Two More for AAQI

Golden Afternoon, PQ No. 8417

Teresa and Cheryl of Quilting in the Grove quilt guild

made these two Priority Quilts and presented them to me

following my recent trunk show presentation.

I added the hot fix crystals, named the quilts, 

and registered them with AAQI.

Autumn Gold, PQ No. 8418

Both of these Priority Quilts are now on their way . . . 

You can read more about them

here and here.

(their official photos will appear once the registration process is complete)

Thanks again to Teresa and Cheryl 

and to all the ladies of Quilting in the Grove!

Quiltdivajulie

Study in Contrasts

Detail - Superior's Shore

This was my personal challenge:  

To create a series of Priority Quilts using only black & white with blues 

AND

to quilt each one myself

AND 

to get them registered and in the mail by September 1st.

Study in Contrasts - the quilts

I am ELATED to report that all 10 PQs are completely finished!!

Detail - Yin Yang

Not only are they finished,

they're registered AND they are going in the mail today!

(after spending the day on display at my office)

Detail - Days at the Beach

I played ~ using a variety of threads

(Sulky rayon, Star cotton, and Superior glitter),

a variety of stitching styles

(I even attached and actually used my BSR,

which was the main reason I bought the Bernina 440),

AND indulging myself with elements from my stash of crystals and buttons.

Handle With Care (I Bruise Easily)

DH took studio portraits like this of each PQ

using the set-up he uses to photograph his woodturnings.

Later, after the labels were in place,

I took the quilts outdoors for a quick front & back photo shoot

(it gets dark a LOT earlier than it did only a week ago!).

Detail - Turquoise Sunset

You can see the whole series of photos by clicking here for the Picasa album.

(If you look closely, or zoom in, you can even read the quotations on the labels.)

Detail - Synergy

You can also follow the links to each PQ's individual AAQI webpage

by clicking over to My AAQI Journey blog page and scrolling down to numbers 78 through 87.

("Official" photos will be added once the quilts are received and processed)

* * * 

I'm looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend . . .

See ya'll again next week!

Quiltdivajulie

One Quilt at a Time

Click twice to super size photo

Any of you who follow my blog

already know that I'm a big supporter

of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

In addition to making and donating Priority Quilts,

I have purchased the ones you see in the photo above

(along with several others that have been gifted).

Normally, these are pinned on my design wall

or hung at my day-job desk ...

...but for now, they've been gathered all in one place

as I prepare for my trunk show next month.

[The PQ in the lower right hand corner

was created to hang in portrait orientation ~

but in order to make things fit, I turned it sideways.

Seeing it "wrong" in this photo is bugging me no end,

so these will be re-arranged (again) before they go to Mississippi with me!]

* * *

Did you know AAQI awarded their EIGHTH research grant recently!?!

True to their word, AAQI is truly

"Raising awareness and funding research through art, one quilt at a time."

* * *

AAQI Auction Note:

The quilts in the AAQI auction this month (August 1-10)

are from AAQI's now-retired traveling exhibit Forgetting Piece by Piece.

I saw that exhibit when it opened at Nashville in 2006

and I found my "voice" as I spent time with those quilts,

tissues in hand and heart in my throat

(my mother had lost her struggle with Alzheimer's just a year earlier).

I've put two of these on my birthday wish list . . . 

* * * 

Looking forward to the weekend and

time to decompress after an especially intense work week.

Stitching time would be good, too.

See ya'll on Monday!

Quiltdivajulie

--------------

p.s.  The piece hanging in the window (above the PQ display board) is Pojagi (Korean patchwork) done by Victoria (her blog is The Silly BooDilly).  If you've never seen her work, here's the link to her Etsy store.

76, 77 and a Surprise!

Green Lanterns

 After a MUCH too long dry spell,

these two Priority Quilts are in the mail 

to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Which Way Did She Go?

Both quilts have free motion quilting 

(thanks to Em for the motivation to GET BUSY)

and will count towards the 2011 tally for the

 AAQI Liberated Quilting Challenge.

Here's hoping it won't be another year before I make my 78th PQ!

Now for the SURPRISE:

I was going to go to Knoxville to view
the new AAQI traveling exhibit,
but the fever and yuck kept me home.

