A Quilt for Rio

One of my latest creations is a quilt for Rio... turning four months this week... so sweet and precious.

Scanning Quilt Magazines at Barnes & Noble

I was scanning through several articles and looking at pictures and techniques in the latest quilting magazines... trying to determine which one to purchase (always a difficult task) but a wonderful escape into the world of fabric, fibers, and threads.

I came across an article in, A Needle Pulling Thread, Summer 2009,by Debbie Bates,"How does a French Woman Eat an Elephant?" She answers as many of us have or are continuing to learn, "One bite at a time." She goes on to use that analogy in tackling new projects and working out a new creative idea... and shares:

"Revelations often come with taking that first bite. By following the call to "just begin." Some bites will be second nature experiences like cutting fabric or eating French fries. Others are less familiar, like creating a design or experiencing a complex flavor for the first time. These we can savour. They may require intense focus, but can reach new skills. Relishing one morsel concentrates our attention. Working on petite-sized exercises make the creative process more manageable and clarifies what we really want to say and express in our work."

I needed to hear that again to begin sowing the seeds of my next creative endeavor... so among other things this week... I will tackle the challenge one bite at a time... in more than one area of my life.

P.S. You can learn more about Debbie Bates and her work at stitchtress@yahoo.com or her blog at stitchtress.wordpress.com ...that's where I heading to next...

You Matter

In my heart I have felt how important it is to let the people around you know that they matter... This quote covers my thoughts. I have felt this for the longest time... and here it is in words,

"You matter because you are you, and you matter until the last moment of your life.”

-Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement

Quilt Provides Comfort to a Special Mom

My first Cure Childhood Cancer quilt was personally placed, by a dear friend of mine, into the arms of a mother who's son recently lost his battle with cancer. It is my hope and prayer that the quilt provides her and the members of her family with a rememberance for how much their son's battle touched my life. He won me over. Now let's do more to give childhood cancer the boot.

One Quilt Completed

This month I completed a quilt I began Thanksgiving weekend 2008. The purpose of the quilt is to help raise funds to bless families who have children with childhood cancer. I have been moved by the families who post on http://www.carepages.com/.

I was introduced to CarePages through a dear friend who had pancreatic cancer. She used CarePages to share with others her journey and to keep family and friends updated on where she was physical, spiritually, and emotionally. My friend was always positive about beating her cancer... she fought the cancer with every fiber of her being with humor and grace. You could never have a bad day when you were around her because she would have you laughing so hard you would fall off your chair.

I a way I do believe my friend beat her cancer... because she never let it get her down. I remember her telling me that, "Deb, just because I am having hospice come in to help with some things doesn't mean I am giving up." And she never did give up she quietly left earth and jumped with both feet into heaven on Thanksgiving day 2005. It is because of my friend I still follow CarePages to this day.

I wanted to do something for the children, families, and siblings that are or have been affected by cancer and I decided that on-of-a-king lap quilts would be what I would do. So here is a picture of my first quilt... keep checking to see what comes Fresh Off the Bolt next. Later...

Getting Started

The important thing is to start... I have enjoyed sewing all my life. I started out hand sewing then was given, as a Christmas gift, a Singer SEWHANDY Model 20 black toy sewing machine. I made clothes for my dolls. My next sewing memory was when I was in seventh grade, "Home Economics," the required unit on sewing... where I made my first gingham apron. That tells you how old I am. From there I moved into making my own clothes. It seemed I was always attracted to plaids where I learned how to match the plaid pattern at the seam lines...

Over the years I have worked in several small quilt shops because of the love I have for fabric... fresh off the bolt. Today I find myself with fabric stuffed in just about every nook and cranny of my house... it has to help with the R-value in keeping the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

One-of-a-kind crib quilts and lap quilts are the focus of my current work.