Apr 22, 2015

Making Mary Lou's Wonky Cross Quilt


All week, I've been sharing ideas for creating a "cross quilt". A cross quilt can be as simple as making traditional nine patch blogs, to as modern as graphic interlocking crosses, to as fun as liberated and wonky "slash and sew" cross quilts.



The first day: I received packages, I received these combined blocks.

I am in the process of collecting liberated cross quilt blocks from online facebook and blogging friends, and real life quilting friends to create a group cross quilt for Mary Lou Weidman.

The second day: I received packages with these combined blocks.

 
It has been great fun finding ideas, tossing them around the groups and getting feedback from Mary Lou, herself, who we really could not keep it a secret from! Not only, because her interest in them, starting me thinking about making blocks, to collecting blocks, to arranging blocks...where I am right now..to eventually make her one of my own "healing" quilts where the positive thoughts and prayers of many as well as my own healing energies become part of the journey, itself, of creating the quilt.


The third day: I received packages with these combined blocks.

A quilt that can be part of Mary Lou's own healing journey with a diagnosis of breast cancer. It is hard enough to get such a diagnosis, but to be brave enough to share it with her larger friendship and quilting community only showcases Mary Lou's own inner strength and deep personal faith that no matter what happens, she will be all right. And she will.


 The fourth day: I received packages with these combined blocks.

I started this process with an overview of Cross Quilts and this blog post that tells all about them, their styles and offered my readers access to a number of free patterns and lots of ideas.

Access my ideas and tutorials post here:  Cross or Plus Quilts: Free Patterns



 The fifth day: I received packages with these combined blocks.

And then more and more, and more!  In the end, I received over 100 blocks, some were very tiny and will be turned into other things for this projects. But every single block will be used for Mary Lou and/or this project going to Mary Lou..and that is the best feeling in the world! So, thanks to everyone!

Post Note on May 1, 2015:
**But yes, as of May 2015, this project is being completed and I am not soliciting any more blocks for it.

The next step, since we had decided on a the liberated or improvisational style of a wonky cross quilt, was to show a number of ways a block could be design and simply cut out and sewn

Access creating a cross block post here:   Designing a Liberated Cross Block and Quilt

Quilters began to share information and ideas back and forth through facebook, pinterest, and emails with me. And one by one they began to make blocks. And day by day, packages of blocks began to arrive. 

Each day, I wait for my husband to arrive home from work. He checks the mail enroute and each day he comes in holding out my packages with a big smile on his face, knowing how happy they make me. And they make me so truly happy because they show the caring, the hopes, and the positive thoughts and prayers for Mary Lou as she begins this healing journey from breast cancer, day by day, step by step. Just as the making of the blocks are done in stages, the receiving of the blocks by me, day by day and in stages. 

And just like taking each day, each step at a time, she will begin her process, and I will begin mine. And my heart is so full, knowing full well that there are not only miles between us but miles between the depth of the journey each person takes, each quilter makes. All we can do is support the process in the ways that we know how, showing love in the ways that we know how. And hoping that the sharing and the caring will create beautiful healing energies to ease the journey along the way.

 

 LINKS:

 Cross or Plus Quilts: Free Patterns

 Designing a Liberated Cross Block and Quilt

Making Mary Lou Weidman's Cross Quilt

The Mary Lou Weidman Healing Power of Love Cross Quilt

 

 

Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey from Alaska to Oregon with thousands of free Quilting, Sewing, and Crafting Patterns and Tutorials. Help change the world, one little quilt, art quilt, and prayer flag at a time!

4 comments:

Nanna said...

what a blessing! not only will she feel the love that went into each & every blockbuit will reap the benifits of the prayers on her behalf from those who took the time to care enough to show love

Helen

Lesley UK said...

Wow! that's great, but I must add an ouch! on you behalf. Blessings

lvkwilt said...

Holy cow! People do love Mary Lou (and rightly so!)! My box with five blocks and lots of fabric should arrive tomorrow (mailed yesterday Priority). Looks like you may be able to do the backing with cross blocks, too! Quilters are generous people! Thanks again for doing this!

Elaine said...

Is it too late to send a block?