Please Use Your Keyboard!

I have been thinking about what to do with the beautiful beautiful crazy block from Hideko. It really is too beautiful to put in one of the quilts.

I thought about giving it to Sophie and Floyd as if it wasn't for Floyd I wouldn't be doing this in the first place.

But, I was thinking last night that perhaps the parents of one of the quilt recipients should have it as, after all, they are going through just as much hell as their child. The thought of watching my lovely Alex going in such pain every day! What heartache these strong strong people must be going through I cannot imagine.

So, I need your help.

Do I send this to the parents of dear David who left us last month after a long battle;

does it go to Sophie's parents who are being so so brave for their beautiful little girl;

does it go to Rachel's parents who are, hopefully, nearing the end of their daughter's long fight with this disease; or

does it go to Kezia's Mum who must feel rather lost and lonely in a country where she doesn't speak the language and her husband is thousand's of miles away.

I haven't linked to Rachel's Journal as her mother has specifically asked me not to. However, go the Qs4L blog and click on the Caring Bridge link. You may be able to find her there.

Please use your keyboard!!!!!!!

WiP Wednesday - 09-05-2007

A finish at long last!

This is Rachel's quilt and has well and truly wrapped the world, with blocks from America, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Turkey, and the UK.


I busted the batting stash on this one. I used up the bits from the really thick stuff that I used on Alex's 9 patch so it is thick and heavy and tied really well. Never, ever again will I fuse bits together.

Aunt's quilt is not going too well (sniff). Got a bit of a problem on the quilting front. I think I am going to have to be naughty and machine quilt the letters in the ditch.

I've been tagged ...........

by Bea over at Capricorn Quilts.

So I have now got to nominate 5 blogs that inspire me from the huge amount I try to read every day (when I can connect (sniff)).

So here goes.

First, mais certainment, is TONYA. She has opened my eyes to a completely different way of quilting. None of the tricky flying geese for her. Oh no, wonky houses, wonky letters, hearts, stars, firebursts and now I see diamonds!

Second is VIVI. She has been through such a lot over the last year or so.

Third, and I think possibly this should really be the most important one, is DAVO. This boy's strength and determination to carry on, regardless, is awe inspiring. Please visit him sometime to make him laugh, take him out of himself and given him a lift - he needs it. BTW he was the recipient of the first quilt.

Fourth is SIOBHAN. Again her efforts to overcome MS and carry on as normal amaze me.

And fifth, but by no means last, is MELZIE who needs no introduction to us quilters. She makes me laugh, she makes me cry, she makes me feel sad and the next minute happy. She is one of life's survivors.

So there you have it. 3 of my 5 are quilting blogs, the other 2 aren't.

Who inspires me apart from those 5? Well, there is Finn over at Pieces from my Scrapbag, Joyce with her fantastic free piecing and a brilliant imagination, Sassenach and her amazing articles on quilt history. I could go on and on, but I won't for fear of boring you all.

See you later. I'm borrowing a friends computer who has got ADSL so I'm going to upload loads and loads of eye candy for you which will have to keep you going for the time being until I can get this blasted connection sorted.

WiP Wednesday

Rachel's quilt is now pinned (again) and I hope to start tying it tonight.

I have four more Qs4L to make up and I am starting to think that I am going to have farm these out for basting, quilting and binding.

I have a Family Quilt to make up for my aunt's 80th birthday in May and there is still sister's wedding quilt. I desperately want to start these as I know I can turn them round quite quickly, but when.

Not enough time, not enough time. What is it the White Rabbit says?

I stayed up last night and watched Bridges of Madison County. Never seen it before. What fantastic scenery. Are those bridges for real?

Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the end so can someone please put me out of my misery. Did Meryl Streep go with Clint or not?

In the meantime, a bit of local colour discovered in the main square in Mareuil last week.

A big Doh!

Oh drat it and a lot of other words too.

Ever so chuffed with myself over the weekend. Rachel's quilt was coming on apace. In the middle of sewing some batting together (beating the batting stash) Sandra from Stashbusters rang - all the way from the States - yoh!

