Disappearing Act

It's been over two weeks.  A lot has been happening.  I just haven't found a moment to write.

I had a nasty cold that knocked me on my keister.

We had a major project at work that had me working long hours.

And my mother-in-law is in the hospital.  It isn't good.  "There's nothing more we can do" and "hospice" are the words coming out of the doctors' mouths.  I can barely hear them because inside, I am screaming "NO!"

She is in constant pain as her body betrays her, so the right thing to do is to pray for comfort for her in her last days, and peaceful acceptance for the rest of us.  My mind knows that.  But my selfish heart wants her to keep fighting. Her children need her.  MY children need her.  I need her.  For the 19.5 years that I have known her, she has been a rock, someone you could always go to for wise advice or a listening ear or to take action when action needed taking.  She is the glue that holds the generations together.  When she is gone, there is going to be such an enormous, ugly gash torn out of the fabric of our lives.  I can't even conceive of how our lives will change - not the day to day movements, but the foundation on which our family existence sits.

We dropped everything and went up to Pennsylvania to see her for 5 days last week. I brought with me the "Chicken Soup" prayer quilt I had started for her last time she was in the hospital a year and a half ago, but never finished. (I'm not going to restate the symbolism or the process for this quilt, but you can read about it at that link if you care to.)

I had tried to do some free motion quilting on it and hated it, so put it aside when she got better.  When she went into the hospital this time, I pulled it out and frantically started pulling out all those ugly stitches to put in the kind I know, the kind that soothe me, the kind that allow me to say a little prayer with each pinch of fabric.

When we got to the hospital, I laid the unfinished quilt over her, and she raised her head, smiled, and said, "Plaids."

I chose the homespun plaids and stripes because they remind me so much of her.  No nonsense. Sturdy.  Useful.  Nearly every shirt I see her wear is a plaid or a stripe, as is much of her furniture.  She kept the quilt over her in the hospital, and I worked on it while I visited her.  But then I realized, as slow as I quilt, I'm not going to finish it in time.

When we came home, I brought it with me to attach a binding, and I'm sending the unfinished quilt back up there to her.  The prayers are still in it, even if all the stitches aren't.

Meanwhile, the day to day movements of our lives continue.  Valentine's Day. I didn't think much about it until the kids came home buzzing about it yesterday.  I refuse to buy anything, but here was a good opportunity to use up some of that Halloween candy that lingers in my home.  The kids missed the bus, but they finished their Valentines - Dum Dum Butterflies and Pixie Stix Cupid's Arrows.

Plus, I stayed up late last night to make my 3 Valentines some mini cheescakes.  No photos yet because I need to buy some fruit to garnish the top.

Tomorrow is the last day that the Blankie Depot is accepting quilts for Hurricane Sandy relief.  I got three more in the mail this week that my guild helped to finish

Plus, the Star Quilters Guild in Roanoke, VA got 3 in the mail.

Same border, but this is a different quilt!

I still have about 5 tops that I have finished but haven't quilted yet.  I'll get them done eventually and send them to eQuilter Quilt Relief - 5000 Quilts, as they are still accepting donations.  THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who contributed.  Check your mailbox in the weeks to come for a little something from me.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.  Oh, and I did find the time to send the giveaway winnings out - the winners were Vivian from NC (no blog) who won the book and Jane from Jane's Fabrics and Quilts, who won the scraps in the polka dot Chinese takeout container.

Coming soon! (and Sandy Quilts update)

View from my porch yesterday evening as we had our first real snow of the year. 

I've been so remiss about blogging lately - not posting regularly, but more importantly, not reading my favorite blogs to see how my fellow quilters are and what they are up to!  Sunday, I hope to change that.  I'll be at the airport for quite a few hours for work, meeting flights and getting some visiting students on shuttles to campus, so in my down time, I plan to enjoy the free wi-fi and see what you all have been doing.

In the meantime, I've done a little working on Sandy quilts, a little pleasure reading (The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini), and a little preparing for an upcoming blog hop.

