husband.
Eileen DiSanto made 4 toys to be stuffed.
Ceal Pedersen showed some more stuffed toys that she painted
the faces on to finish them for us. I also sent her home with a big bag full of
toys made by Allamanda members, all needing faces.
Carolyn made a bunch of toys to be stuffed, and a wall
hanging for her neighbor.
Diane Placek made a tote from 5” squares, using the pattern
I demoed last week.
She made the handle
and a matching zipper bag from other matching squares.
Eileen St Clair and Ellen Hein showed two quilts that they
finished the binding on.
The first is one
that Lorraine Manz put together from fans found in a donation.
The second, I believe, was a quilt top found
in a donation. The fabrics appear to be
vintage.
Before the meeting and after show and tell, Janet showed how
to make little bunnies from wash clothes.
She brought a stack of clothes for anyone who wanted to try.
I talked about how to make drawstring backpacks from 5”
squares. For the children attending the
Youth Ranch summer camps, I suggested a 9-patch design for each outer side and
another set of two 9-patch pieces for the lining. Basically, you need 18 5” squares for the
outside, 18 5” squares for the inside, 2- 3”x15” strips for the drawstring
channels, and 2 tabs of some sort 5”x2”. I do
not have a written instruction yet but will try to write one within the next
week. We are trying to use as many of
the squares as possible, so I encouraged everyone to take some of the squares
home and try this. The squares are also
available for any other charity project.
Hope to see you next week.
Lois
