Need Feedback - charity pattern idea

Hi Quilters!!!
I'm working on a pattern for a good cause and would love some feedback.
The pattern is for a hospital gown that quilters (or anyone) could
make for their friends/loved ones. I'm working together with a quilt
shop that has a staff member in the hospital.

Here is my idea. The pattern is a pretty simple design - there's no
mystery to hospital gowns. My idea is to have it be a free pdf file
that you can download from the internet, open and print in Adobe
Acrobat reader. To do so, you would have to print about 15 pages with
a simple line on most pages, that when taped together, say 3 across by
5 down, the pages would connect the lines that would form the pattern
piece for all the pieces of the gown.

Then, if you want, you can trace the pattern onto a piece of muslin or
another large piece of tracing paper or whatever you have on hand.

We would like the pattern to offer the opportunity to for people to
donate to the charity we designate, or suggest a worthy cause of your
own. Again, suggest, not require a donation. The pattern would have a
form included that would have all of that info.

The other idea was to have the pattern printed on oversized paper and
sell the actual pattern - already printed of course. However, we think
we could reach more people with a file on the net. We think many sites
would offer the pattern to their customers.

So, if the pattern is free on the net and you had to print 15 or so
pages at home, would that pattern appeal to you vs. ordering it and
paying a nominal fee to cover the cost of printing and shipping and a
little going to charity?

I'm donating my time and resources, as is the store I'm working with.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Joan Hawley
Lazy Girl Designs

Joan,
Perhaps having a picture of the pattern piece with measurements for
lines would be an option. Many of us could copy the pattern onto our
pattern paper with just that information instead of printing all the
pages, taping them together and then printing. (I am assuming that most
of the pattern is straight or slightly curved lines.)

Pati, in Phx


Lazygirl wrote:

Hi Quilters!!!
I'm working on a pattern for a good cause and would love some feedback.
The pattern is for a hospital gown that quilters (or anyone) could
make for their friends/loved ones. I'm working together with a quilt
shop that has a staff member in the hospital.

Here is my idea. The pattern is a pretty simple design - there's no
mystery to hospital gowns. My idea is to have it be a free pdf file
that you can download from the internet, open and print in Adobe
Acrobat reader. To do so, you would have to print about 15 pages with
a simple line on most pages, that when taped together, say 3 across by
5 down, the pages would connect the lines that would form the pattern
piece for all the pieces of the gown.

Then, if you want, you can trace the pattern onto a piece of muslin or
another large piece of tracing paper or whatever you have on hand.

We would like the pattern to offer the opportunity to for people to
donate to the charity we designate, or suggest a worthy cause of your
own. Again, suggest, not require a donation. The pattern would have a
form included that would have all of that info.

The other idea was to have the pattern printed on oversized paper and
sell the actual pattern - already printed of course. However, we think
we could reach more people with a file on the net. We think many sites
would offer the pattern to their customers.

So, if the pattern is free on the net and you had to print 15 or so
pages at home, would that pattern appeal to you vs. ordering it and
paying a nominal fee to cover the cost of printing and shipping and a
little going to charity?

I'm donating my time and resources, as is the store I'm working with.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Joan Hawley
Lazy Girl Designs

Hi Pati,

That is a great idea. We talked about that a bit. We could do the
neck and shoulder/sleeve layout with information on how long to extend
lines and square-off the bottom. The shop drew this up for me and they
added one nice feature that I haven't figured out how to handle if we
did it that way. The back has a curved edge on it, so the two back
flaps overlap near/at the..ahem...private area. We could certainly
straighten this out. Or straighten it with a suggestion to gently
curve from shoulder blade to below private. We could notate the pocket
area. Oh, there is a pocket over the heart area, covering a button
hole opening of sorts for a stethascope. We could have a button hole
note and pocket note too.

What do you think?

