Virginia Tech Memorial Quilt Project

Americans have always cared, and cared deeply, about the tragedies that have befallen others. When the recent events played out at Virgina Tech with such heart breaking consequences, many of us thought "what can I do?" Well, some people think it.... and other people act on it!

Here, in Oregon , Rachel Greco, the owner of Grandma's Attic , a wonderful quilt shop in Dallas, Oregon is one of those people who both cares and puts that caring into action. Both Rachel and her husband, Stephen are graduates of Virgina Tech, they met and married there and remain ardent 'Hokie' fans, today. Strangely enough, it was Stephen who had sneakily placed the bolt of VT fabric in Rachel's warehouse shopping cart in early April, not realizing that in one short week, that fabric, its purchase and its meaning would suddenly change......and be changed forever. Buying an entire bolt of Virgina Tech fabric for quilt shop in Oregon was no 'accident.' And now, Rachel and her husband, Stephen, along with all of the quilters piecing their little blocks, will be able to give back to their school, the students and to the heartbroken families who have been so affected by this terrible event.

I drove into Dallas recently, and picked up several packets of instructions which included a small piece of the VT licensed fabric with its little VT emblems, it's proud description of 'Hokies', and of course,turkeys and football helmets. I knew that I wanted to piece and contribute a block, myself...but I also thought it would be a nice gesture to offer up a packet to a blog reader.

The memorial quilt packet requires the making of (one) unfinished 12 1/2" square (12" finished). It can be a pattern of your choice. The only other colors that can be used (solids) are maroon, orange, white, black, gray and off-white. The VT focus fabric shows a maroon verging on darkest red. The blocks ( that I have seen pieced) have been quite simple,,, a few stars, a nine patch...that sort of thing. It does not have to be complicated or complex. Just a simple little block, made with love. and sent from your heart to theirs.

The hope is to make one quilt for each VT family affected.... but that of course,will take an awful lot of blocks. And in this case, awful is the word that exactly fits. This was an awful, awful tragedy, and it is one that hurt all of us to watch the repercussions of on TV and to imagine in our own hearts how deeply it must me affecting everyone.

I see this as my chance to do something about it. To put my hands were my heart is and create something good out of something that was hurtful. If you would like to participate and are serious about creating a block, I have several extra packets of fabric that I procured for this purpose. Please leave a comment with your email link for contact and I will draw names and mail out my extras.

Miniature Quilting: Mid-Valley Quilt Guild Show

I would have to say, that my second favorite quilt at the Mid-Valley Quilt Guild show, wasn't even an entry and wasn't technically a quilt. Well, unless you believe in faeries and leprechauns (and I do) and wanted something for them to snuggle down with under a cabbage leaf.

Tiny things have fascinated me since early childhood. But a miniature quilt astounds me. This one titled "Miniature Log Cabin Garden' by Joan Bull had such tiny logs that my fingers couldn't get my mind to wrap around the 'how in the worlds' at all. The itty-bitty pieces were so tiny...1/4". To me 1/4" is a thread that simply gets sucked down into the feedogs...that's its sole purpose, something to say "hey wake up, we have an issue, here!"

That someone, can and with great beauty and delicacy, create a piece from such tiny pieces is amazing to me! This mini was created under their Challenge Quilt rules for the special exhibition: 1)log cabin somewhere in the quilt,2)perimeter could not equal more than 120". No mention of use by leprechauns and faeries, but I think I could have easily have placed this quilt under a cabbage leaf!

When I asked about its construction, I was told..."well, you know she didn't actually sew tiny little logs and piece them together." Well, actually, no, I didn't know that. I didn't have a clue. I have never made a miniature quilt. So, I asked about the technique and I was told...you start out (of course) with starters and then end (of course) with enders, you use (of course) an especially fine needle, and (of course) very fine thread, and (of course) you cut your logs bigger and sew them down (0f course) tinier.