What a surprise to find a news article
from the Knoxville newspaper with
a 6-photo gallery from the show . . .
with MY Priority Quilt in the gallery!

PHOTO BY AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS

"The Puzzle Known as Alzheimer's" by Julie Sefton of Bartlett, TN (right). The piece was part of Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope exhibit, on display during the third annual American Quilter's Society Quilt Show and Contest at the Knoxville Convention Center on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Click here to see the article.

and below to see the full

Knoxville News Photo Gallery

 

Quiltdivajulie

Red and Beyond . . .

November's Creativity Initiative prompt was "Red."

This is my piece ~ Beyond the Panes 

It has been registered as my 75th Priority Quilt

for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

(No. 6163)

in honor and memory of my mom (1916-2005)

who loved her rose bushes.

The Artist's Statement includes:

... remember to look through and beyond the physical limitations . . . 

. . . so many things, very close but yet just out of reach . . .

The AAQI episode of The Quilt Show is set to air!!

Quiltdivajulie

72...73...74... Plaid and More

Transitions - AAQI Priority Quilt No. 5748

Hold My Hand - AAQI Priority Quilt No. 5756



Rays of Sunshine - AAQI Priority Quilt No. 5757

Ami Simms, founder of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative,

put out a call a week or so ago for "a few more quilts"

to ensure that AAQI will have 1,000 Priority Quilts

to display and sell in their booth at  Houston.

The three shown above are going in the mail today.

Here you can see that I've added side border strips

and a row of Hoochy flying geese to the top

of my Plaid Happens flimsy.

(Photo does not show how very many different

black on black fabrics have been used)

Pieces are cut to make another row of

scrappy plaid Hoochy geese for the lower edge;

and then it will be onward to plaid letters, Mary Lou style!

For those of us who are waiting (anxiously)

to see Lynne's No Rules for Julie ~

her "man in the bloo shorts"

took an unplanned extra day to pick up the box,

so it will be at least Friday

before the NH box arrives at my TN office.

(Sigh)

Will share photos as soon as it is unpacked!

Quiltdivajulie

Transitions

Transitions

(Inspired by the Layered Waves work of Karen Eckmeier

and donated to AAQI with her permission)

TRANSITION:

passage: the act of passing from one state or place to the next

conversion: an event that results in a transformation

the process or an instance of passing from one form, state, or stage to another

cause to convert or undergo a transition:

 "the company had to transition the old practices to modern technology"

~ ~ ~

We spend our entire life making transitions ~

some large, some small.

Sometimes we know it is happening.

Other times we are blissfully unaware.

This month, my Creativity Initiative inspired

Priority Quilt Transitions honors those changes.

My mother’s favorite color was blue.

One of the last fun outings

she and my sister and I took

(just before the days of assisted living and nursing home care)

was to the shore of Lake Michigan

where we rolled up the legs of our jeans

and waded in the sun-sparkled water.

She was so tiny and frail . . .

but she giggled with delight

and didn’t want to leave.

My sister and I knew it would be one of the last fun trips.

My mother was blissfully unaware.

I wonder if she remembered those sparkling waves later?

Or the laughter?

Or the love?

~ ~ ~

Another monthly auction of AAQI Priority Quilts begins tomorrow here.

If you can, I hope you’ll bid generously ~

knowing that the dollars raised go to fund essential research

into Alzheimer’s Disease.

Three research grants have been given so far ~

and, with our continued efforts, more will be possible.

It is too late for my mother and thousands of others,

but we can do something now to make it better for those

who will come after us.

One quilt at a time . . .

Quiltdivajulie

I'm honored . . .

Why do I participate in and support the efforts of

the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative?

I do so in honor and memory of my mother

~ Lura b.1916 d. 2005 ~
. . . her life, her legacy, and her Alzheimer's journey.

Early on,

(photo above from 2006)

I created Priority Quilts 

as a way to work through my grief.

Now I stitch and remember  ~

and do what I can

to help make a difference,

one quilt at a time.

Today I learned that my Priority Quilt

The Puzzle Known as Alzheimer's

has been one of 41 PQs selected to be part of

the new traveling exhibit for AAQI.

