Pin It Weekly #304

I've had some sad things going on--one of my sisters was just diagnosed with leukemia. She started her chemo over the weekend. She is 57. A very private person, she hasn't told many people. 

Doctors expect that she will begin losing her hair in about two weeks. Mention of it upsets her, so we're trying to help her deal with it slowly. In the meantime, I've begun looking for chemo hats and scarves that I can make for her. 

Seat belt protectors for those with chest ports

If all goes well, she will be finishing up her chemo at about the same time that she turns 58. The most recent news is wonderful: she may not need a bone marrow transplant.

Pinterest has many ideas for helping cancer/chemo patients. From scripture cards to mouth sore relief. 

 

I started out looking for patterns to make some hats or scarves for my sister but found oh-so-much more. 

I hope that you have found something useful in this post if you have a cancer patient in your life or if you just have an altruistic heart. Cancer hospitals and chemotherapy clinics are probably always happy to accept some of these for their patients. 

My Mom

I really miss my mother.  She passed away two years ago and on days like yesterday, I find it especially difficult to think about her. She was a beautiful, kind woman and though she suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, she rarely complained.  I am especially grateful that God did not allow her to suffer pain from the cancer that finally ended her life.  

My sister and I bought flowers for mom and dad's grave, and I went to the cemetery on Saturday to put them out.  This time we chose bright oranges and yellows.    

I like to think that momma would be proud of my life, my quilting and my family.  Richard and I have tried to live a simple, God-centered life on our little farm.  

Because we were able to share our love of quilting, I like to think that mom is still part of that.  I use some of her fabrics on occasion and remember the quilts she made.  If she can hear my thoughts and watch me from above, she knows how much she influenced me and keeps up with my progress.  I pray that is true.

I'd love to tell her about some of the work I'm doing now....the American Made Brand license plate, my interest in modern quilts, and my barn themed art quilts.  One day maybe I will, but not too soon, I hope, because there are still lots of quilts to be made .

Relay for Life Quilt

When our daughter-in-law Stacey sent a Facebook note asking for a small quilt to help her Relay for Life team raise money, I gladly agreed.  I had made this pretty little green quilt some time ago and thought it would be a good one for Relay for Life since the green makes it a bit neutral.

So this morning I took a couple of pictures, wrapped it up and packed it off.  Richard was supposed to drop it off at Stacey's this morning.  I thought I'd share my idea for keeping it clean.  I recently bought new sheets and kept the zippered plastic bag after tossing out the paper.  Since this little quilt will be traveling around to raise money, keeping it clean may be difficult and this should help.  

Of course, I had to fold the quilt up rather tightly to stuff it in, but once it was zipped up it relaxed some.

It's a scrappy, soft little quilt that I made by piecing large sections and straightening/squaring the sides before stitching the sections together.  I didn't have the long-arm at the time, so I quilted it using the specialty stitches on the Bernina.

How about those closed eyes?  90% of my pictures end up looking like this--one of the many reasons I hate taking pictures.
Happy quilting,
Mary

Excited Granddaughters and Relay for Life Event

Last weekend I made a few small purses for our little granddaughters who are three year olds (read the post here).  Marley got her purse on Sunday and on Monday Richard mailed off the other two purses.

 
 








I packed everything up into a box on Sunday and got a very excited phone call on Wednesday with Caki and Sophie both trying to say thank you at the same time. 

That was an interesting call!  I asked about the shorts that I'd made and tucked into the corners, but neither of the girls had noticed the shorts.  Caki knew that I was making the purses and was so excited that, when she grabbed one purse, the pair of shorts flew to the floor where her dad found it.  I don't know whether they fit quite yet, they'll try the shorts on this weekend, if it warms up enough!

Also this weekend is the Avoyelles Relay for Life event.  I purchased a few luminaries for my mom and grandmother.  Because I also helped in decorating the luminaries, I was able to decorate their bags myself.

 I got a few of my students involved, and of course the Betas and Explorer Club students, so that Mrs. Higgy, our in-house RfL guru and luminaria chairperson, was able to get all the bags decorated and ready for tomorrow's big day.  It's a good feeling to know that we helped in a small way to raise money for cancer research and to help cancer victims. 

  

The front of the bags.

These are the bags for my mom, Ellen, and for Ma-ma, my grandmother Volcie.  Both were cancer victims just before their deaths, although Ma-ma's cancer of the blood lasted for three or four years.  Mom's cancer was much more aggressive.  

The back of the bag in the
center names all eight of us
girls on one of mom's bags.

My one consolation is that neither one was in much pain.  I've heard and seen horror stories of pain and agony from cancer and am grateful that I did not see that with the two women who raised me and were such wonderful influences in my life. 

When is your Relay for Life walk?  Do you participate?  In whose memory or honor?  I'd love to hear from you!

Daniel's Quilt.....as promised

One of my students is a young man who found out only a month or so ago that he has cancer.  Two surgeries later and he is now facing the possibility of chemotherapy or radiation.  Although he went through surgery well and is okay now, he's not back at school nor is he expected back very soon.  

I've been quite worried about him and have been praying for him.  I've even asked his classmates to pray for him, especially on the day that Daniel had surgery.  We've signed some large poster paper "cards" with lots of well-wishes.  I wanted to do something else, though.  Daniel is such a sweet young man--quiet and hard-working and stoic.  He's handling his illness very well and has proven to me that 17 year olds can handle the toughest news with grace and strength.  

So, wanting to do more, I asked the kids to bring in school tee shirts, but that really didn't go over very well.  I gave up the tee shirt quilt idea and decided to make him a quilt using some of the many blues in my stash.  

That's the quilt pictured here.  I plan to deliver it in a few days, but first his classmates will have a chance to write well-wishes and sign it.  Definitely I want to deliver it before the Thanksgiving holidays begin.  I am sure that if he does have an additional therapy, it will begin soon and I'd like for him to have this quilt before that begins.  

a close up photo

showing two corners of the back....I used some color but
also some white so we can have more room for signatures.

Please leave a comment telling me what you think of the quilt and, more importantly, please say a prayer or two for Daniel. I'll pass along the prayers and wishes.

Noticed the little paws on the bottom edge of the quilt?
Those little Maltese stinkers make it difficult to do anything on the floor.

Happy Quilting,
Mary