Yup, that's right, I signed up for a blog hop!  I discovered them in September during the Dots on Dots Blog hop - I am crazy about dots and have been trying to add more to my stash. Then, in October, Leafs Me Happy caught my eye, followed by the fun Wicked Blog Hop.  I skipped the Coin Purses and Pillows hops, but In Your Words just consumed a good half hour of each of my days for the last week and a half.  Next up is Dare to Dresden, and Quilter Kathy recommended that I join in since I was working on a Dresden project anyway. Besides, that's another opportunity to have a giveaway, and as I've been trying to keep my sewing room a bit neater these days, I've discovered I have way too much stuff!  That settled it, I'm in!

Be sure to come back next Friday, January 25 to see my Dresdens, past and present, and to enter for a chance to win a giveaway that will include not just fabric, but also a book by a favorite quilter.

SANDY UPDATE:
Three more of our Disappearing 4-patch quilts have been received by Blankie Depot this week. Hillary, the President of Blankie Depot wrote on Thursday:

Hi Erin,

Box #2 arrived this morning.  The smaller quilt will head to the labor & delivery dept of Riverview Med Center and the large blanket is heading to Atlantic City.

Thanks so much, where do you find the time??!!

Hugs,

Hillary

Of course, I wrote back to let her know that I have LOTS of help.  Thanks, everyone!  By the way, the first quilt she received was assembled, quilted and then bound by three separate members of my quilt guild - I love you guys!  And the little quilt she mentioned that is going to the labor and delivery department, that's the one you made and quilted, Becki - you rock!  

My newest hero, Margi, assembled and quilted the bedsized quilt that is headed to Atlantic City.  She's working on number 2 right now.

Great job, Margie!  Thanks!

Anita in MI, a steady supporter in this project, completed her 3rd beautiful quilt for us last weekend after a nasty bout with the cold - glad you are feeling better, Anita.  It is backed with cozy flannel donated by Becki in PA - great idea!

Great job, Anita!  Thanks!

The Star Quilt Guild in Roanoke just wrote to let me know they finished assembling the 3 sets of blocks I sent them, and that they are on the way to the quilter's.  Julia K in my guild just dropped off the top that she assembled.

Becki in PA and I have both been sending assembled tops to Kelly in TX who has been quilting for us.

One of our quilts on Kelly's longarm - I think we've sent her SIX! 

And just yesterday, Gail C in my guild volunteered to quilt a couple for us.  After already quilting another one for us that Carolyn H in my guild assembled.  So, yes, Hillary, I have LOTS OF WONDERFUL HELP!  Thank you, everyone!

We made the FRONT PAGE!!!!

Without all of you, there is no story.  THANK YOU for all you have done and continue to do to bring warmth and comfort to those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

OK, so I guess you can't really read the article from the photos. But you can read it at http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/318510. There are even thank you notes from people who received our quilts - I hadn't seen those yet!

And, right on cue, more blocks came on Saturday from a mother/daughter team in PA - 59 blocks (42 already put together into a top!) and yardage for backings.

yards and yards of backing fabric - I particularly love the clocks! 

a completed top - thanks Shirl and Jana!

plus 17 more blocks - their sewing machines must have gotten quite a workout! 

What a blessed way to start the new year!  I hope this is an omen of good things to come this year. (not a case of "it can only go downhill from here")  :p

Happy 2013, everyone!

Day one of winter vacation

When I left work yesterday, starting a 12 day vacation, I was nearly giddy with excitement.  What to do first?  My twin sister and her family are arriving tomorrow, so the house needed cleaning, but that could wait until today.  Instead, I sewed!  And while I did work on Hurricane Sandy quilts a bit, for the most part, I sewed for ME!

First of all, I've been wanting a patchwork stocking for years now.  I just never took the time to make one.  Yesterday, was the day.  Voila!  And it is the biggest stocking in the house, too!  I hope Santa fills it up for me!

Only the front is quilted.  The back and the lining are that solid green, which I upcycled from an old sheet. 

I also  bought some flannel pig fabric about 6 weeks ago with a co-worker in mind (she LOVES everything PIG!).  I had meant to make her something ages ago, but never seemed to find the time.  I decided to make a pillow, but gosh, the pillow forms are so expensive.  My solution - I bought a jumbo 20"x28" bed pillow at WalMart ($4 or $5), cut it in half, and sewed the two halves closed to make two 14" x 20" pillows.

Then, I made an envelope style pillow, but with big 1" seams on the outside, and then snipped the seams like a rag quilt.  When it came out of the washer and dryer, it had ragged up nicely and the pillow is SO SOFT!

