We Got LINUSed!

Aug 01, 2003 17 Replies

Poor baby Ryan/Yoda had to go to Seattle Children's Hospital today to get some labwork done for his upcoming appointment with the "specialist". I expect they'll just tell me the trouble we had after he was born was a one time thing and nothing we need to worry about ever again but that's another story.



He had a really tough time in the lab. They were doing some special test that I had to schedule in advance and they wanted a *lot* of blood. My poor little man is only 6 months old (tomorrow) and it seems he's inherited his mother's hiding veins. They poked him in one arm, one wrist and one ankle. They were looking at his little head and I suggested a break. Luckily they decided they could use what they had and just had to poke his little finger to do the CBC.



Afterwards, I was sitting in a vacant waiting area trying to settle my baby down and a nice volunteer lady came by and handed us a blanket. I told her he wasn't an inpatient and besides, I'm a quilter. She pointed out that he's upset, doesn't have a blankie with him and that's what the blankets are for. So I took it. It's a big, fleece panel with the satiny blanket binding sewn all around. Ryan grabbed it and rubbed it against his face a few times, then went to sleep. He hasn't let it go since we got home.



So, for all of you who are involved with Project Linus, THANK YOU. Your efforts really do make a difference. The blanket I got doesn't look like it took much time or effort (unless you're like me and have trouble with satiny blanket binding) but it's just as comforting as if it had taken months. So for anyone who's considered helping out with Project Linus but didn't think you could sew well enough, do it anyway.



Ryan's alternating between rubbing the fleece against his face and chewing on the binding. This mommy thing is great.


Thanks so much for your post. I make quilts for Ronald McDonald House (we don't have a project Linus in Oz) and I often wondered whether the kids/mums like the quilts/hate them/chuck them out. You've made me feel special and honoured that maybe one of my quilts has been loved as much as Ryan loves his. BTW I made a promise to the quilting fairies yesterday. If they helped me make a "filler piece" work perfectly RMcD House would have five new quilts for christmas. Guess who's going to be making crib quilts? Yep, me (and very happily).

It was heartwarming reading your post. I, and I am sure many of us here, have made quilts for our local hospital children's wing or ER. Our local hospital always sends along a nice thankyou note, but there is nothing like hearing from a real live recipient! It is so much fun, especially in the dreary, cold NY winters to be working on kids quilts with lots of bright colors and themes. Marilyn in Moravia

What a cooincidence! I just visited my LQS in Allentown, NJ for their color sale (greens this week for 20% off), and asked if they needed any more premie blankets. I made some for their program last year. They said no, but are now a drop-off point for Project Linus and gave me a brochure! I don't have a lot of kid-type fabrics, but for this, I'll buy it! Helps the economy, keeps me off the streets and helps a little one, a win-win-win if I ever saw one! So if anyone wants to do this, The Quilter's Barn in Allentown is shop to which I refer.

Please give baby Ryan an extra hug from me. The 'mummy' thing is really great, but don't episodes like Ryan's tear on the heartstrings. Its great to know that we really can stitch comfort and care into our donation quilts. Don't have the Linus project in Oz, but our local hospital is usually pleased to see us!

Give him a hug from me too, poor wee cherub! Must get in touch with the Linus lady again - thanks for the reminder!

That is just the sweetest love story I've seen in a long time. Thank you so much for sharing Ryan's being LINUSed with us. We know in our hearts that our stitching love gifts is worth every minute of the effort, but hearing first hand about one of us being hugged by a Linus blankie . . . oh my! I can just see the little one rubbing and chewing on his hug. Emma (I think "Emma" is Daves fat chick) did such a beautiful job of writing. I have printed it and stored it with my Linus patterns. And, I'm afraid, my friends, that the telling of it will only inspire me to remind you now and then how wonderful the making and sending of a hug is. Hugs to Ryan, Polly

What a great testimonial for Linus. I'll bet I know what you'll be doing when you get some spare time.

Thanks for sharing that. Our sewing circle was considering quilts for the homeless shelter for our next group project. Our last one was the Blue Star banners. But the shelter said they have lots of bedding and no more storage. This gives me a great idea - the pediatric ward. I only live three miles from the hospital. Hug baby for me, tell him he's a brave little man!

Karen, Queen of Squishies

Another place to consider as beneficiary of group made quilts is a nurshin home. We just returned from MN where we visited my DMIL. The nursing home she is in has quilts on all the beds and the nurses said they are always in need of more. The quilts are very basic and are hand tied but the residents like them a LOT better than regular hospital blankets. Ma had two of them on her bed because they didn't have much in the way of batting in them. The nurse I spoke with said the residents could care less if the quilts are quilted or tied, what type of fabric is used or even what the quilts looked like! All the ones I saw were *very* scrappy and looked just fine! Most of the beds that didn't have someone in them had the quilts on top used sort of like a spread. Made the rooms look quite colorful and very homey! CiaoMeow >^;;^< .

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their WHISKERS!! Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

FYI....Project Linus is the subject of Monday's Simply Quilts morning show!

I'll pass your message along to all my Linus coordinator friends. They'll be tickled to read it!

It really makes us feel good when we hear how a blanket has comforted a child.

Sure hope Baby Yoda is better. I think he definitely needed a Linus blanket!

Great idea! I'll do some homework in that direction - see how many beds they have, etc.

Karen, Queen of Squishies

Thanks so much for posting. About 3 years ago my daughter and her best friend did their Girl Scout Silver Award project in support of Project Linus. Their project involved getting donated fabric and batting and putting together quilt kits and sending them to girl scouts all over Totem Council (includes Seattle and surrounding areas). The troops assembled the quilts and then the girls got them back and donated them to project Linus. They donated about 75 quilts.

I'm sure that the turnover in quilts is very short so it's too much to think that one of their quilts ended up with Baby Yoda but it's nice to think that maybe that project encouraged girls to keep quilting.

I hope he feels better and continues to enjoy his quilt.

Celia

PS: DD is UBC bound so Vancouver quilting stores better watch out cause I suspect I'll be up there more often than I have been :-)

Hullo Celia Have we met before? If not, it's lovely to meet you, and good to have you at this large cyber quilting frame. What kind of quilting do you like doing? Lovely story of your daughter and her friends. We have Project Linus here (UK) too, and I have made a few - not as many as I should. Maybe I'll have a little 'splurge' during the winter? I have some orphan blocks. Mmmm ... . In article , Howard and Celia Modell writes

Who is the contact for the UK version of Linus?

-- Jo in Scotland

Hullo Jo and anyone else in the UK who wants to know about Project Linus, but who doesn't know who to contact:

I was going to E-mail Jo privately, but thought you all might like to know.

Ann Salisbury-Jones Project Linus UK

23 Monmouth Drive Sutton Coldfield West Midlands B73 6JQ

E-mail: snipped-for-privacy@fsbdial.co.uk

Ann will let you know who your local rep. is. . In article , Johanna Gibson writes

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required