Stitches in Memory and Time

I came to Alaska to care for my 93 year old father and 84 year old mother. My father has been under unbearable stress caring for my mother. My mother is blind, diabetic and suffering from Alzheimer's.

She is also an absolute sweetheart and it saddened me to learn that she'd progressed to being bedridden and almost comatose by Christmas. 

I'd brought her up to better health before, and knew I needed to do that again. My dad needed a caregiver's break, some constant cheerful company, and to celebrate his birthday surrounded by his loving and appreciative family.

I also came up to work with my award-winning S-I-L, Paula Savikko, and her second grade class at Gastineau Elementary School in Douglas, Alaska and the making of calico cotton parkas known as kuspuks. (alt. spellings quaspeg, qaspeg, quspug) A kuspuk is a traditional native Alaskan garment, usually made of cotton fabric that is worn over a fur parka in the winter, and as an outdoor garment in the summer over pants, leggings or jeans.

This would be my third year of involvement with this wonderful project, and while intense (we teach 7 year olds to sew with assistance on our sewing machines) and let them make their own garment every step of the way. They do surprisingly well and absolutely love doing it.

We also worked with the extra-ordinary gifts of Yup'ik Cultural Instructor, Theresa John, as she shared her knowledge of the Yup'ik Eskimos of Nelson Island and their traditions from the Tooksok Bay area of western Alaska as she and Paula Savikko showed students and their parent helpers, to rip out our parkas without the use of patterns, and only using the concepts of non-standard math...the width of one's body,or so many hands across.

Theresa taught the class many words in Yup'ik and described how different the original culture was from ours today. She did an amazing job of working with the children and teaching them Yup'ik terminology, history and geography. With word, song and dance, she created a magical learning experience for all of us, and one that I felt truly blessed to experience.

I never intended that I would slip on black ice, suddenly and without any warning. My feet shooting out from under me and me landing and landing hard on the worst black ice in the history of Juneau/Douglas. That I would pulverize one of my wrist bones, fracture my arm's large radius bone in four places, and dislocate three normally rotatable wrist bones. They, and I, almost ended up sideways that day, and we needed a surgical jackhammer, a titanium plate, and ten screws to put us back together, again.

But like love and care, like needles and thread, this amazing creation I now carry within my arm for life, holds layers together, and now it bonds them with purpose and meaning. It should allow me to someday use my arm, engage my wrist, and move my fingers once again, in the acts of creation.

Until then, I still have purpose, I still take care, and I still do, make do, and create. I am needed and depended upon for others' survival. Even with one hand, I have to cook and serve simple meals. It's hard but if no one else is there I have to test insulin levels and give injections. I collect, wash, dry, and even fold, laundry every day, with one arm, one hand, and yes, it's painful and very, very hard. I still have to dress and undress myself, but I go for many days at a time in order to avoid as much pain of fabric brushing against the wrist area. I shower by using my teeth to wrap a plastic bag around my arm and tape it closed...one arm, and my teeth, very hard but I do it if I want a shower. And eventually I both need and want one. But mostly, I hug, and love, sing with, and talk to, those I love so dearly, making sure they know that they have a place, a purpose, in my own life.

I can type with one finger, to make capitals, I had to go back in and put it on all caps and redo all words needing capitalization..one by one. This one post took me all day long to type. Everything is painful, and everything is harder, but I can still do, and make do.

But best of all, I can give and I can love. In three weeks, my mother has been pulled and lifted with heart and hands, using the fulcrum point of my body, my unique energy gifts, the power of this beautiful land I love so much, and one hand. She has gone from not sitting, barely talking, and having to be spoon fed to talking, limited walking, feeding herself, and not only understanding us, but laughing along with us.

So, when I look back on the last 3 weeks, I am grateful. I truly know that each and every day is precious. I know there are blessings and gifts beyond pain and sadness and loss. I don't know what challenges tomorrow might bring, or how many new challenges or setbacks might get added to an already overwhelming load.

So, just for today, I look back on my stitches in memory and time...and I still feel blessed to have had them. Those I can see in my forearm, those I can see in the kuspuks the children have sewn, and those in my parents' hearts that we all can feel simply by looking at the sparkle in their eyes and the joy in their smiles.

