The quilting and knitting clubs at the Palmerton Area Library are putting together their efforts to help displaced families and children who are sick or injured through Project Linus and Turning Point of Lehigh Valley.

Diane Danielson, director of the library, said Project Linus is a national organization that collects new quilts, fleece blankets and afghans. After the blankets are collected by a regional representative for the organization, they are tagged Project Linus and returned to local hospitals, such as Blue Mountain Health System's Palmerton campus and Palmerton Community Ambulance Company."The blankets are used to comfort kids who are in a stressful situation," Danielson said. "We are happy to be a part of that."Some of these children may be in pediatric units in hospitals or sitting in an ambulance with an injury. For this reason, the clubs create blankets from baby size to those for bigger kids.In addition to making quilts for Project Linus, the library's Sew What Quilting Guild also creates pillowcases for Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, a shelter for people seeking safety from abuse."We want to make (the pillowcases) bright in order to brighten their rooms," said club member Terri Sheckler. "It may be something small, but it's a nice gift and doesn't take too much time to make."Sheckler also organizes the club's annual Palmerton Area Library Quilt Show to raise funds for the library, now in its 14th year.Helping the library stay financially strong is something close to her heart. When Sheckler first moved to the area, she didn't have much money, but she found refuge at the library."I came here, filled a bag with books and felt like I was rich," she said.The quilt show will run this upcoming Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. in the library. There will be a raffle of about 30 baskets, audience tickets to QVC, and a quilted wall-hanging door prize consisting of flowers in hues of burgundy, terra cotta, emerald green and midnight blue. A donation of $5 is requested for admission to the show.Right now the library is a blank canvas, but like little elves that do all of the work overnight, it will be transformed into a quilter's paradise by Sunday afternoon."The quilts cover up all of this," Danielson said about the library's book shelves. "It just turns it into another world."Anywhere from 60 to 100 new and antique quilts will occupy room after room of the library. Anyone can contribute one or more quilts to the show, Danielson said."There are so many people who are secret quilters hiding in their homes and never bringing (their quilts) out," Sheckler said, encouraging quilters to display their creations.Prizes, like Best of Show, will be awarded for the quilt the people like the best, she said."I'm extremely grateful to Terri and the other ladies, because it is a tremendous amount of work," Danielson said about the quilt show. "I do appreciate it."The Sew What Quilting Guild meets on the second Thursday of the month in the library from 7 p.m. to "whenever we decide we're tired," Sheckler said. There are about 22 members, and anyone is welcome to join them.The knitting club meets on the first Monday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. in the library for anyone who knits or crochets. Beginners are welcome, too, Danielson said."We have so much yarn and needles to get them started," she said.