Project Darkhorse

[DC - G'mother of My Fav Sailor]

 

 

"Darkhorse" is the name given to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the most highly decorated regiment in the Marines.  These young men are currently serving in Afghanistan.  There are five companies in this battalion and this represents a large number of Marines who would appreciate any love we can send their way.

 

Weapons Company received several care packages in December and then HAE moved on to Lima Company.  When all have finished up mailing their boxes, Lima Company will be put to "bed."  The next, and probably last company, we will do is Kilo Company.  There are about 170 Marines in this group, all males.  The mailing date for Kilo Company is February 7.   This should give us enough time to get sufficient pillowcases ready for mailing.  As with every project, we need to have sufficient pillowcases for each Marine in the company to receive one.

 

For OPSEC reasons, I would appreciate your letting me know via PM (make me a friend on N4M if I am not already one) the number of pillowcases you will send in your box.

 

Sue sent me this "Semper Fi" poster.  I watched the video about the Marines in Bethesda.  The attitude of the Marines who have suffered terrible injuries is absolutely amazing.  Here is a link with a video of Kilo Company.

 

[DC - G'mother of My Fav Sailor]

Here are the pillowcases I sent to Lima Company.  I am not sure if I posted them or not.

 

These were sent to Kilo Company:

 

With them folded, you can't see the detail on some.  For example I made a couple from pillow squares:

 

And this one:

 

And a couple with Marine logos.  The one on the left is pieced and the one on the right is appliqued.

 

Okay, last picture.  These were sent to H&S Company.

 

 I had fun with the "alien" fabric (lower right).  The one in the middle has the fabric for a band.  The store where I get the fabric cuts generously, so I took 2-3 inches of the fabric and put it along the side.  It has the aliens on that piece.  The space ships show on the band.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

they are beautiful Dori!  thanks for posting them.  Love the alien fabric, I've had a few come thru with that also,.

 

love the pillowtops.  when you appliqued the one, did you use stitch witchery under it first?  I have a bunch of pillow tops that I was thinking of appliqueing on ME's pillowcases.

[DC - G'mother of My Fav Sailor]

I didn't use stitch witchery first because I didn't have any.  I just pinned a lot, held my breath and it worked.  I'm not sure if any place in Ellsworth carries it and I haven't made a trip to Bangor since January.  I do have to go on Wednesday and I have a list.  I hadn't thought of putting it on the list ... thanks for the suggestion.  I like doing an applique more than piecing.

 

I bought the French horn fabric because our grandson, the Marine, played the French horn from middle school through high school.  I wrote a note for those pillowcases explaining the special significance of the fabric to me.  I also wrote notes to go with the 4-H fabric. 

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

I used to play the French horn too, noticed that fabric.  Boy, I love fabric.

[D~W~G]

OH MY GOSH DC THOSE ARE SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! How did you do the lettering. I so love that one it is so nice, one lucky sailor will get that! WOW

[DC - G'mother of My Fav Sailor]

DWG, I assume the lettering to which you refer is what is on the one with the sailor kneeling and the other one.  Actually, I found a piece that was intended to make a pillow.  It was about 18 x 22 (folded), or so.  I cut the piece in half and put pieced each half for a pillowcase "top."  I did not do lettering.  I thought they were nice and was tickled to find them.

 

I purchase virtually all my fabric in a store.  I sometimes purchase fabric at JoAnn's but the closest one is located 45 miles away so I do not get there often.  There is a discount "chain" in Maine (Mardens) and the one in Ellsworth has a very nice fabric department.  The fabric is quite reasonable and I usually pay $1.99-$2.99/yard.  A really expensive piece might cost me $3.99/yard and that is usually a licensed fabric, e.g., Disney.  The ladies in the fabric department are very generous when cutting, especially since they know the purpose.  Lately, when I use a patterned fabric for a band and plain broadcloth for the body, I have enough of the fabric to put a stripe down the side of the body.  It makes a nice look ... I think.  I started doing that when I ended up with some fabric that was narrower than I liked.  Now I will do it if I have enough left over fabric.

 

I do purchase Symphony Broadcloth from JoAnn's.  I just ordered some online for the first time and I ended up with some surprises for colors, e.g., hot pink for red and a deep blue for Navy.  The names of the colors didn't warn me of my mistake.  The blue will be easy to use but the hot pink is going to take longer.  Eventually it will be all gone.

[D~W~G]

 

Well it was a beautiful pillow very detailed. My next machine will be an embroidery machine. I have to win the lotto first though.

I know what you mean about narrow fabric, especially the flannels. 

It seems like lately everywhere I go people are getting very short with their fabric over and over I have had to sit there and remeasure and it is short. My major pet peeve is when they give you just enough and they see it wasnt cut straight to begin with..I feel like such a $%@# having to say I am sorry but if I were to rip that end off and have an even piece I would be short. Sometimes they get snippy. Has anyone else had that happen?

I know sometimes the coloring is not cool on line. I loved the chamois I got though they were much more beautiful patterns then I though and super cheap. I am finding a few good sales on line lately. I will share 

[D~W~G]

where do you get your fabrics at, a chain or on line?

[LLovesmysailor]

These are some of the pillowcases I sent to Kilo Company. Sorry it took so long.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

beautiful as well.  I have a little chinese boy at one school who comes to my craft time often.  He loves monkeys.

So I bought him 1/4 yard of that monkey fabric and gave it to him.  I told his mom about it and she said that was fine.  He loved it.

 

Tamara, please post your thank you note!

[Tamara]

Here is a thank you note I received this weekend.  It always makes my day when I get these.

 

Tamara,
I would like to take this time to thank you for the pillow case(s) that you made for us here in Afghanistan.  More often it is the little things that we value most while we are thousands of miles away from family and friends.  

Again, I extend my warmest thank you 

Sincerely,
MAJ XXXX XXXX 

 

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

thanks for posting Tamara!