Craft: Pet Bed

Earlier this summer, my friend shared that she had learned a local animal shelter had a great need for pet beds.  My daughters heard the news and immediately wanted to help.  They remembered seeing a DIY rag rug that could be used as a pet bed in the May/June 2014 issue of American Girl Magazine.  Coincidentally, my husband had sorted through a pile of t-shirts to donate to the Vietnam Veterans earlier that weekend.  The girls went through the pile and chose five t-shirts (men's size large) to use for this project. 

  1.  We purchased a sink mat from Dollar Tree.  

  

2.  We cut the shirts into 2"x5" strips.

3.  We used five men's size large t-shirts to complete two mats.  We cut about 100 strips from one shirt.  UPDATE:  We ended up using half of a sixth men's size large t-shirt for an additional 44 strips.

 4.  We tied the strips, working horizontally and vertically to make sure all of the white plastic was covered.  The magazine instructed us to tie the strips in double knots.  The result felt hard, and the girls didn't think a puppy would find the mat very comfortable.  We decided to cross the left and right ends of the strip and then pull the left end under the right end to secure it tightly (no knot).  We also found the process moved much faster when we flipped the mat over to the back side.  We threaded both ends of the strips through the mat, working down an entire row.  Then we flipped the mat back over and tied the entire row. 

5.  Well on their way!  This sink mat is only 12.5"x11"--fine for a small dog.  My girls wanted to tie their mats together with extra strips or yarn for a larger dog. 

6.  As you can see, we occasionally skipped a horizontal or vertical row.  The rug still looked full and felt comfortable on the top. 

 The finished product ready for donation!

Girl Scout troops of all ages could make these rag rugs for their own pets to use or to donate to local animal shelters.  Not only could this craft satisfy a service project requirement, but it could be tied in with the Brownie Pet Badge (Step 2:  Keep a Pet Comfy) and the following Daisy Petals:  considerate and caring (spring green petal), friendly and helpful (yellow petal), using my resources wisely (green petal), and make the world a better place (rose petal).  If the girls enjoy projects that involve cutting and tying, maybe they would like to make a blanket for Project Linus?  Just a thought.  If you are interested in seeing how our troop got involved with Project Linus, check out this link.  Thank you for reading!

Service Project: Project Linus

Project Linus is an organization that "provide(s) love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer(s).”  The Cincinnati Chapter distributes the blankets "through dozens of sites, including hospitals, social service agencies, shelters, pregnancy centers, police/fire/EMS units, etc. in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton & Warren Counties in Southwestern Ohio."  In January 2013, I entered a blog post about Thinking Day.  I wrote, "the (Thinking Day) theme for 2013 is 'together we can change children's lives,' and 'every mother's life and health is precious.'  Our girls have decided to make fleece blankets for Project Linus this year."  I asked readers to check back to read about the project.  I recently realized I failed to come through with the post.  Here we are an entire year later...

Our Daisy and Brownie troops combined to work on these blankets.  In the months leading up to our February event, I watched for sales on fleece at various fabric stores.  I purchased this fleece on sale at JoAnn's, also using a 40% off coupon. 

Here are the Cincinnati Chapter Fleece Blanket Guidelines from their website:

The Cincinnati, OH Chapter prefers single-layer fleece blankets. While we can place a certain number of double-layer blankets, most of the facilities receiving our blankets find them too heavy.

• Baby -- 1 yard, cut in half yielding two 30" X 36" blankets. Finish with a hemmed or crocheted edge. (no fringe, please)
• Toddler -- 1¼ yds
• Child -- 1½ yds 
• Teen -- 2 yds 

Blankets, just like kids, come in many sizes. They need not be these exact dimensions.

Please refer to this website for additional instructions and considerations.  The website discusses purchasing supplies, preparing the fleece, cutting the fleece, tying the fleece.  It also provides diagrams and troubleshoots potential problems.  My advice to you...use a good pair of scissors!