I just may have to make the other half into a pillow for ME!

Today, I helped the kids clean their rooms (ugh!), cleaned out the refrigerator (double ugh!), and did some laundry and some floors.  I also took the kids to see a local ballet company's production of The Nutcracker.  I've never seen it before, and enjoyed it immensely.  My boys were tolerant and well-behaved, but not impressed.  For being such good sports, I took them out to eat afterwards with a friend and her 3 boys, who had met us at the ballet.  Then, it was grocery shopping in preparation for having a full house of 8 people for the next few days.

As I sit here in the dining room, blogging by the light of the Christmas tree, I can't help but think of how blessed I am.  It is cold outside, but I am cozy here in my house.  I bought groceries without having to wonder if I had enough money to pay for it.  My children are healthy and happy and here with me.  I wish that everyone could be as secure and as content as I am right now.  It makes me want to get back down to the sewing room and work on some projects for others.  I'll definitely be making at least one pillowcase to send up to Sandy Hook.  And I have many more Hurricane Sandy quilts to work on.  The mail counter guy at the post office (where I am always shipping either quilts and/or fabric or books) shared with me yesterday how he was filling Toys for Tots orders and a kid had asked for a blanket, and he just started to cry because he didn't have one to give, and felt helpless for not being able to fulfill such a basic need for someone.  It just about broke my heart.

Many more disappearing 4-patch blocks have come in over the past week.

Plus two quilt tops:

a crib sized quilt

And this wonderfully scrappy HST quilt

But look!  There are about 5 of these blocks interspersed with all the HSTs! What fun to find them in there!

A woman from my guild donated lots of backing yardage:

Also, I was contacted by a reporter from the Republican-Herald newspaper in Pottsville, PA, I am believe our project is going to be featured in an article in Monday's issue.  I'll keep you posted on here, hopefully with a link, if it goes to print.  Thanks, Becki W, for making that connection.

Another Hurricane Sandy quilt was mailed out from here this week, and I have another one to mail tomorrow.  I also have 5 completed tops in my house waiting for quilting, and, of course, many blocks waiting for assembly.  The Blankie Depot will stop accepting Hurricane Sandy donations on February 15, so now there's a deadline.  Gotta get cracking!

Not sure how much blogging I'll be doing with company in town.  Happy Holidays to all of you, whatever it is you may celebrate at this time of year!

Sandy Quilts - Updates!

(if you are looking for my giveaway, go here - open until 6 AM EST on Monday, December 17)

Lots of updates to share about the Hurricane Sandy quilts project.  Look closely, and maybe you'll be able to see your quilt blocks in one of these photos.  First of all, more quilts have been finished and delivered:

Thanks, Char, for quilting and binding and shipping  it.  Thanks to everyone for the blocks and the backing! 

Thanks, Anita, for quilting and binding and shipping it.  Thanks for everyone for the blocks and the backing! This one is backed with a flannel sheet someone donated, so it will be nice and soft and cozy!  And do you see in the top of the photo, there's a scrappy quilt on that chair and a quilted tree skirt, I think.  Gosh, I wish the photo panned out more so I could see those better - I love looking at other people's quilts!  Oh, and Anita, saint that she is, is currently quilting yet another of these quilts for us!

Thanks, Marilyn, for quilting and binding and shipping it!  Thanks everyone for the blocks and backing! 

There's another completed and ready to be delivered quilt here with me that just got its binding from one of my guild members (thanks, Karin!) and needs shipping off - I'm waiting for the other one here that is getting bound by another guild member (thanks, Judy!) so they can go together, hopefully early next week.  Photos will come later for those two.

Then, there are a bunch of completed tops!  I'm still working on assembling my fifth top, but here are 3 more that are currently living with me until I can find a volunteer quilter or get to them myself:

Thanks, Pam, Kerry and Elizabeth (all from my quilt guild!) for assembling them, and thanks to everyone for the blocks! (excuse the mess in my sewing room!)

Plus, Becki assembled one top, and is in the process of assembling another:

Thanks, Becki!  I swiped this photo from your FB page.  Am I forgiven? 

In addition to that, there are blocks being assembled by 7 of my local friends and guild members.  Thanks Alma, Nancy, Elizabeth, Michelle, Julia, Caroline and Sue!

The mail for the past week has brought in more than 100 more blocks!

