Our troops, who have bravely sacrificed their comfort so we may live freely, are not always deployed with bedding. We need the exceptional sewing skills of our nationwide network of Volunteers to create handmade pillowcases for our troops to sleep on each night. And as a bonus, they can also use them as a laundry bag!
FAQs
We suggest queen size (20” x 30”) and they must be new if purchased.
Absolutely! Here is a very simple pattern that we have created that uses just one piece of material.
Pillowcase Pattern
You can use plain white if you plan to decorate your pillowcases, but there are no restrictions on what color you send. If you are making your pillowcases, we do suggest dark colors or dark prints. Remember that they will be sent to both men and women, so please select colors that would appeal to everyone.
We suggest a cotton blend, or flannel. Flannel is very soft and would be appreciated, but a cotton blend works too!
Yes, you can receive an hour of service for every two pillowcases you sew. We do NOT offer hours for purchasing and/or for decorating pillowcases.
- We suggest using indelible ink (ie: Sharpies for fabric)
- Alcohol ink
- Color markers
- You can also tie-dye your pillowcases.
- Be sure to place a towel or cardboard inside your pillowcase so your artwork does not bleed through to the other side.
- DO NOT use crayons or paint of any kind!
- NO GLITTER please
- Do not use of any 3D items (ie: bedazzling, rhinestones, pearls, puffy stickers, etc.)
- Do not use puffy paint.
- Please do not add tassels or ties to the pillowcase.
We ask that you do not wash your pillowcases. Many people are allergic to specific laundry soaps and the fragrance from the soap or dryer sheets will overwhelm the taste of any food in our care packages. If you must wash them due to animal hair or odor, please use an unscented hypoallergenic soap.
Yes, we would appreciate you folding them. There is no set pattern for folding so just fold them as you would at home.
Please do not put each pillowcase in a bag. If you are worried that your box could get wet, please line your box with a trash bag.
Yes, in fact, we encourage you to include a note with every handmade item you make!
The note can be as simple as “Handmade with Love” or a short letter about yourself and why you made your item. Include your first name and email address or “snail mail” address—so the recipient can send you a “thank you” if they have time. Please understand that we cannot guarantee that you will receive a reply, but we do hope that you will give the recipient a chance to say thank you.
Please use regular paper and do not use a card or card stock for your notes. Cards do not fold well into a pillowcase and will usually end up damaged. Also, please be sure that your note does not stick out of your folded pillowcase. If you are uncomfortable using your personal address, feel free to use ours (info@operationgratitude.com) but please also include your full name so that if we receive a note about your item, we can be sure to forward it to you.
Please fold your note inside of your pillowcase but do not attach the note with any kind of pin or string.