After than information, I didn't ask about the minuscule paper piecing of the flowers. I was still sewing the logs in my head, the flowers would have to come later...maybe with one of those surgical headlamps and magnifier that my dentist uses...or better yet, how about a surgical robotic arm that actually does the fine, detailed precision work for you? Yes, that would work. I can picture it all, now. Me, behind glass, all suited up, delicately maneuvering the robotic arm with great precision to the 'ooohhhs and 'aaaahhs' of the quilt gallery.

Yep, I think I have finally found my calling. I absolutely adore miniature quilting. Therefore, out of necessity, I am going into miniaturized robotic arm quilting.

Does anyone know someone who teaches that?

A Shared Passion for Textile Arts: Leslie Coleman Zeigen

Leslie Coleman Zeigen is a multi-talented member of the Mid-Valley Quilt Guild, here in Salem, Oregon. I first met her about 11 years ago when she was the Costume Director for Children's Educational Theater. Many years later, when my youngest daughter joined CET, I ended up (as a parent volunteer) working under her as we created costumes for five plays a summer, for five years. Leslie, herself, worked with CET for more than 25 years. She was an incredibly talented and gifted costumer, but when she learned to quilt.....her abilities skyrocketed to new heights. In a very few years of quilting, she has become one of the most unbelievably creative quilters that I have ever seen!

Yesterday, I attended the Mid-Valley Quilt Guild's quilt show "A Shared Passion for Textile Arts". When I saw entry #147... Leslie's quilt...my mouth dropped wide open and it has been open ever since! Now, my friends will tell you that my mouth is frequently open....or perhaps, that it might not ever quite close. But when I saw this quilt titled " My Daughter, the Bibliophile"...I could not believe my eyes!

The creative inspiration for this quilt was Leslie's daughter, Laura, an avid reader who loves history, women's studies, the Library Sciences, and of course...books! Leslie asked her daughter for a list of 100 of her life-long favorite books. Laura gave her 124. Leslie embroidered their titles and authors' names (using her Viking Husqvarna D1 and SE machines) on the 'books' and placed them on a bookshelf.

The bookshelf, as well as the books, seem so realistic that you wonder why it's a bit 'fuzzy.' It's like the mind cannot accept that this is actually a quilt and not a bookshelf filled with books! It is quite remarkable!

There were some other beautiful, beautiful quilts in the show, all around amazing in the depth, the variety and the quilted talent so very evident. But this quilt won the "People's Choice" award each and every day... for the run of the three day show....and there is no doubting why! It was just so extraordinary, that I had to share it here.

I left the show inspired, elevated, happy and proud of all of those quilters...then I went home to my simple little charity quilts with a big grin. To paraphrase Mother Theresa...I may not do great things, but I do small things with great love ;)

Today, will be a very good sewing day!

Liberated Heartstrings: Setting the Spirit Free

Child abuse, whether it is physical, emotional or sexual, breaks the hearts and damages the spirits of children across our nation and across the world. Because April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, I have chosen to make a "Liberated Heartstrings" quilt. I wanted this little quilt to be full of life, energy and movement, and one which would nurture a little spirit to feel hopeful, playful and free.

Here in Salem, Oregon, we have a wonderful center called Liberty House that does caring work with children who have been neglected and abused. It is one of those special places that combines doctors and nurses with mental health and child care professional to serve abused children. Pre-school Caucasian children, under the age of 5 make up 45% of its clients and 3 out of 4 of these is a young girl.

Knowing these facts, and knowing the pain and trauma that these precious children go through in their young lives, has created a huge heartstring of caring that I wish to acknowledge. So, this month, all of my new charity quilting projects have been for children. When a child is brought into Salem's Liberty House center, they are given a small stuffed animal, or if available, a small quilt, to comfort them. My hope is that this quilt, and many more like it, will go out from my heart, into their hands and comfort, soothe and warm them with love.

I made this little quilt, with the Heartstrings Quilting Project in mind, and will donate it, and eventually, others similar to it to Liberty House. I named this quilt "Crazy Day-sy O's", referring to the daisy-like flowers and little circles...which I added not only as anchors for the crazy days these children have, but for the quilting and anchoring of the strings in the quilts. The O's could be seen as the bouncing back and forth that these children go through, but I am seeing them as rolling little balls, full of life and energy that have the ability to create momentum of their own and when they finally do come to rest, will center and ground them.

