We are just coming off of the heels of the largest project in Craft Hope history. Over 70,000 towels have been collected and distributed. With more in transit that will soon find homes. The Craft Hope book came out two weeks earlier than scheduled which created a whirlwind of flurry and excitement around here. The way this community rallies and joins forces is absolutely moving. Unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed. It is a true testament that each person can make a difference. But together… together we are changing the world.

We are healing hearts. Spreading love and hope. Sharing joy. Absolutely priceless. Your hands alone are touching lives through your beautifully handmade donations.

I am more than excited to announce this most recent project. The love and outpouring of support that I know you all will give this project brings me to tears already. I’ve seen it time and again with you all here at Craft Hope.

There are times in our lives that stop us in our paths. Heartbreaking news meets us on our journey of life. Unexpectedly. At Craft Hope we cannot stop earthquakes from happening, children from becoming orphans, or children getting sick. But what we can do, we can love those affected. Show them that people care and give them a glimpse of hope.

For Project 9 we will be working with ConKerr Cancer to benefit terminally ill children. ConKerr Cancer was established two years ago to put smiles upon the faces of terminally ill children in the hospital. They provide bright and cheery handmade pillowcases for these children. They have succeeded in delivering 225,000 pillowcases up to this date. They have a goal of providing a beautiful pillowcase for every seriously ill child in North America by 2012. Well I think we can just help them achieve that goal don’t you?

I think we have all somehow been personally affected by a child suffering from illness in some capacity. It’s heartbreaking and doesn’t seem very fair. We can take that energy and transform it into something beautiful for these children.

So we are asking for handmade pillowcases for these children.

If you sew… please use bright/cheerful/beautiful COTTON fabric to make a pillowcase or twenty. Please no flannel, per their requirements.

If you knit/crochet… please make a lace border or embellishment to add to an already beautiful new pillowcase.

If you embroider… please stitch up something sweet on a new pillowcase.

The deadline for this project is September 15th as September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

We will be posting up links to patterns and ideas later this week. Even great ways to get your kids involved. Please do not send in new packaged pillowcases. They need to be handcrafted with love in some capacity.

This is a testament to the power of what a gift such as this can do…

“Dear kind people of ConKerr Cancer: I first found out about you while my son, recovered from a brain tumor at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The staff told me there was a basket of which we could pick out a pillowcase. He was not allowed out of his room at that point, so I picked him one. When I got there, not many were left. But one Eagles pillowcase caught my eye. I knew he would like that, and he did. It was one of the first smiles I got during his recovery from surgery. It’s funny, but it’s amazing to know how much one pillowcase can brighten a whole life and a whole room. John is doing much better and is now back home. The pillowcase is now a cheerful reminder of hope and kindness during that horrible and frightening time. Not only did the pillowcase tell us that others have shared in these difficult times, but also that a little touch of love and color helps give you a little more strength to fight through such a serious illness. Again, I want to thank you on behalf of my son and my family.”

Here is the pattern ConKerr Cancer provides for making the pillowcase. Please feel free to use whatever pattern you’d like, but make it for a standard size pillow.

For Project 9, you will not be mailing the pillowcases to us here at Craft Hope simply because there are many hospitals in your area that we’d like for you to connect with. Update: Please direct questions and mail pillowcases to the coordinator in your area. Please do not mail the pillowcases directly to the hospital. This page provides a regional directory of hospitals and coordinators for ConKerr. For those of you not in the U.S., they also have locations in South Africa and Canada.

Please include a note that you are with Craft Hope so we can try to keep a tally of how many pillowcases were sent in.

Ready, set, go… Get your groups involved, rally your friends/family/coworkers/craft groups/camps, and tell them what we are doing at Craft Hope. Shout it from the roof tops. Tweet about our latest project. Blog about it. Put your pictures in our Flickr group to inspire others. Join our Facebook group for the latest announcements. Send it out to the world to get more people involved. Let’s make this our largest project yet and help ConKerr Cancer meet their goal of providing a pillowcase for every sick child.

Update: If there is not a coordinator in your area and you’d like to start up a chapter please contact ConKerr.

Please leave a comment on this post if you are going to participate and/or get a group together to participate. Thank you.

Sarah and I will be coordinating this project together so if you have questions, please contact us. We’ll both be fielding questions and writing posts. Thanks Sarah for helping!!

Hope. That’s really what it’s all about after all.