My friend Nannette gave me some squares she’d cut from her son’s USMC uniforms and wanted to see what kind of crafty use I’d have for them.  When I showed my 18 year old the fabric squares Nannette sent me, she asked me for one. She didn’t even need it made into anything – she just wanted to keep a fabric square with her because a Marine wore it in Iraq and Afghanistan, and she just wanted that reminder to keep with her.

Well, I’d just seen this tutorial from Erin Erickson for circle zip earbud pouches and thought that was a much better way for her to keep a bit of that fabric with her.  It just used a 5″ fabric square for the front and back and a few other scraps and supplies, and now she has a useful little reminder or our troops and all they do for us.

I made one for Nannette, using a little piece that had her son’s name stamped inside.

And I’ve made a few more for some of the guys on our Christmas list. (I think it’s safe to post that here, I don’t think any of them read this — but if you know them, don’t tell!) I liked a bit of color inside.

They’ll be given with tags explaining they came from recycled uniforms of a USMC combat engineer who toured Iraq (twice!) and Afghanistan, in the hopes that this will be a visual reminder to thank and pray for our troops.  (Most of the squares are being saved for a future project, so hopefully you’ll be seeing them again!)

OORAH!