My dream for all of these children is a world free of pain , free of fear, and one in which their own little spirits are set free by love... to finally be liberated and soar!

Sunshine and Shadows: Filling the Bowl

Spirit bowls have many names and many uses. But in principal, they have one thing in common, they symbolize the holding and nurturing of one's spirit, while we face the challenges of life's journeying.

Journeying can be as simple as bearing witness to pain, loss, anger, jealousy or conflict or it can be as deep as a search for truth, meaning and understanding. Journeying and journaling go hand in hand. Both share common roots in meaning and both allow experience and an opening to change and transformation.

Some journeys last but one brief moment in time, while others seem endless and without closure or end. There are days when our bowl is filled with sunshine and other days when we can only see and feel the shadows. This past week has seen some hard, sad, deep and dark energies come out from the shadows to be witnessed and to be given the chance for healing.

Nationally, we mourn the death of the Virginia Tech students and the pain, anger, depression and loss now unleashed upon our consciousness by the young man who felt somehow vindicated by his own inner angers, jealousies and rage to attack others. There are times when the darkness of these shadow emotions seem to overwhelm the beauty and grace of the light.

We all have days, or weeks, and sometimes even years, when life overwhelms us and the need for release from the pain seems worth any cost to ourselves or others. There are times, like last week, when a friend passed away after a 7 years of battling cancer that I was very, very sad. But there are also days, throughout that very same week, when I laughed at the top of my lungs, or wrote an 'off the wall' post to 'lighten up.'

When we are the saddest, the maddest, or the gladdest, we are given the opportunity to look inside our bowl, to journey with our own spirit. We look at the sunshine and we contrast it with the shadows and we get to choose we one we want to walk in. Somedays, we just 'stitch in the ditch' and other days we 'meander' all over the place. Both are good things, and both are also 'necessary at different times' things.

As quilters, we all share a love of creativity and things which bring us joy and happiness. As my new friend Su B has said, she spends her day job dealing with "blood, tears, depression, anger, sadness". We all long for a little sunshine , we all "crave simplicity and silliness and happy creative thoughts." We quilt because quilting makes us happy and also because it has the power to release our shadows by the simple act of actively creating.

I feel deep sorrow over the loss of those beautiful young lives at Virginia Tech, just as I can mourn the loss of my own sweet friend that has died. But I also know that I must acknowledge the joys and beauty in my own life. So, today, I can still feel happiness inspite of deep, deep sadness. I can still be filled with the joys of spirt and gratitude and be grateful to have a good life, to have my own children well and safe and be grateful to have dear friends in my life.

And now, Su B ...if I am still included on your favorite reading list...and I haven't given you a headache today by making you think...why aren't I on your 'Places I like to visit' list??????

The Thinking Blogger Award: I am a deep, deep thinker....

I am, as you all know, a deep, deep thinker. Sometimes, I am so deep, it takes most of my readers to shovel me back out again. But somehow, somewhere, there are still a few of you, who come here (you are probably all masochists) to read through another erudite blog detailing the joys of quilting. All this, mind you, from a woman who still has trouble threading a needle and has been known to sew her sleeve into the quilt top as an extra bonus.

Somehow, Miss Paula, the Quilter (one of the real ones) nominated me as her number 6 choice for the 5 choice limit for the Thinking Blogger award. Like the esteemed Ilker Yolda, I have searched deeply into the depths of my gifts to find myself, indeed, worthy of this lovely and totally fictious award.

Sadly, there does not appear to be any monetary gratuity attached to this award, such as the one that accompanies the Nobel Peace Prize or the Pultizer Prize. I am hoping that Paula will at least knit me a pair of her darling striped socks...size 5 shoe, Paula, I am perhaps more shriveled than dainty, but if the shoe fits, and it does, I am still a Cinderella in anybody's striped sock, I mean shoe.