Thanks, JoAnn, Nancy, Eileen, Kay, Sharon, Teddy, Beth, Carolynn, Annette, K Roy, Lori, C Berge, Diane and Carol!

We are now at just under 1300 Disappearing 4-patch Blocks received - enough for over 30 quilts! (that doesn't include other types of blocks sent or quilt tops or completed quilts sent - just amazing!)

And they ARE being delivered to those in need!  Check out this link on Victoria's blog to see a photo of the first of our Disappearing 4-patch quilts and it's recipient!!!!

Plus, we've gotten these messages of thanks from Blankie Depot in NJ and the Acacia Network in NY:

11/16/12 from Blankie Depot:

Dear Erin & friends in service to others,

This afternoon, we received your beautiful donations, thank you so much! 

Every cozy and cheerful quilt will be heading to a specific volunteer outpost in Long Beach Island, Howell, Long Branch, Keansburg and Red Bank, NJ.  The families affected by Hurricane Sandy had been without electric and gas service until just this week.  Many "islanders" have lost their homes and it is our mission to provide warmth and compassion during a time of unthinkable loss.  Some families are going to be without permanent housing for some time.

Thank YOU for sharing your time and creative talents with NJ residents affected by the storm.  It has been such a pleasure to take your calls, respond to your generous emails and experience how beautifully the crafting for charity community comes together to help others. 

Hugs from this Jersey girl!
Hillary

12/7/12 from Blankie Depot:

Dear Erin,

Thank you for sending additional quilts to us.  We are coordinating a delivery to families in Wall Township on Saturday and your beautiful contributions will be a part of that special day.

We greatly appreciate the time and considerable talents you are sharing with families impacted by the storm.  The show of solidarity across the country is a strong message of hope and healing.

Hugs from your friends @ Blankie Depot.

12/8/12 from Blankie Depot:

Box two arrived this morning, Erin!  Just beautiful.  Along with quilts created by fellow volunteers we will be distributing donations to families impacted by the storm in Hoboken, NJ on Monday.  Your compassionate donation brings a good deal of comfort to those displaced by the super storm.

Thank you so much!

12/3/12 from Acacia Network:

Thank you so much for the beautiful quilt and/or warm clothes you donated to the Bumble Beans and Acacia Network Quilt Drive. Rest assured that your donation will be received by someone who truly needs it. Thanks again for your kindness. A thank you note will follow if you provided an address with your donation.

Together, we are making a difference!  Thank you to all of you for helping make my little goal of making a quilt or two for Hurricane Sandy victims into a huge, happy, scrappy dream come true!

(and my apologies if I have left you off my thank yous or Heroes list - I'm not the most organized person in the world, so keeping all of this straight is straining my little brain!)

The flip side

I've got two quilts being picked up by members of my quilt guild for binding today.  That's two more that can be delivered any day now.  Woo hoo!  And while the fronts of the quilts all pretty much look the same, the backs don't.  Look at this wonderful pieced backing from Maureen in OR:

I'd have to switch between having the disappearing 4-patch on top and the pieced backing on top if it were MY quilt!

Kid stuff

Some people wonder how and why I do all the "extra" stuff I do.  After all, I've got a full time job, a family, a hobby that keeps me busy.  But I gotta tell you, that "extra" stuff is what keeps me sane when the job is a drag and the kids are driving me bonkers and my dirty house makes me feel like an unfit mother and wife.  I can go into the karate studio just as low as can be, but after taking my black belt class and then teaching my intermediate class, I am flying high - every time!  And then Cub Scouts and the Ready To Quilt workshop at the elementary school - those are just more opportunities for me to be creative and hang out with kids!

The kids are almost finished with their colored and embroidered blocks for the Fair entry quilt we are making.

My Kindergarten through 2nd graders have turned out to be the most industrious. 

I guess I didn't realize until looking at these photos that they tend to self segregate by gender. But aren't they cute? 

Of course, I didn't have a real plan for the quilt design when we started, but yesterday I started whipping up some alternate blocks for them to sew their blocks to.  Here's a preview of how that quilt will look:

This will go across the top or bottom

They aren't sewn together yet - the kids will do that.  They outlined the letters with a backstitch and colored inside. 

Some ladies in my guild donated fabric for the Ready to Quilt kids, so I picked four the four largest pieces to combine in these quarter square triangle blocks.