Went back to the quilt after a long chat about this that and the other and started pinning and basting the quilt. Got halfway through and noticed that something was not quite right. I had to revert to pictures of Sophie's quilt to decide what the problem was.

Guess who had forgotten the border! So, unpinned it all, have to add to the backing material and redo the batting.

Back to the grindstone.

Sorry

Been so busy completely forgot about WiP Wednesday. Just to update. Rachel's quilt has reached the flimsey stage, but that is just about it. Weather gorgeous so gardening, gardening and gardening.

Yesterday was Alex's birthday so we didn't get a lot of stuff done and now I've got to get showered and changed as we are off to friends for lunch.

Go over to the other blog for catch up goss.

Frivolous Friday

We have WiP Wednesday so I thought Frivolous Friday was a good idea. Don't know why, it just sounds good.

Soooo - quoi de neuf? I've found another little girl to do a quilt for - 3 years old - just waiting for the ok from her father.

The Sunburst Strings are driving me demented. Do you ever get that feeling when you sew and sew but it doesn't get any bigger? I feel as if I've been sewing for months and months. Wednesday night I made a decision.


This is as big as it gets and I just ain't doing any more. I have 4 more quarter blocks to make up, then I shall baste and back it and turn it into a



rather wide and long table runner. That's the lovely fabric that Pippa gave me which will be the binding.

Alex and I planned Rachel's quilt yesterday evening. A few more tweaks and then I can start sashing it.

Have added a site feed to this blog for Quilts 4 Leukaemia so you can keep an eye on what is going on over there, rather than hopping from this one to that.

Oh forgot to say - look what the postman delivered on Wednesday.


All the way from Florida and all Joann remnants. Amy - you are brilliant.

Wanted. Another Co-Ordinator

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to help me co-ordinate Quilts 4 Leukaemia. I am getting swamped and I have a funny feeling that this is going to run and run.

What is involved?

Perhaps you would like to search for people to gift the quilts to?

Perhaps you might know of people in other parts of the world who would be willing to make up some blocks?

Perhaps you would like to make up the quilts?

Email me at the new Qs4L email address (quilts4leukaemia@aliceadsl.fr) if you are interested.

200th post and Quilts 4 Leukaemia

I meant to post something quilty for my 200th post, but life has got in the way so I haven't been doing much.

So instead here is the latest Qs4L update.

Somewhere in Leicestershire, UK is a little girl who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia on 11th February 2005 - she was just 4 years old.

Rachel is now 6 and is determined to fight.

I quote from an email I have received from Rachel's mother.

"Rachel's main characteristic since being diagnosed is a stoic refusal to acknowledge that she is unwell, or that she is in any way different from any other child. She NEVER complains, eg today a school friend is having her birthday party which is a swimming party - she has gone to watch everyone else swim (she can't swim because of her hickman line) and to join them for the birthday tea afterwards. Not once has she moaned, complained or been downhearted, it's just how it is, and she gets on with it. She can't actually remember not having leukaemia now. We try to treat her the same as our other daughter, and we don't make a particular fuss of her - which might sound a bit harsh but we think it makes it easier for her, and certainly she is a happy, bubbly little girl of whom we are very proud. It is just unthinkable that she won't beat this disease, but it will be April 2010 before we know if she has or not, so we hope to give our children lots of happy times between now and then, because just don't know what is ahead."

So this is where the next quilt is going.

You can follow Rachel's progress by clicking on this link here.

Onto Sophie. Please continue to support her by leaving comments on her blog. She is going through a pretty rough time at the moment.

Again - thanks to all of you for your support and help for this worthwhile cause. These kids have a got a long way to go.

As I said to Sophie, every time she cuddles her quilt everyone who helped make it will be thinking of her.

Sophie!

Woo Hoo - she has got her quilt.

You can read about it here.

Just Chit Chat

Amended 02.03.2007

Sophie's quilt was posted on Monday so hopefully she might have it either tomorrow or Saturday. She is not too good at the moment so any positive thoughts left on her blog would be appreciated.