Links to this year in Alaska:
January/February/March
challenges
broken wrist
laughter therapy
alien encounters
coming and going.......
single handed valentines
who dat ?
Kuspuks Go to the Capitol

June/July
Wrap It Up: Living on the Edge of Many Lives
Bento'ed Out of My Box
The Butterfly Upon the Sk
The Parasol is the Umbrella's Daughter

August/September
In Loving Memory
A Walk of Remembrance
May Loss Lead to Gain


Links to Our Previous Making of Kuspuks in 2009:
Kuspuks and Friday Finishes
Fun But Frenzied Frugality: Sewing Kuspuks Again!
Kuspuks
Links to Making Kuspuks in 2008:
How to make a kuspuk
Kuspuks Make Front Page News
Juneau Empire Photos: Parka party 01/18/08 video

alien encounters

as i came out of surgery, i joked that the operating room looked like the inside of an alien spaceship.

little did i know, that my new bionic parts of titanium plate and screws,
would look exactly like an implanted, alien hand.

i mean, i am a firm believer in gratitude and acceptance,
of working hard and seeing a purpose to even the hardest of challenges,
but really....

until i start receiving my encoded transmissions from the master colony,
i'm wondering....

can this thing even quilt?

links:
challenges
broken wrist
laughter therapy
alien encounters
Stitches in Memory and Time
coming and going.......

key words:
alien quilting, alien implants, alien transmissions, bionic quilter,

quilts for haiti

on a a recent cnn report, former president george bush said

"please don't send food,don't send water or blankets (quilts...to haiti)"

referring to the enormous congestion at port au prince's damaged airport and docking facilities

where addional goods can actually interfere with red cross, united nations, or other major relief efforts.

pesident bush goes on to say
"send money."

but for those of us with quilts, blankets, homemade toys, clothing, jewelry, and other crafted goods that we want to give from our own caring hearts and hands....

we can now donate,sell, or buy these crafted items

and all proceeds go to haitian relief efforts directly to doctors without borders.

craft hope » craft hope for haiti blog

check out this website and donate OR buy a little something,today.

craft hope haiti

Martin Luther King Day of Service

and to donate cash:
text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross

shown:
a little liberated teddy quilt, made from the tiniest of leftover scraps from Howdy, Pardner! and Heart Felt Wishes for Comfort and Care

laughter therapy

surgery was wednesday
went in and entire power grid of juneau blew out
generators were mighty and surgeon was skilled

used medical jackhammer
got all bones pushed/pulled into place
pulverized one's pieces removed
titanium plate
10 screws
3 lge purple
7 small green

i could design a quilt
name it ' i been screwed'
ha

came out surgery
power came on in juneau
and i used to only blow out light bulbs :)

quilt mom anna sent me these
i laughed til i cried
fabulous laughter therapy!
****************************************************************
Church Bulletins...They're Back! These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS)
actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services;
----------------------------------------------------------
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
---------------------------------------------------------
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
--------------------------------------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
--------------------------------------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
--------------------------------------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
--------------------------------------------------------
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
--------------------------------------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?'
Come early and listen to our choir practice.
--------------------------------------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
--------------------------------------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
--------------------------------------------------------
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
--------------------------------------------------------
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
--------------------------------------------------------
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
--------------------------------------------------------
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
--------------------------------------------------------
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
--------------------------------------------------------
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
--------------------------------------------------------
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
--------------------------------------------------------
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
--------------------------------------------------------
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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on a more serious side we have been watching haiti on news non-stop here.
even with one hand i could easily text

“HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross

please join in and help this beautiful nation of impoverished people by doing the same
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
challenges
broken wrist
laughter therapy
alien encounters
Stitches in Memory and Time
coming and going.......

broken wrist

distal radius fracture
multiple bones involved
major dislocation

this is after swelling went down 4 days later
we thought it looked great
apparently not

saw surgeon yesterday
bad, serious break
surgery essential

displacement of almost 3/4 to 1" of all vertical joint bones in left wrist
everything shoved up into my forearm, tipped at diagonals
not flat and inches from right spots

this shortened my arm, fractured 3 or 4 bones
all crazy displaced at weird angles from force
of my fall on black ice last thursday

new technique discovered 3 yrs ago should work good
titanium plate screwed into bones

my lovely bones will create a new portal
for manifestation of new energies of creation

i will sew garments of great joy
and coverings of good will once more

i will be bionic but still won't be able
to be a magnetic pin catcher

oh well
i shouldn't make airlines alarms go off at least



details in time and space:
1230 alaska time
think happy thoughts of healing
grateful blessings its left and not right wrist

links:
challenges
broken wrist
laughter therapy
alien encounters
Stitches in Memory and Time

challenges

yesterday i sewed kuspuks with 2nd graders again. oh how i love little ones and seeing excitement of using sewing machine. we got the body section's necks cut open,sleeves to body,cuffs to sleeves,and side seams and sleeves. the children help every step of the way.

