I discovered the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative in 2006, but I never thought I'd have the time to make and donate quilts to them. After all, I had been caring for my mother since 2002 when she was first diagnosed with stage 3b of inflammatory breast cancer. She had survived moving down from Alaska and living with me for 9 months, and having intense chemo, a mastectomy, and radiation...only to develop Alzheimer's Disease just two years later.
How could I possible do any more than I already was, when caring for her, making and donating quilts for my community, keeping up with my new love of blogging, and having three kids and a husband already kept me so busy?
Somehow, I knew I could... and I knew that I really, really wanted to try.
I was traveling back and forth between Oregon and Alaska helping my parents with their health challenges and my mother's care, when I brought up two pieces of fabric that I quilted to batting ahead of time, a packet of beads, a pair of scissors and needle and thread, and one small piece of fabric for backing.
I used those few supplies in my extremely limited free time and made my first small postcards. These tiny 4"x6" postcards, made in Alaska as I cared for both my mom and dad, became my first 6 donations. They were all a pale pink and didn't photograph well, and I felt badly that I didn't even have a sewing machine to make them better than they were. But they sold and I was so grateful! And I loved making them so very much.
Traveling back and forth between Oregon and Alaska for as much as four times a year and all of the care giving was so hard... but I knew I wanted to get back to this very special cause that I had discovered.
I began to make a whole new batch of AAQI quilts in 2010...my most challenging year of all. Taking care of both parents, I slipped on the worst black ice in the Juneau area's history and broke two wrist bones and dislocated three of them. I needed immediate surgery and had to have it done there, the first surgery of my life, while still caring for my parents.
I had just started the Liberated Quilting Challenge for online quilters on New Year's Day before heading to Alaska, Inspite of all of these multiplied challenges, breaking my wrist, having my dad have two heart attacks while I was there... I still survived them, cared for my parents with one good arm, and proved to myself that I was capable of so much more than I had ever thought I was.
I came back to Oregon (and my fabric and sewing machine) in March of 2010, and other family members came in to help my parents so I could have a break, and I was so grateful that I began to sew like crazy! And I loved every minute of this new creative freedom.
I had quilts selected for the traveling exhibit Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope, I joined the $1,000 Promise, and eventually pledged a minimum contribution of one quilt a month for the Quilt A Month challenge.
It hasn't been easy. It has been very hard. Other family members have become seriously ill, a MIL needs constant in home care, friend's have lost family members and need my support...my list only grew instead of diminishing. But I still wanted to make, and donate quilts to AAQI, as well as to my community, and I have.
In these years of donating quilts to AAQI, I have now mailed in 37 quilts and sold 24 of them. Two are traveling with the Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope exhibit through 2015 and not currently for sale. But many are up for sale... and one is currently in the Azheimer's Art Quilt Initiative February Aucton
8738 - The Power of Transition
Please support my efforts and those of so many other quilters, by checking all of our quilts out and considering making a purchase. It means the world to me to have my quilts sell and know the profits are all going to Alzheimer's research. If I can do this, with my severely sleep deprived and very challenging life...trust me...so can you!
Please support the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative and our efforts to fund Alzheimer's research.
My own quilts are shown below. For better viewing, as photos are not stable, view here
My total raised so far by my last reporting was: $1,641.96
Please help me raise even more and buy, or bid on one of my quilts today!
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Last tally of total raised so far: $1,641.96