Part of the acceptance speech required is the naming of five more victims, I mean award recipitients. Now this particular award, which of course is truly a meme who sole purpose is the propagation of blogs and the raising of blog counts to the most popular and most highly thought of bloggers...we all know who you are. Yes, we do. Not that I would stoop to such lengths, of course. I just heard about the technique from others.

So, most of my choices for raising my blog count and also some dear new friends, have already been spoken for. I shall resort therefore, to other bloggers, thinking or not, and I shall break some rules.... as you all know, I do that. And if you don't like it, talk to Finn. She's egging me on. Or maybe she just egged me, one of those, anyway!

Rather than nominate the same people for their fifth or sixth, or as one quilter has recieved, 8th time, I offer open nominations. If you have not been nominated, please accept the nomination from me, quote me, use my name and write an acceptance speech. There is no point in creating memes, spreading memes and being part of a meme unless it explodes all over the place. I am your ionic (note that is not the same as iconic) source. Spread on!!!

And if you use my blog as your nomination source, please let me know who you are. I am compiling a list of liberated quilters who like to think outside of the box, quilt outside of the lines and use colors, techniques or unique abilities that create "quilter's gasp" in others.

I hereby, fulfill the contractual obligations of my queenhood and passing the torch and tiara to a million good women. If you have ever commented on my blog, or even read it, or if you are anonymous and should have commented......consider yourself torched, tiara'ed and tagged!

Now, ladies, what do you think?

;)

Community Service and My New 12 Step Program: Good Luck Karma

St. Patrick's Day may be officially over, but the need for a "Good Luck Karma Quilt" never runs out. Hence, my current community quilting project. For those of you following my 'progress', you know that it's actually my Community Service Quilting Project after the Quilt Police took my machine away and put it into de-programming and me into rehab.

I have promised to be on my best behavior and follow my own advice (from now on!) at my local Quilters' Anonymous meeting. You all have check off lists. Now, I do, too!

My 12 Steps to "Quilting Addiction Freedom"

1. I have admitted my powerlessness over my quilting addiction. It got so bad, that "bad became the new good."

2. I believe that it will take a power greater than myself to restore any ressemblance to sanity on my part. I have proven this with rotary cutter in hand and frequent power surges.

3. I have made the decision to turn myself and my machine over to the Sewing Machine Protective Services for de-programming and rehab. She is now clean, and I am working on it.

4. I made a searching and fearless inventory of myself, my stash, and my strings and crumbs trash. I found myself guilty of storing and hoarding.

5. I admitted to the world the nature of my wrongs, and because I am directionally challenged, assumed that "wrong was the new right" and therefore, totally lost my own sense of inner direction.

6. I admitted that I was ready for all forms of Higher Powers, the Quilt Police and the Husky Varnians to remove not only my defects but my poor overused Viking from the chaos of lack of control.

7. I humbly asked for removal of shortcomings. This included all accumulated detritus ...lint, threads, and tips of broken needles. I then asked for clearer vision, a stronger more flexble back and the ability to sit longer without complaining.

8. I made a list of all of the sewing machines I had harmed. They go back to age 12, and my first machine that is still missing a belt and has a limping treadle.

9. I made direct amends. I paid a heavy price for the clean up and repair crew to sanitize the crime area and restore it all to its original order and I faced the comments of the shame squad.

10.I have continued to take personal inventory by admitting crimes of stash and dash, stash and trash and even dash and trash the stash. Some people even call this 'light housekeeping.'

11. I have sought help through meditation and/or prayer as I know them. I've been on my knees for so long, I can actually now sew "ambi-kneepad-ably."

12. I have reached a higher place of understanding and enlightenment ( I figured out how to pad my sewing chair for greater heights and increased digital leverage and can literally sew on my serger standing up) and sought to share those understandings with others.

My conclusion:
It's been a hard and challenging path to enlightenment. I accept my roll as a guide for all the "do what I say and not what I do's" in the quilting world. I humbly admit I am a community quilting charity case and not a quilting perfection in progress. I liketo see myself as a pioneer woman. One who can still sew in padded handcuffs, with a tracking pincushion and a foot pedal barricade.