Joan

Why make a hospital gown? I won't take my own PJ's to the hospital. The
one time I did, I got blood on them. The staff doesn't have time to wash
out a patients personal clothing. I'll use what the hospital has. Guess
I'm saying, I wouldn't download and print such a pattern. I would and do
spend my money and time on other charitable projects.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Lazygirl" wrote in message
oups.com...
: Hi Quilters!!!
: I'm working on a pattern for a good cause and would love some feedback.
: The pattern is for a hospital gown that quilters (or anyone) could
: make for their friends/loved ones. I'm working together with a quilt
: shop that has a staff member in the hospital.
:
: Here is my idea. The pattern is a pretty simple design - there's no
: mystery to hospital gowns. My idea is to have it be a free pdf file
: that you can download from the internet, open and print in Adobe
: Acrobat reader. To do so, you would have to print about 15 pages with
: a simple line on most pages, that when taped together, say 3 across by
: 5 down, the pages would connect the lines that would form the pattern
: piece for all the pieces of the gown.
:
: Then, if you want, you can trace the pattern onto a piece of muslin or
: another large piece of tracing paper or whatever you have on hand.
:
: We would like the pattern to offer the opportunity to for people to
: donate to the charity we designate, or suggest a worthy cause of your
: own. Again, suggest, not require a donation. The pattern would have a
: form included that would have all of that info.
:
: The other idea was to have the pattern printed on oversized paper and
: sell the actual pattern - already printed of course. However, we think
: we could reach more people with a file on the net. We think many sites
: would offer the pattern to their customers.
:
: So, if the pattern is free on the net and you had to print 15 or so
: pages at home, would that pattern appeal to you vs. ordering it and
: paying a nominal fee to cover the cost of printing and shipping and a
: little going to charity?
:
: I'm donating my time and resources, as is the store I'm working with.
:
: I'd love to hear your thoughts.
:
: Joan Hawley
: Lazy Girl Designs
:

Hi Mary, I realize I left that part of the story out. My email was
getting pretty long there. The store employee has been in the hospital
for quite some time. The staff at the store decided to make gowns out
of her favorite quilt fabrics and the gowns really lifted her spirits.
They got the idea to make a pattern after the doctors and nurses raved
over them. I offered to help.

Joan

I think it's a wonderful idea. Last year I was in the hospital for
only a week, and one of those would have cheered me up!

Jalynne - Queen Gypsy
http://www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne
Keeper of the Quilt for ME list and the RCTQ HUG recepient list

On 11 Mar 2005 14:31:12 -0800, "Lazygirl"
wrote:

Hi Mary, I realize I left that part of the story out. My email was
getting pretty long there. The store employee has been in the hospital
for quite some time. The staff at the store decided to make gowns out
of her favorite quilt fabrics and the gowns really lifted her spirits.
They got the idea to make a pattern after the doctors and nurses raved
over them. I offered to help.

Joan

OK.... So the gowns would be given to individuals that are hospitalized long
term and family would take care of laundering? I would hate to see nice
gowns done in a hospital laundry with all the bleach etc.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Lazygirl" wrote in message
oups.com...
: Hi Mary, I realize I left that part of the story out. My email was
: getting pretty long there. The store employee has been in the hospital
: for quite some time. The staff at the store decided to make gowns out
: of her favorite quilt fabrics and the gowns really lifted her spirits.
: They got the idea to make a pattern after the doctors and nurses raved
: over them. I offered to help.
:
: Joan
:

I think it's a great idea Joan and yes I would print out the 15 pages
if need be.

Dee in Oz

Would it be possible to offer all three options you mentioned? A measured
sketch, pfd file, and mail in request? It covers all the bases. What a
lovely thing to do for the long term patient.
Diana

"Lazygirl" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Quilters!!!
I'm working on a pattern for a good cause and would love some feedback.
The pattern is for a hospital gown that quilters (or anyone) could
make for their friends/loved ones. I'm working together with a quilt
shop that has a staff member in the hospital.

Here is my idea. The pattern is a pretty simple design - there's no
mystery to hospital gowns. My idea is to have it be a free pdf file
that you can download from the internet, open and print in Adobe
Acrobat reader. To do so, you would have to print about 15 pages with
a simple line on most pages, that when taped together, say 3 across by
5 down, the pages would connect the lines that would form the pattern
piece for all the pieces of the gown.

Then, if you want, you can trace the pattern onto a piece of muslin or
another large piece of tracing paper or whatever you have on hand.

We would like the pattern to offer the opportunity to for people to
donate to the charity we designate, or suggest a worthy cause of your
own. Again, suggest, not require a donation. The pattern would have a
form included that would have all of that info.

The other idea was to have the pattern printed on oversized paper and
sell the actual pattern - already printed of course. However, we think
we could reach more people with a file on the net. We think many sites
would offer the pattern to their customers.

So, if the pattern is free on the net and you had to print 15 or so
pages at home, would that pattern appeal to you vs. ordering it and
paying a nominal fee to cover the cost of printing and shipping and a
little going to charity?

I'm donating my time and resources, as is the store I'm working with.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Joan Hawley
Lazy Girl Designs

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. We can always
start off with the free pattern on the web and if we get requests for a
printed pattern, well, then I guess we can go to print.

Thanks again and any other thoughts are still welcome.
I'll keep you posted.

Joan