only four 7 year olds out of 16 got to sew so far.others can't wait. oh they are so cute.. they measure, pin, guide fabric, unpin as we go.t hey love lifting feed dogs up and down. i make it silly and fun for me as well as them. another 7 year old took photo.

think i can sew with one arm?

i slipped on black ice, broke my left wrist, radius bone of arm,in many many places. dislocated wrist bones, creating big hump on hand and huge amount of swelling, numbness mixing with great pain.

dr said it was a very bad break. see a specialist about surgery next tues..typing this with a finger.

i am so sad i won't be much help to my parents now. it takes me and my dad working together to lift, turn mom over or around, feed, change and dress her. and dad turns 93 0n 15th.

guess i will be slowing down a bit.

you just do what you have to do and you do the best you can with challenges of any kind.

but dang sometimes it does get hard.

send good thoughts, i'd sure appreciate them.

challenges
broken wrist
laughter therapy
alien encounters
Stitches in Memory and Time

Kuspuk Fridays, KTUU, Anchorage News...our classroom featured as State Legislators wear their own kuspuks on Fridays!

How to make a kuspuk

Kuspuks Make Front Page News

Juneau Empire Photos: Parka party 01/18/08

Fun But Frenzied Frugality: Sewing Kuspuks Again!

video

Fun But Frenzied Frugality: Sewing Kuspuks Again!
Kuspuks and Friday Finishes

Gwen Marston Quilt Art Tiles

Gwen Marston is known for being an extremely talented, world re known quilter and grand dame of the Liberated Quilting movement. But did you know, she's never *sold a quilt? Or did you know that you can buy art tiles that replicate her unique quilting designs and allow you to own a piece of Gwen's quilting art in your own home or office?

The 'Quilt Designs on Tile" are available only from the Loudeac Tile Studio in New York. An exclusive line of ceramic art tiles. As Loudeac says: << >>

We are excited to be able to offer you these original designs on ceramic tile. To make the tiles, ultra-high resolution images of the quilts were used , some whole quilts, some single blocks. This means a completely unique kind of arttile that has strong graphic design qualities but also conveys the fabric medium. On many of our tiles, the
texture of the quilt work is visible.

The range of the designs--from bold and jazzy to earthtoned and traditional--will suit many tastes and decors. And, like all our tiles, these tiles are both decorative and functional. Beautiful displayed on an easel or adorning a wall, but also suitable for kitchen backsplashes and most other indoor tile installations.>>

I was so excited when I discovered these, that I knew I just had to share them, no matter how hard it was to work on them using two different airport Internet services. I am in Alaska now, using my laptop on dial up to try to correct the graphics errors some of you might have already seen. Hopefully, Gwen's beautiful carefully selected tiles are all here to be admired and possibly even purchased.

*When Gwen says 'she's never sold a quilt" she's being incredibly modest. She not only gives them away, but donates them generously to auctions. When we were in Sisters last summer, Cher of Marathon Quilter, bid on and won a beautiful little art quilt...postcard sized. The other one she also bid on, someone else got. And it looked very much like my first art tile shown. Cher's is softer toned and can be found at her blog in a previous Sisters Quilt Show post.

I know I would LOVE to own one of these!!!!
Gwen Marston Quilt Designs on Tile by Loudeac Studio

with heart and hands,
hard at work in Alaska,
Michele

Loudeac Tile Studio and Gwen's Ceramic Art Tiles

LINKS:
Liberated Quilting
Liberated Quilting Challenge
Liberated Quilting: Free Patterns, Blocks, and Tutorials
Word Play (Quilts)

The Sack Lunches

As I prepare to leave for Alaska, I am thinking of once again being up in the air and hearing all the stories that my seat companions always seem to share with me. And I remember this one, from the news...because I, too, want to spend the rest of my life handing out...

"The Sack Lunches"

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read, Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me, I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.'

Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?

''Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this...' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.

Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. '

It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

Liberated Quilting Challenge for AAQI

Happiest of New Years, everyone, and welcome to my newest project!

I am a contributing member of two Liberating Quilting rings...the blogging world of Liberated Quilting and the Liberated Quilters Message Board. I am also a contributing member and supporter of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

I am excited to now be a co-moderator on both the Liberated Quilting blog and the Liberated Quilters Message board and am happy to announce that I'm running the new Liberated Challenge to get us into high gear for the New Year!

