Project seeks people for Blanket Day sewing

GRANT COUNTY - A local organization is seeking people to sew blankets for donation to people in need at an upcoming daylong event.

Charlynn Franklin, coordinator for the Grant County Make a Blanket Day for the Grant County faction of Project Linus, is looking for eight to 10 people to sew quilts at the event.

Make a Blanket Day is taking place March 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at Columbia Basin Quiltworks, located at 122 W. Third Ave., in Moses Lake.

The event is signing up people beforehand, and will provide a list of what to bring, including a sewing machine, scissors and thread, Franklin said.

"We're going to be making blankets and donating all the blankets made to New Hope Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault," she said. "Hopefully, each person will get a blanket made."

Pre-cut blanket kits for sewing will be provided, Franklin said.

"The quilt is going to be a very easy pattern, so we'll take anybody that can sew," she said.

For those that aren't able to make it, but still want to make a donation, the Moses Lake business is a drop-off point for quilts or afghans, Franklin said.

"They can be any size, we give them to newborns up to 18-year-olds," she said. "The only specification (is) it has to be made of new materials."

Franklin's goal is to have a person at every space of the eight to 10 available, to have a full classroom, and to have the quilts completed on site.

"We also would love and appreciate any donations of new materials, new batting, gift certificates or cash," Franklin said, asking checks be made payable to Project Linus.

The organization gives quilts to sick children or children who have been traumatized, Franklin said.

"The blankets are a security blanket," she explained.

The first quilt Franklin made was for a friend who was adopting a foster child, at the request of her son. The blanket arrived the first day the little boy had his first visitation with his parents, and they had the quilt in the back seat of their car.

"(They) opened the back door for him to jump in, he saw the quilt on the back seat and kind of climbed under it," Franklin said. "(His mother) said from that day on, he did not let go of that quilt. He took it everywhere and it was his security when he had a bad night. She had other blankets and it was always that one he wanted. So it's just, gosh, a little thing I can do to bring comfort to a child who, usually through no fault of their own, is suffering."

For more information, call Franklin at 509-754-3303 or 509-750-9688, or co-coordinator Belinda Chambers at 509-754-3792.