And then, last Friday, the Cub Scouts and I were in the Christmas parade (whoever heard of a Christmas parade in NOVEMBER!?!).  We partnered with the drive-in movies again, and marched along behind a truck that was playing Frosty the Snowman on a big screen while we munched popcorn.  We made our "cars" again this year, but I gave myself a break and instead of making them out of cardboard (I swear I nearly got carpal tunnel from cutting so many boxes up last year!), I bought poster board and made them into "sandwich board" cars with some muslin strips across the shoulders.  The boys got really creative with their cars:

Yup, that's a deer peeking out the back window of the FORD truck 

My son even thought to put a seat belt on his driver!

Can you see that his lights are made out of tinfoil?  Who thinks to bring tinfoil to a parade? Clever kid! 

Can you see the little Christmas lights he drew around his windshield? Get my vote for most festive! 

Yesterday and today, the weather has been in the low 70s.  I'll admit to being affected by the weather.  This balmy weather has me skipping around and singing like a kid!  Just think, I'm on my porch in short sleeves and barefoot writing this right now, watching the sun go down...in DECEMBER!  For this child of the Maine woods, that is nearly unheard of!  The hubby and I like to joke about taking off for Panama when things get rough at home and work - well, guess where I got quilt blocks from yesterday?

Thanks, Marina from Panama! (Hubby wants to know why they quilt in Panama if it is warm all the time.  Don't worry guys, in time, I will educate him to our ways.)

And today, I got 71 more quilt blocks in the mail from Lola in VA and the Rainbow Plantation Quilters in AL.  Thanks, guys!

Luckily, I made room in my sewing room today - I mailed out 8 quilts to Blankie Depot in NJ.  That's 14 delivered so far by me, and I believe 3 or 4 more have been delivered directly from the people who have been kind enough to quilt quilts for us.  And there are many more to come.  

Do you know that I've received over 1165 disappearing 4-patch blocks so far?

That doesn't include the ones made by me or those in my quilt guild or those that were made and delivered to me in quilt form or all the orphan blocks and unfinished blocks and tops you guys have sent.  Together, we are making a difference in the lives of those who are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy.  Everyone reach over your shoulder and give yourself a nice pat on the back!

And for my final bit of kid stuff - look at one of my little fellas drew for me in Ready To Quilt yesterday - just melted my heart! (and he obviously knows I love scrappy, improvisational quilts!)

Sunday sewing and mail call

It was a crazy week for me at work, one that included a full meltdown featuring LOTS of angry tears.  Does anyone else cry when they are angry?  Does anyone else hate that they cry when angry? I always feel like it makes me seem weak, but oh, did I need that cry!  Thank goodness my husband works nearby, so I called him to walk with me so I could vent and cry in a safe environment.  Next week has to be better.

I didn't get to sew at all this week, but I'm trying to make up for it today.  In addition to putting together another Hurricane Sandy quilt top (you guys have sent me enough blocks to keep me busy for months!  Thanks!), I also started on December's Block Lotto blocks, Star Crossed.  I've made three so far, but plan to make more, hopefully the full 9 for more chances to win!

In addition to working my tail off all week, I also opened LOTS of mail from all of you:

Wednesday's Mail: 17 blocks and some yardage for backing plus a completed quilt - Thanks, Cathy from AZ and Cindy from OH!

Thursday's Mail: 4 completed quilts, 4 quilt tops, some orphan blocks and LOTS of disappearing 4-patch blocks (I forgot to count before adding them with the others) NOTE that Wendy and her quild guild are responsible for a lot of this mail, but I left my notes with the guild name at work - sorry about that!

Completed quilt - thanks, Lane in TX!

Completed quilt - thanks, Lane in TX!

1 baby quilt top, various blocks - thanks, Laurel in LA!

Completed quilt - thanks, Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

Completed quilt - thanks, Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

HUGE quilt top - thanks, Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

Quilt top - thanks, Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

I LOVE THIS QUILT TOP - thanks, Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

60 blocks - thanks, Barb in AL, Mani and Christine in Ontario, Margaret in Alberta and Wendy and the Common Thread Quilt Guild! 

Friday's Mail: 8 blocks - Thanks, Sherril and Kay from MA!

Saturday's Mail: 6 blocks - Thanks, Dianne from VA and Terrie and Sharon from CT!