These are my tools. This is my superpower.

Generally, I don't like to talk about my crafting projects with strangers, even fellow crafters. I like being a part of the community as much as anyone. It's a warm, welcoming, wonderful place, but I don't crave attention for my work. I want the focus to be on the good that the things I make can do for others. I'm making an exception here because the prize being offered as part of Vocal's Craft Your Happiness contest would enable me to serve my community in a much larger and more impactful way.

You see, for the last eleven months, I've been making no-sew fleece blankets. They're a simple project, and I've got blanket creation down to a science. Give me an hour, two to four yards of fleece, a pair of Fiskers, a five-inch quilting square, and a homemade cardboard form, and I'll give you a blanket that will last ten to fifteen years. There's nothing particularly complicated about the project. It doesn't require years of practice or a particular skill set. If you can use scissors, you can make a no-sew fleece blanket. It's the most accessible project I've ever undertaken.

I call what I'm doing a project because I'm not just making one blanket. Since July 2020, I've made and donated hundreds to organizations working to find housing for homeless families, domestic violence shelters protecting women and their children, and animal shelters working to rehome pets. To date, I've made over 150 various person-size coverings and 300 cat and dog blankets.

I continue to give my time and money to this project because there is an ongoing need in my community. The number of unhoused residents in my city is rising, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem. When we went into lockdown, many people lost their livelihoods. People who could no longer pay rent were illegally evicted, forcing them out of their homes and into the cold. And it's not just a little bit chilly where I live. Temperatures regularly fall below freezing in the wintertime, and it is not uncommon for the windchill to dip below zero. Unhoused residents found themselves in dangerous, even deadly weather conditions multiple times this past year, many with inadequate protection against the frigid temperatures.

I couldn't abide that, not when I had the power to help. A fleece blanket will never replace someone's home. However, a fleece blanket can give unhoused residents and victims of domestic violence a sense of safety and warmth. Beyond the physical attributes of a blanket, my handmade crafts have the power to tell recipients that someone cares about them, that they are seen, heard, and most importantly, that they are not forgotten.

I espcially want homeless children to know that someone cares about them and what they're going through. I've focused much of my effort and obtaining licensed character fleece featuring characters from popular movies and television shows. This fleece does tend to be more expensive, but I want to create and give children a high-quality blanket featuring characters they emotionally connect to. I hope that these blankets will make a difficult time in these kids' lives a little easier.

As Winter 2020 turned to Spring 2021, I began to focus my efforts more on pet blankets, knowing that kitten season typically results in overwhelmed animal shelters. I want to ensure that every shelter animal has a soft, warm, and comfortable blanket to lay on while they wait for a forever home.

The majority of the fabric for these blankets has been purchased at my own expense. I work hard to find sales and deals that enable me to make the maximum number of blankets for the most affordable price. I am proud to say that I have gotten the average cost of creating an adult size blanket down to $12 and the cost of a cat blanket down to as little as $4. As you can see, any amount of the prize money being offered through this contest would allow me to make a massive impact in my community.

I am also proud to say that this project uses recycled materials and is zero waste. It is important to me that I don’t hurt the planet while trying to help people. The fleece I use is made from recycled plastic bottles. I turn fabric waste such as the selvage into braided fleece cat and dog toys, which I have donated to animal shelters all over the country.

I have been sharing my blanket-making journey on my personal social media pages, hoping to inspire my friends to find their own way to make a difference where they live. I'm proud to say that I have been helped by artist Marie Watt, who saw fit to include one of my no-sew fleece blankets and a shorter version of this story in one of her sculptural art pieces. The piece is currently part of the traveling exhibit Each/Other and is on display at the Denver Art Museum. I am honored that my efforts touched Marie in this way, and I hope that by sharing this story, I've encouraged you as well.

We all have the power to make the world a better, kinder, warmer place for everyone – all it takes is the will, some fabric, and a pair of scissors.