craft with purpose - an easy DIY that you can donate!

Are you a crafter?  Do your kids love to craft?  Even if you answered no to either question, I have a craft today that's crazy easy!  And you know what's the best part?!  

In addition to minimal supplies, being easy to complete, AND hardly anything to clean up...you can make and donate this craft so you don't even need to worry about where to store it in your home!

Introducing comfort blankets for shelter animals!!!  Most shelter animals are kept in metal cages or crates with hard plastic floors.  These small blankets can make the animals feel secure, warm, and comfortable.  My kiddos love animals so making these blankets was a huge hit!

Supplies:
fleece material
scissors
masking tape (optional)
a loving heart!

Instructions:

Cut two pieces of fleece material the same size.  Any size will work as long as it's square or rectangle.  For our blankets, we cut the fleece into 30" squares.  

Place one piece of fleece on top of the other and line up your edges.  No worries if they don't line up perfectly.  It just needs to be close.

Now it's time to cut your fringe!  To make it easier for the girls, I placed masking tape approximately 4 inches from the bottom of the material on all four sides to give them a guide on where to cut.  The cuts should be about one inch apart.  Again, no worries if they aren't perfectly spaced!  

You can discard the four corners (see above pic).

After you have completed cutting your fringe, now it's the fun part!  Take one fringe strip from the top piece of the material and one fringe strip from the bottom piece of material and tie into a knot (making sure to keep your fringe aligned as you make your way around).   If you used masking tape as a guide, you will want to remove it before you begin knotting.

 

Once you have knotted all the way around your material, stretch each side to make the blanket more square.  Our completed blanket measured approximately 25" x 25".  And, that's it!  You're finished!  Super duper easy and now you can be a blessing to a shelter animal in need.  Not only will a dog or cat benefit from your kindness, but you'll know that your craft has a purpose!

This is a fun, easy, and super quick craft (the girls could finish a blanket in approximately 15-20 minutes) with very minimal set-up or clean up. #yourewelcome  It's fun for a rainy day, slumber party or would be a super fun craft to do at a kitten or puppy birthday party!

 These two BFF's love crafting with a purpose!

You can take your completed blankets to your nearest animal shelter or rescue.  I would love to hear from you if you and your kiddos make this craft!  Snap a pic and share with me on Instagram!

Today, I am joining eight other bloggers in sharing encouragement for your summer! There is a little bit of everything in these posts and we hope they encourage and inspire you!

Summer Reading Tips for Preschoolers at Grammie Time
Summer Fun on a Budget at Life Planted Here
Let it Go Summer Fun at Foxy's Domestic Side
Celebrate Summer at The Queen in Between
A Summer of Grace & Gratitude at Oh Tiny Gifts
Craft with Purpose this Summer at While I'm Waiting
Summer Fun at Home: Family Picnic Favorites at Sweet Little Ones Blog
Taking Babies Camping: What to Pack at These Kids Mom
Finding Balance with Summer Routines at Living In This Season

Thank you so much for stopping by!  Have a blessed week!  Gig 'em and God bless!

Holly