We finally got out of the house for a few hours yesterday. Although warm, it has poured with rain and we have been beaten by gales for what seems like forever. Not good for the Vacances d'Hiver! Anyway, we had to go to check out the whereabouts of the new doctor at Lisle which is about 20 kms drive from here.

Look what we found.

Before washing machines and tumble driers, women used to do their weekly wash at the local "lavoir".

We have one of these at the bottom of our hill on the way to the main road, but about 2/3 of the size and not in such good condition. Ours has a corrugated roof, but its original washing stones are still intact and this one's aren't.

As soon as it stops raining and the sun comes out Alex and I will go down and take some photos. There is also another one which hasn't got a roof on it, but will give you some idea of what I mean by "washing stones".




Alex took a picture of the water. It is so clear you can't see it!




When we got home the wind had dropped a bit so I managed to get some spring like pictures before it picked up again and the rain started.




Violets in the garden,

the Nectarine is beginning to bud,

and the Prunus is just about to blossom. The Cherries on this are not edible. I thought they were and got told, in no uncertain terms that they weren't!




And to finish - this is our commune. For those of you who know my address, this is the "L" word.

In France each village is in a "commune" which in turn is in a "canton" which is in the "sous prefecture" which is in the "departement" which is within a "region".

Our commune is "L", which falls under the canton of Mareuil sur Belle, which comes under the "sous-prefecture" of Nontron, which is in the Dordogne, which is in the Aquitaine region of France.

If I have got this wrong then no doubt someone will correct me, but I think that is how it works.

Have I broken the jinx?

The quilt for Sophie

She hasn't been doing too well recently so this should cheer her up. It will start its journey on Monday.

I also managed to do 2 more squares for the string project yesterday so perhaps the jinx has been broken.

Thanks for all your lovely comments and for the support and encouragement. You are all a great bunch!


Oh my goodness - that photo is awful. Please be patient. I will try to upload a better one tomorrow.

That's better!

Real Men Can Do Patchwork

Made for Quilts for Leukaemia by Ian in France

Fabric

There has been a sort of mix up on the fabric purchases the other day (see this post).

The fabric at the bottom with the roses on it is not for Tamzin's wedding quilt. It is the backing for the Qs4L quilt, bought in bulk cos I love it so much and just in case they run out!

WiP Wednesday

Not a lot to report - the gas has run out!

Sophie's quilt is being tied and have nearly finished the quilting on Crazy Scraps.

So much for finishing by the end of this week.

A Purchase ..................

Went up to Javerlhac yesterday to get some more backing for the Qs4L quilts (loads left so no need to panic - yet) and on the next rack along spotted these colours which called to me. These are going to be for Tamzin's wedding quilt - waddyafink Tonya? The fabric on the top is going to be the border.

I am now disappearing off into the land of quilts - I'm running on gas!

WiP Wednesday

A good'ish week I think.

Nancy's Heartstrings are finished and waiting
to start their journey across the pond to Texas. As she is very kindly doing me a 9 patch red and white top for Quilts 4 Leukaemia, she will probably get some more out of me, but not yet as

....................

I have started Sophie's Leukaemia quilt.


This one has been put together by my Alexandra. We have blocks from Turkey, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the UK and America.

I have sashed together the bottom 2 rows and should have this finished, hopefully, by the end of next week.

My Crazy Scraps Challenge quilt is nearly there. Hopefully another finish next week.

Stash Bustin'

Thanks to Kim at A Peach in Stitches for allowing me to use her Badge again this year.

There was a slight weakening when I was back in the UK, but now that I am home and pegging away at Quilts 4 Leukaemia quilts, Crazy Scraps and one or two other bits and pieces, there is no need to buy fabric this month!

Quilts 4 Leukaemia

Another update.

Check it out here.

Edited 15th January - Thanks Susan for telling me that the link doesn't work. It does now!

Quilts 4 Leukaemia

Please check the update here.

We have made one boy very happy.