1. Home
  2. Quilting Forum
  3. Need Feedback - charity pattern idea

Need Feedback - charity pattern idea

Hi Quilters!!! I'm working on a pattern for a good cause and would love some feedback. The pattern is for a hospital gown that quilters (or anyone) could make for their friends/loved ones. I'm working together with a quilt shop that has a staff member in the hospital.

Here is my idea. The pattern is a pretty simple design - there's no mystery to hospital gowns. My idea is to have it be a free pdf file that you can download from the internet, open and print in Adobe Acrobat reader. To do so, you would have to print about 15 pages with a simple line on most pages, that when taped together, say 3 across by

5 down, the pages would connect the lines that would form the pattern piece for all the pieces of the gown.

Then, if you want, you can trace the pattern onto a piece of muslin or another large piece of tracing paper or whatever you have on hand.

We would like the pattern to offer the opportunity to for people to donate to the charity we designate, or suggest a worthy cause of your own. Again, suggest, not require a donation. The pattern would have a form included that would have all of that info.

The other idea was to have the pattern printed on oversized paper and sell the actual pattern - already printed of course. However, we think we could reach more people with a file on the net. We think many sites would offer the pattern to their customers.

So, if the pattern is free on the net and you had to print 15 or so pages at home, would that pattern appeal to you vs. ordering it and paying a nominal fee to cover the cost of printing and shipping and a little going to charity?

I'm donating my time and resources, as is the store I'm working with.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Joan Hawley Lazy Girl Designs

Reply to
Lazygirl
Loading thread data ...

Joan, Perhaps having a picture of the pattern piece with measurements for lines would be an option. Many of us could copy the pattern onto our pattern paper with just that information instead of printing all the pages, taping them together and then printing. (I am assuming that most of the pattern is straight or slightly curved lines.)

Pati, in Phx

Lazygirl wrote:

Reply to
Pati Cook

Hi Pati,

That is a great idea. We talked about that a bit. We could do the neck and shoulder/sleeve layout with information on how long to extend lines and square-off the bottom. The shop drew this up for me and they added one nice feature that I haven't figured out how to handle if we did it that way. The back has a curved edge on it, so the two back flaps overlap near/at the..ahem...private area. We could certainly straighten this out. Or straighten it with a suggestion to gently curve from shoulder blade to below private. We could notate the pocket area. Oh, there is a pocket over the heart area, covering a button hole opening of sorts for a stethascope. We could have a button hole note and pocket note too.

What do you think?

Joan

Reply to
Lazygirl

Why make a hospital gown? I won't take my own PJ's to the hospital. The one time I did, I got blood on them. The staff doesn't have time to wash out a patients personal clothing. I'll use what the hospital has. Guess I'm saying, I wouldn't download and print such a pattern. I would and do spend my money and time on other charitable projects.

Reply to
maryd

Hi Mary, I realize I left that part of the story out. My email was getting pretty long there. The store employee has been in the hospital for quite some time. The staff at the store decided to make gowns out of her favorite quilt fabrics and the gowns really lifted her spirits. They got the idea to make a pattern after the doctors and nurses raved over them. I offered to help.

Joan

Reply to
Lazygirl

Reply to
Jalynne

OK.... So the gowns would be given to individuals that are hospitalized long term and family would take care of laundering? I would hate to see nice gowns done in a hospital laundry with all the bleach etc.

Reply to
maryd

I think it's a great idea Joan and yes I would print out the 15 pages if need be.

Dee in Oz

Reply to
Dee in Oz

Would it be possible to offer all three options you mentioned? A measured sketch, pfd file, and mail in request? It covers all the bases. What a lovely thing to do for the long term patient. Diana

Reply to
Diana Curtis

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. We can always start off with the free pattern on the web and if we get requests for a printed pattern, well, then I guess we can go to print.

Thanks again and any other thoughts are still welcome. I'll keep you posted.

Joan

Reply to
Lazygirl

I made hospital gowns for my mother and for DH's mother. The gowns had fairly outrageous appliqué and trim on them and they were in happy colors. Everyone enjoyed them, they were no trouble at all for the family to launder and my goodness, they certainly added some happy to a tough time. In addition to that chilly, breezy back opening, the gowns for both had to open quickly across the shoulders and down the center of the sleeves - in case the belts and hoses that they were hooked to needed instant attention. That was solved with snaps. Snaps are not the tedious trial that they once were. You can get them now that don't require blue language and bashed thumbs to apply. I wish you great success with your project. Do report back. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Reply to
Joanna

Not to be contrary, but why would I want to make a hospital gown for my friends/loved ones? Most people wear the hospitals gown to avoid getting their own pjs ruined by blood, etc. If they bring their own lovingly made gowns the gowns are likely to be ruined.

I can see maybe making some kid-sized ones in cute prints to donate to the children's hospital - maybe. But even then, the local children's hospital has cute print gowns/scrubs for the kids to wear which they then just toss in the hospital laundry (no extra wash duty for Mom).

Reply to
Tracey

Being able to have immediate access to the pattern by printing online is better than waiting several days for it to arrive in the mail. If the pattern is straight couldn't you just print the top portion and then give dimensions to finish the lower part by drawing on a piece of muslin?

Will this pattern solve the "exposed backside" problem?

Susan >Hi Quilters!!!

Reply to
Susan Laity Price

Ask hospital staff for some peroxide. Takes blood out right now!!

Reply to
SNIGDIBBLY

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.