Oct 19, 2012

Well,Hello Kitty!


12,230 - Well, Hello Kitty!


Michele Bilyeu
Salem, OR USA
Width: 8.25" Length: 11.25"

Materials/Techniques: Commercial cottons, free pieced stitching, hand quilting with 3D flying geese triangles and buttons.

Artist Statement: I am fascinated by the Japanese culture. Perhaps, it is because my mother loved all things Asian before Alzheimer's took away her memory. Perhaps it is because I have three Japanese members of my extended family that are very dear to me. I have always loved their cultural fascination with cute kitties in popular art and thought these little buttons must share a secret with the geisha as she looks at them with delight....and perhaps a bit of smile.
Contact Michele
 
Dedication: With love for those who love all things Asian, kittens and AAQI.
This quilt has Fast Finish Triangles.

We have family visiting from Alaska. We have brought them to see our brother, Doug, in the Hillsboro Rehab Clinic twice and are driving up to pick up my SIL, Becky, in Beaverton and bring her along with us, as well.

Doug and Becky have always loved cats and Becky so missed her own little cat up in Anchorage as she has to now live in Portland to be near her husband (my brother) Doug.

My (currently visiting us) brother and my other SIL will return to the Juneau area and our parents home on Douglas Island and return to helping with the care giving of our mother, there. It is all a labor of love no matter where we visit, or where we live as we have so many hurting family members in so many places.

Hello, Kitty, seems so sweet in such a challenging part of all of our lives. But as Doug recognizes new family faces and can greet them by name, all of our hearts are lightening and the happier, fun part of life is let out to play.

And my brother tells me that even in her 8th year of advanced Alzheimer's, our mom can still laugh as she catches on to pieces of the reading aloud from books that they do every evening. So, even through her own fog, she still can have a bit of fun and laugh..something we all need to enjoy!

Hello, Kitty is my October Quilt of the Month for AAQI and will be available to either travel to Houston or be up for sale once they scan it into the system.

Well, Hello Kitty!  So nice to see your smiling little faces and remember how to play and have fun!



Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska and all of her AAQI Quilting. Sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join in the Liberated Quilting Challenge and make or donate small art quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!

7 comments:

stitchinpenny said...

I love this quilt and it reminds me of a friend named Kitty! She couldn't have been less exotic as a well bred deep south Southern lady, but a gentle and wonderful woman. Thanks for the memories!

Lynne said...

Praise The Lord for the little things!

Michele Bilyeu said...

A lovely comment with a connection, Penny! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Michele Bilyeu said...

Absolutely, Lynne..my dear and loyal Australian blogging friend!

Please check out the blogs of anyone who comments here, it's not easy always finding something to say in a comment and I treasure my readers and those who leave words of connection!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful little quilt. I hope it raises a lot of money for you cause.

Michele Bilyeu said...

So, do I!!! I show the complete set on one of my other blogs..check links on right hand side. A lovely art quilter bought a previous set using some of the same fabrics and I smile every time I think about them now being with her at her house and how dear it was for her to purchase them!!!

MulticoloredPieces said...

Hi, Michele. Lovely quilt--I especially like the colors and the stitching. And you captured the idea of the Japanese kitty craze well! I taught Japanese high school students for awhile and you hit it on the head! Glad to hear that your brother is on the mend and going home.
best, nadia