Project Linus

Every day people try to find their purpose in life. Karen Loucks found her purpose after reading an article published on Christmas Eve in 1995 in Parade magazine. The story featured a little girl named Laura who was going through intensive chemotherapy. She said that her security blanket helped her get through the treatments. Loucks made homemade security blankets for every child in Denver's Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer Center, and began Project Linus.

Today, there are over 400 Project Linus chapters in the U.S.with at least one chapter in each state.  As of April 2007, more than 2 million blankets have become gifts for children.

            The only requirements include that the Project Linus blankets must be new, handmade, and washable. Each blanket reflects the personal touch of the volunteer. Blankets have been sewn, knitted, crocheted, quilted or tied.

            And there are several ways to involve young children. One way is to have a child select bright colored fleece material at a fabric store.  There are colorful solids as well as patterns with movie themes, sports teams and cartoon characters. 

       My daughters and I go to the store together to pick out material---there are so many to choose from---Winnie the Pooh, Cars, John Deere, Ballerina and many more.

            With a sharp pair of scissors, an adult can precut the fringe. Then children, as young as four or five years old, can help tie a knot in the fringe with adult supervision.

           For more information about this program and how to make your own quilts, visit www.ProjectLinus.org. 

       It is so easy to do this with your children and show them that they are able to help others.

Kathy Schlaeger enjoys making blankets for Project Linus near Cincinnati, Ohio.