Support the Troops

Support our Troops!
Things to Do for Military Men

Do you quilt, sew, knit, or crochet? Do you have an honest wish to give back to
the military?

Here are some ideas for you.

1. Quilts of Valor—This volunteer group matches those who make quilt tops with
machine quilters and deliver over 15,000 quilts annually. By making a quilt top
or being willing to longarm a quilt, you help make quilts to comfort our wounded
and the families who have lost their loved one to the war on terror. Visit
http://www.qovf.organd/ join up.

1. If you have any Christmas fabric, even scraps that you wish to be rid of,
you can send it to me. I'll either make stockings or take the fabric to the
coordinator locally here in Florida. We'll sew them up to make stockings. We
send them to www.operationcarepackages.orgin Joliet, Ill. Debbie sends them out
to the individual soldiers. (Make sure to use the "s" in the word "packages.")
You may also sign up a loved one at the website and enroll them into the program
to get a care packages.
These next few I will provide you with an address for mailing, once I have
confirmed the coordinator is willing to receive packages from unknown persons.

1. Sand Scarf—They must be 100% cotton in beige, tan or gray. We don't want the
soldiers to be targets.) Cut the fabric 60" long by 14" wide. Turn under the
edges and sew down all around the fabric. If you have 100% cotton tee-shirt
fabric, that too is acceptable.
2. Cool ties—These have the same restrictions as the sand scarves as far as
color and 100% cotton. Cut 4" strips about 45" wide (WOF for quilters) and sew
up the long side. Turn to make a tube. The coordinator fills these with special
water-absorbent crystals that cool the soldiers and sailors.
3. Helmet Liners—These don't have to be a certain color, and they may be sewn,
quilted, knitted or crocheted as long as they are 100% cotton. These are the
directions for sewing. Cut two 7" circles. Sew, right sides together, leaving a
place to turn the liners inside out. These too are filled with the water
absorbent crystals, and not only cool the soldiers, but also cushion their heads
from the uncomfortable helmets. The soldiers really appreciate these, and
they're so simple to sew.


If you wish to participate, please email me privately: voiceomt2002 AT gmail.com
for more information.

Lena Austin

Lena's new quilt

Just a quick little brag.

I just had to share my new quilt. It was paper-pieced, and the pattern came from AllPeopleQuilt.com. It was the 2009 Calendar Quilt Free Pattern.

Lena Austin

"Stop fighting the Wild," said the coyote.
Coming Soon: Man vs. Wild

http://www.LenaAustin.com

Charity Work for Crafters/Seamstresses

**Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged**

I'm participating in the Million Pillowcase Challenge and I'm inviting my friends to join me. You can learn more here:
http://www.oldegreencupboard.com/1millionpillowcases.html

You can even pick up free patterns (There's a basic one for those who can do straight seams only *coughMerriPhoenixcough*) by clicking on the picture of the little girl or the link below:

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/freepatterns/index.html

Please join us in giving to those who have faced disaster, abuse and heartbreak by giving them something handmade and cleaning out our fabric piles at the same time.

Send me pictures with your pillowcases so I can count them. The person who sends me a picture with the most will win one of my signed print books, Unicorn Valley.

Lena Austin
http://www.LenaAustin.com
Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com
Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com
Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com

A Fairy Quilt for My Granddaughter Hope

Occasionally, I have the fun of making my grandchildren something. This year's projects are quilts for each of them, though Danny's will be technically given to him next year due to a time crunch. (I just can't find enough of the theme!)

This is the first I've managed to get done, though it's only the quilt top at present. I'll sandwich it and bind after I get the rest of the materials this weekend while working at JoAnn's.

 

You can't see the bottom row, thanks to the wind, but it's the same four-patch as the top, okay? I got the beautiful fairy panel and most of the materials at LadyBug Quilt Shop here in Jacksonville, on Cassat Ave. Rikki is a doll, and so willing to help anyone who needs it.

Okay, I'm done bragging now.