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Aunt Norie’s sewing room

By Eleanor Mckee - | Sep 15, 2004

We’ve all heard of Children’s Mercy Hospital. Many of us have been there or have known someone’s child who has been there. They have some very special projects and needs that I know many of you will be happy to get involved in.

I have an idea for you if you have time on your hands and you have extra fabric that you don’t know what to do with. Perhaps your club or auxiliary unit — or even you, as an individual — might be looking for a new project.

Every child who leaves the hospital gets to take home with them that special stuffed animal. Every new baby gets to take home a new handmade quilt or blanket (made by someone like you). This has been going on for years — if Children’s Mercy has the animals or blankets. I’ve been told they are seldom, if ever, out of them because of the many busy hands and loving hearts.

There are groups of ladies and individuals who make this happen. What a great project for those long winter evenings that are just around the corner!

The soft and cuddly stuffed animals, with clever faces and features drawn and embroidered on them are made mostly of double knits. You can make patterns by copying cute critters out of a child’s coloring book. Simply draw the critter — a puppy, perhaps — onto cardboard and cut that out for your pattern.

Then with a felt-tip pen, draw around the pattern onto the double-knit fabric, cut two pieces alike and sew them together on your sewing machine. Leave a small opening in the middle of its back so you can poke stuffing into its body. Then close the opening by hand stitching with a needle and thread.

Again with your felt tip, draw eyes, a nose and mouth onto the stuffed animal and embroider them with colorful thread.

Be careful not to use buttons or buckles that can come off. The animals must be safe for a small child to chew on.

The little quilts and blankets can be anything you like.

Send your creations to Children’s Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Rd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108.

We are also looking for anyone making quilts for the homeless, if you can help us there.

— Aunt Norie, P.O. Box 265, Tonganoxie 66086, auntnorie@bdc.net.