Donations Needed for our Upcoming Quarterly Relief Society Meeting Service Project - Tuesday, May 13 2014 - Newborn Gift Kits

Does your bargain-hunting monster need to be fed? Rust gathering on those knitting and crochet needles? Someone making snide comments about your fabric stash?


Sisters, we have the answer! The Valley Forge 1st Ward Relief Society is continuing a tradition with our May service project.  We are collecting NEW baby items and combining them into Newborn Gift Sets to donate to low-income mothers that deliver at the Norristown Einstein Medical Center. Of course, the success of the project depends on your willingness to donate the following items for the newborn gift set:

Infant nightgown or sleeper

Receiving blanket

Booties/Socks

As in past years when we have had this service activity, the hospital staff are very excited and very grateful, because many mothers lack even these basic items to clothe and protect their baby for the trip home.

So, start watching those sales and clearance racks!  Break out those knitting and crochet needles! Raid that fabric stash and get your sewing machine humming again. We've included some links for free booties patterns and blankets patterns (knit, crochet, or sew). Remember, the items MUST BE NEW, either purchased or hand-made. (Just as an FYI, please make sure everything donated is machine washable).

Please feel free to bring your item(s) to church before May 13, and give to any member of the RS presidency.

Thank you, in advance, for your generosity!

Links
Booties, Receiving blanket, and nightgown/sleeper to crochet:
http://susan.kraus.net/index.html
http://www.crochethooksyou.com/craft-show-crochet-baby-booties-pattern-newborn/
http://www.yarnspirations.com/pattern/crochet/babys-booties
http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/WR1990.pdf
http://mrsbrits.blogspot.com/2013/08/sweet-and-chunky-baby-afghan-crochet.html (Fast, in bulky yarn)
http://lacycrochet.blogspot.com/p/free-baby.html


Booties to Sew:
http://web.archive.org/web/20090306060728/http://michaelmillerfabrics.com/blog/cloth_shoe.pdf
http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/12/6/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes.html
http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2011/03/stitch-this-baby-booties.html


Fast Flannel Blankets to Sew:
http://bunnyhilldesigns.com/editor_uploads/Baby%20Blankies%20Free%20Pattern.pdf
http://blissfullydomestic.com/life-bliss/sewing-your-own-flannel-receiving-blankets/8543/


Knitted Booties and Blankets:
http://members.home.nl/tdpj/Patronen/Bootees/Saartjes%20bootees.pdf
http://organizedpackrat.blogspot.nl/2007/11/knitted-ribbed-welted-toe-baby-booties.html
http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2012/8/18/new-super-easy-baby-blanket.html
http://spinningalpacayarns.com/knitting-baby-blanket-easy-pattern.html (Fast and cheap)


PS. Some of the websites use yarn that is very expensive and impractical (who uses non-washable merino yarn for a baby blanket? Does this person not know that babies are liquid-spewing machines?) Anyway, if you want to make something and don't want to spend $135 for yarn, let me know and I'll help you figure out a reasonable substitute.