We are welcoming members of both of the liberated quilting groups (who are automatically enrolled) and throwing a quilting glove into the ring and challenging everyone (including all of you who can join in!) to a dual, and dueling, Liberated Challenge.

As members of our new Liberated Challenge we will all work on creating small 'art' quilts for donation to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. We are seeking creative input....in other words, very small quilts.... from liberated quilters everywhere.

And if you don't think you qualify...you already do...if you quilt, and are willing to be creative and make a really fun, but quite small quilt...for a charitable donation.

The only rules of the Liberated Challenge are those already set in motion by Ami Simms, the director of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. They are quite simple...each quilt must be able to fit into a "Priority Mail" envelope (available completely for free from your local post office) and they can be no larger than 9" x 12".....however, they can be smaller, and they can also be a standard 4" x 6" fabric postcard. (shown above is the larger size!)

You are encouraged to write about and show your quilt's process on your blog, or to discuss its progress on the message board, and to actively encourage other quilters to participate! I am even willing to act as a Temporary Quilt Registration Goddess for anyone without Internet access, or for those needing additional help with problems or questions.

To enter this fabulous Liberated Challenge...we need to add you (even if you think you can make one little postcard!) to maintain some kind of organizational framework and we are using that of the Yahoo group to record your name and email address. Simply go to to Liberated Quilters Message Board, add your name to the list and receive a membership listing.

All quilts and quilted postcards will be showcased on individual pages at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative website, as well as on the Message Boards, our individual blogs, and links to you, here. It's a wonderful win-win networking and charitable quilt donation combination!

Please join in this project!

All I am asking is that you take the time to create an original (any style, any kind of piecing, fusing, cross-stitch, applique, anything that takes you out of the box and gives you a new direction for quilting) 4"x 6" fabric postcard or a slightly larger quilt of up to but not exceeding 9" x 12".

I want you to experiment and have fun..... but there are no rules as far as theme or style or quilting techniques used. Make something you love, that someone else would want to buy, and just plain have fun with it!!!

Check out the links below to see why I support the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, and to view some of the thousands of quilts that have been donated in the past.

Michele Bilyeu

shown above:
my small art quilt design table and bulletin board

personal note:
I am spending the month of January in Alaska, caretaking my mother who has now entered late stage Alzheimers. I am bringing my laptop and we have do have a phone-line ;) And I will be in daily contact with this challenge (and many more ;)

Read From The Heart of a Quilter and learn why I am willing to work this hard in support of AAQI and this project.... only make the number of members of my immediate family with Alzhimer's or related Dementias...now 12 instead of the 9 that I wrote about in 2007.

Three more members of my family not only faced Alzheimer's challenges, but two more have also died from it.

LINKS:
Liberated Quilting Challenge
Liberated Quilting Blog Liberated Quilters Blog Ring
Liberated Quilters Message Board: Yahoo Message Board...where you sign up and join in the fun
Make A PRIORITY: ALZHEIMER'S QUILT Donation Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI)
Look At Previous or Current AAQI Quilts get ideas, see how easy it can be
27 Ways You Can Help can't make a postcard for us? how about doing one of these?

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Auction for Jan 1-10

The January "Slow & Silent Auction" to raise money for Alzheimer's research is in full swing!There are 26 spectacular quilts to tempt you in this month's Slow & Silent Auction and scores more that you can purchase right now on the Quilts For Sale page. (Some are on sale!) Let's kick off the New Year with a bid on every quilt before this New Year's Day is over!

Please know that your support is very much appreciated. We are all volunteers at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative doing what we can to fight this horrid disease. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2010,

Ami Simms

Founder & Executive Director

Bid here: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html

Buy here: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltsforsale1.html

With Heart and Hands: Michele Bilyeu

Why I support AAQI, only up the number to 15:
From the Heart of a Quilter
Make a Priority Quilt for AAQI

AAQI Liberated Quilting Challenge
Join me, try something new (liberate yourself!) and make:
9"x 12"quilts or 4" x6" postcards for donation...my group just gives your quilt (you'd hopefully make anyway) another format to show it off on another page at AAQI ;)

follow the AAQI quilt auction on Twitter
AAQI iberated Quilting Challenge

Get the latest news about the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative on the AAQI BLOG!
For more frequent news follow the AAQI on FaceBook and Twitter.