Medical Expense Fundraiser - Claire Bear

This may not be the first time many of you have heard about the strong and brave Claire Bear. I first learned of her from the creatively talented memory catcher, Becky Higgins, here.

source

Take the time to read the background and you'll learn that Claire experienced a terrible, terrible accident in December that took her ability to walk. This has created some large and unplanned expenses for her family. Becky Higgins decided to take this matter into her own hands...love that!

Jump over to Becky's blog here and learn more.

And follow Claire's determined recovery and supportive family on their blog here. You can help in a variety of ways from encouraging notes, financial donations and/or donated items for sale. See the "How You Can Help" page here.

Big hugs to you and your family Claire!

RAK Fat Quarter Winner!

Hope you all had a wonderful week filled with Random Acts of Kindness!

If you have any you'd like to share, please leave them in a comment here or on the Hopeful Threads facebook page. I love to hear!

Now, on to the winner of this sewing inspirational fat quarter...

Needled Mom said... 2

Aren't we blessed to have had such wonderful sewing instructions to send us on our way. I can remember my mom starting a dress for my sister and myself when we went to bed. The next morning both dresses were hanging on the door for us to wear to school.

What a touching image!
Check your email for a message from me!

Happy Sewing!

Bib Donation for Love Without Boundaries & The Basic Charity Challenge

Here's the bundle of bibs I've made to send with the Love Without Boundaries Cleft Surgery Team. 

You may recognize the print fabrics I've used. 

I made 22 bibs using flannel remnants from other projects and a bit of terry cloth to back them. I added snap closures for easy use and durability and I hope they love them! :)

  I'll be sharing this as a contribution to The Basic Charity Challenge at Cara Quilts. If you aren't familiar with the challenge, I would certainly recommend checking it out! I love Cara's simple and practical ideas for how to give back and she's found a lot of generous people to help inspire participation. ;)

The bibs are packed and ready to be on their way. 

 I hope they are useful for the caregivers and that the bright, playful prints are enjoyed by the babies. I truly am grateful to have the opportunity to send a practical item like this that was fun and easy to make!

What basic item can you give to help another today?

Project Linus - Make A Blanket Day 2012

It's Make A Blanket Day!!! 

That's right, the 3rd Saturday of February each year is the Project Linus MABD - Make A Blanket Day! 

 Did you know that Project Linus has delivered OVER 4,000,000 blankets!!! I know! Isn't that amazing!!?!!? That is the result of many, many people believing that EVERY STITCH MATTERS!

You can see a list of participating states and find a chapter near you HERE.

There are many ways You Can Help! And their website also provides a collection of free patterns too!

Keep up with Project Linus on facebook here.

Be A Voice!

Another opportunity for those needing a special fundraiser or looking to support those who are fundraising, check out Be A Voice.

You can find Fundraising information here.

You can also find the lovely items available for purchase in their shop. Items like this...

This outreach was begun by a very special family who has adopted internationally twice now. Understanding the challenges that coming up with the large adoption expense can create, they set about finding a way they could use what they have, where they are to help. And they are doing just that!

Follow the blog here.
Find them on facebook here.

My New Sidekick - Cutting Cart

Sometimes the most unexpected things can become useful in a way far different than they were originally intended. That's the case with my new side-kick, the Cutting Cart.

This used to be a small TV cart in my girl's bedroom. When the TV was moved to a new location, this was no longer needed. It had gotten pushed aside in the basement to eventually end up donated....but not now! :) Now it is my new Cutting Cart!!!

My scrap basket was beyond overflowing, and it was time to sort through it and decide what could be cut into a useful piece and what needed to become pillow stuffing. I like to do this while the girls and I watch a movie together in the evenings, but I had been putting it off for a loooooong time. It was such a pain to pull the board I was using to the living room and terribly uncomfortable to sit in the floor and try to cut the fabric. I needed something where I could sit on the sofa and do the cutting. 

:) The old TV cart....perfect!

So, I topped the cart with one of my smaller cutting mats, rolled it to the sofa with my overflowing basket and got to work! It actually made the job fun! It's the perfect height and has space inside for me to toss the trims. I am very pleased!!! 

And now look....

 My tidy charm storage in sizes 3", 4" and 5" along with some thin strips and applique cut outs.

And a nicely trimmed stack of all the larger pieces as remnants. 

Not bad! Plus, I got to enjoy watching My Fair Lady with my girls while getting it all in order too. So glad to have found a working solution for all that lovely "scrap" material! Now I'm going to have to do some scrappy sewing huh?! :)

Needed: BIBS!!! BIBS!!!! BIBS!!!

I shared about the outreach of Love Without Boundaries yesterday, and today have a quick and simple way you can jump in with both feet to help! :)

BIBS!

There is an upcoming surgical trip scheduled as one of the Love Without Boundaries Special Projects. This medical trip is specifically to provide cleft repair surgery. 

One item that is essential while these sweet babies recover...bibs. 

Here's a note I received from one of the volunteers who will be going on this trip...

"Thank you so much for your offer to make baby bibs!

Usually, the cleft babies wear old cloth diapers or a disposable diaper around their neck to catch the drool. Giving the babies a colorful, soft, fun bib is such a wonderful gift! They are surprised and attracted to the colors and fabric and the Caregivers are proud to show off "their" babies new attire.

I can't tell you how excited I am that people are willing to help! The bibs were a huge hit on the last trip and the babies were still wearing them in pictures months later.

Here are some free patterns. We need bibs from medium size to toddlers size, any pattern, color. Terry cloth on the back is nice but not necessary! Velcro closures would be wonderful!

free bib patterns
http://tipnut.com/baby-bibs/

I will be leaving for the Cleft Trip on April 10th. We are planning to operate on 50 or more babies.

Thank you so much for helping the sweet babies!!!"
Maureen Brogan
Medical Exchange Director
Love Without Boundaries Foundation
www.lovewithoutboundaries.com
"Hope and Healing for Orphaned Children"

Cleft surgery can mean the difference of being socially accepted within a child's community. It's a big deal! And you can play a part by providing bibs. If you'd like to donate bibs, you can email me for the address to send them to or post your interest to the Love Without Boundaries facebook wall attention Maureen Brogan.

Loving others through your sewing machine....a sweet, sweet gift on both ends!