If I don't sit down while I stand up for quilters everywhere, who else is going to do it?

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter: Ostern, Pesach, Eosturmonath, Great Day and Great Night!

The Jewish celebration of Passover, The Feast of the Unleavened Bread was practiced by ancient Israelites at the beginning of their New Year, the Spring Equinox. The Christian Easter, depends on Passover for not only much of its symbolic meaning, but for its dating on the calendar. This year both fall close together, increasing our sharing of these rich cultures. Our Christian celebration is linked with the observance of Jesus' resurrection three days after his entombment, falling on the first Sunday after the first full moon. But the name Easter, itself, is derived from that of the Teutonic goddess Eostre, or Eoster, or Ostern and was celebrated during the pascal month of Eosturnmonath, meaning Great Day or Great Night.

What may appear as diverse rites of Spring reveal themselves as sharing common cultural beliefs in life, death, resurrection and rebirth. As the Night begins her retreat, and the dawn of the new Light and Life begin their ascent and resurrection, the balance shifts within each of us. It becomes a time of renewal, and rebirth...to time to lay down the old, and begin life anew. We set out our baskets of eggs and we celebrate this happy occasion, just as nature celebrates her own time of new growth.

In the wild forest, the hens sense the spring time change and begin to lay their colorful eggs. Perhaps our own ancestors went out to hunt them, perhaps bringing them back in their nests, or in baskets imitating them. Our nest like baskets of decorated eggs and the Eoster Egg Hunt, remind us of this lovely revitalization of nature and our common sharing in the joys, goodness and abundance of life. The symbol of the egg banishes the past and starts afresh. It is a symbol of purification and it is a symbol of rebirth. As we crack our eggs, we peel back the white of the melting snow, and we release and free the golden sun within.

My own decorated eggs may appear empty, but their rich bounty continues on into the new day. And if my own little bird sitting on her nest appears too tiny for the task, the eggs still arrived, she is content and her nest is still full and abundant!

My happiest of Easter wishes to all of you, in all countries, with all customs and cultures. Happiest of new days ahead for all of you!

Confessions of a Mad Quilter: 'Quilty' as Charged!

I have been formally charged with sewing machine abuse and neglect.

I was forced to give up custody to my local chapter of the Whitlock's Husky Varnians after losing an arm wrestling match over my beloved ( but definitely aged) Viking500. My loyal little machine was hauled off by Sewing Machine Protective Services and had to endure three weeks of interrogation, observation, and intensive de-programming.

I pled not guilty by reason of sleep deprivation and sewing room captivity. I endured major withdrawal symptoms, and extensive machine abandonment issues, while the officials determined whether I had learned my lesson and could be trusted to care for her again. I had not only neglected regular maintenance and cleaning, I had sewn copious amounts of charity quilts since the fall of 2005 without releasing her from the surge protector for more than brief periods of time.

The Sewing Police, (detective division) also found me guilty of sewing over pins (both upper and lower surfaces,) using and abusing both cheap thread and fraying cone style serger thread. I was also charged with the substitution of Schmetz needles by black market bargain needles and failure to replace defective needle plates by covering up my abuse with the use of scotch tape.

It also became obvious to the investigators that I during a photo transfer process I had not only ironed over my own rotary mat surface, but inadvertently placed that hot iron too close to my machine's electric cords.

I had not only abused my loyal little seamster with enforced servitude by running her ragged both day and night, but I had filled her with lints, scratches, blown her off with canned air and allowed myself to feel justified because I was doing public service for the common good with the creation of piles and piles of charitable quilt donations.

I was allowed to post bail yesterday and am now allowed probationary custody. The Sewing Machine Protective Services have no doubt installed monitoring devices to track my user capabilities. With any allowances for good behavior, we should be up and running, in spite of my wrist pincushion monitor, to my Community Quilting group sewing on Monday.

In my defense, I pitifully offer up this photo of two completed lap quilts....part of my community service project.....my patriotic heartstrings for the Heartstrings Quilt Project.