Our girls voted to complete the extra steps required by Project Linus to earn the official Blanketeer patch.  The patch measures approximately 3 inches high and 2 inches across and features Linus himself clutching his signature blankie.  They can be ordered from the Chapter for $1.75 each.  To earn this patch, every girl had to make a blanket to donate.  They had to recruit someone to make an additional blanket to donate.  They had to donate money or supplies to the organization.  A portion of the money the troops earned through the Cookie Sale was used to cover the cost of the fleece and some supplies for the organization.  I contacted our Chapter for a Wish List, but this link will give you an idea of the requests.  Knowing other family members would be making additional blankets, I purchased more fleece than we needed for the girls.  Several mothers reimbursed me for this extra fleece.  It was a good deal for all of us.  Please note that the Chapter Coordinator has changed since we worked on this project.  I would suggest contacting the Chapter before starting a project to learn of any changes that may have been made over the last year. 

Since our girls were Daisies and younger Brownies, we leaders decided to prepare the blankets before the meeting.  I placed a number on each blanket.  When the girls arrived at the meeting, they were given a number.  One by one, they claimed the fleece they would tie.  This not only saved us time, but there were no issues with girls not getting the print they wanted.  They spread out and got to work.  We leaders were happy with our decision to prepare the blankets in advance because several of the younger girls needed our attention as they were tying their fringe.  Most of the girls finished their blankets within the hour-long meeting.  Please refer to this website for drop-off locations and instructions.  Thank you for reading!

Thinking Day Ceremony and WAGGGS Pin

As I wrote in my last post, Girl Scouts around the world celebrate Thinking Day on February 22^nd.  Thinking Day gives us the chance to talk about our similarities with other Girl Scouts around the world.  We are a part of a global community, working to make the world a better place.  The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) announces a theme for Thinking Day each year.  

For Thinking Day 2011, we used the 2010 theme.  We had a tea party with a lesson to help the girls understand hunger and poverty and what they can do together to help others who are suffering.  In 2012, our girls learned about growing up as a girl in Greece (this post is coming soon!).  The theme for 2013 is "together we can change children's lives," and "every mother's life and health is precious."  Our girls have decided to make fleece blankets for Project Linus this year.  Please check back in late February to read a post about this event.

New girls in our troop receive the WAGGGS Pin during our Thinking Day celebration.  This pin shows that the girls are a part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.  It is worn on the Insignia Tab above the Membership Pin.  On it are three leaves representing the Girl Scout Promise, with a flame that stands for loving all the people in the world. The compass needle is to guide you, and the two stars are the Girl Scout Promise and Law. The outer circle represents the World Association, and the golden yellow trefoil on a bright blue background stands for the sun shining over the children of the world.  

When our girls were Daisy Girl Scouts, we had an informal ceremony before the new members were given their pins.  I modified a Thinking Day ceremony from Ceremonies in Girl Scouting:

THINKING DAY CEREMONY

1. On February 22nd, Girl Scouts around the world celebrate Thinking Day.
2. February 22nd is the birthday of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell.
3. Lord baden-Powell founded Boy Scouts in 1907.  Lady Baden-Powell started Girl Guides in England in 1909.
4. Juliette Gordon Low was inspired by the Baden-Powells and founded Girl Scouts in the United States in 1912.
5. Today the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) reaches girls in 145 countries around the globe.
6. Thinking Day gives us the opportunity to recognize the similarities we have with Girl Scouts around the world.
7. Thinking Day reminds us that Girl Scouts is part of a global community.
8.  As we "think globally," we must "act locally."  As Girl Scouts, we are building courage, confidence, and character and working to make the world a better place.  

Prior to the meeting, I wrote these statements with a Sharpie on individual index cards.  We asked each girl to stand in a line and read her part loudly and clearly so the rest of the troop could hear her.  The first time the girls participated in the ceremony, they were in Kindergarten.  It was quickly evident that some girls could already read while others were struggling.  They were all quiet and many of them needed help with most of the words on the cards.  The next year we repeated the ceremony for the girls who were new to our troop.  I learned from the past and assigned each girl a specific part.  They were sent home with a copy of their lines so they could practice reading.  They returned the day of the ceremony and read their parts perfectly.  Certainly it takes a little more time for leaders and girls to prepare, but it is definitely worth the effort.  The girls were so much more confident the second year, and they had more fun.  Thanks for reading!