The exhibit will also feature

the names of 10,000 individuals

who have or had Alzheimer's

on the 55-purple-patch name quilts.

Alzheimer's Illustrated:  From Heartbreak to Hope

will begin touring in January 2011.

I am truly honored to have a part in this exhibit

and its upcoming five year journey.

~~~

And, now that June has announced

her Creativity Initiative

prompt for July,

I've already started gathering ideas

for what will become my 71st PQ.

This month's theme is . . .

 Dream

Quiltdivajulie

Creativity Initiative - My June Finish

Here it is ... all finished (measuring in at 8-1/2" x 11").

Here's a peek at the back and the fast finish triangles (the lower edge was cropped slightly so my name and city don't show).

 Just Because has been registered as AAQI Priority Quilt No. 5372 (it hasn't been loaded up onto their website yet, but it will be soon).  [This is my 70th Priority Quilt ~ the full list is here.]

The July auction is in full swing - click here to check it out! 

Thanks to A Creative Dream for offering monthly motivation to get busy and create!

I wonder what our prompt will be for July?!?

Quiltdivajulie

Two More for AAQI

[click to enlarge]

[click to enlarge]

Earlier this week, I shipped both of these Priority Quilts to AAQI.  To look at these finished 9" x 12" quilts, it would be so easy to overlook how much thought and effort went into their creation ~ trust me, these two took A LOT.

The Puzzle Known as Alzheimer's has been gestating for months on end.  I had an image in my head of what I wanted to convey, but it has taken a very  loooooooong time to bring that thought to life.   The photos are of my mother, taken between the time she married my dad in 1937 until shortly before her death in 2005.  The crossword puzzle which overlays those photos features clues/words from the vocabulary of Alzheimer's.  I'm not sure why this project became so important, but this quilt truly demanded that I overcome multiple (!) technical issues.  [Hint - use a dry iron (not steam) when pressing freezer paper onto your fabric for printing in an inkjet printer.  And always prepare three or more pieces since Murphy's Law will be at work ~ I went through over a yard of fabric, 8-1/2 x 11" at a time.]

Canyon Flowers began as a piece that Chris quilted and gave to me to "do something with" ~ at least a year ago! The quilt has been finished for months, waiting for me to register and ship.

I took these PQs to work before they were shipped off ~ and it was most interesting to watch people's reactions.  Some responded quickly to the Southwest colors and sparkle of Canyon Flowers (touching the petals and moving the quilt so light would catch and reflect).  Others stood quietly and read each clue, their faces growing more and more somber as they worked through the puzzle.  At least two commented on the way the puzzle covered over several photos, yet allowed faces and eyes to peer out through the words.  I was thrilled that they "got it."

No matter how AAQI chooses to use these two quilts, they were created and donated to help raise awareness and fund research to benefit those who will come after us. 

Quiltdivajulie

Such a Sunday . . .

After spending ALL day Saturday wrangling with multiple softwares on two computers (one Mac, one Vista), far too much freezer-papered fabric, the ironing board, our recalcitrant inkjet printer, and the trash can, I was utterly exhausted.  Thanks to some much-needed intervention by DH, at 7:45 p.m., I finally had an acceptable version of the concept that has haunted my subconscious since the beginning of this year.  Why such persistence?  This is for a very special AAQI Priority Quilt in honor of my mom ~ one I hope will be meaningful enough to be included in the new From Heartbreak to Hope traveling exhibit Ami is putting together.
  

Sunday morning, DS the elder, his wife, and Tippy plus  DS the younger were here to prepare a delicious brunch for Mother's Day (roasted new potatoes with homegrown basil, quiche featuring locally produced sausage and several cheeses from the Nashville Trader Joe's, toasted fontina cheese sandwiches with Black Forest Ham and apple slices, mimosas, and locally-grown strawberries dipped in homemade chocolate sauce).  YUM!! There were fresh flowers for the table and a knockout rose bush to plant for flowers again and again and again.  

There has also been time for considerable handwork on the PQ and a newly-quilted quilt swap with Chris is planned for late in the day (lots of binding to be done - woo hoo!!).  

Delightful . . . I hope your day has been wonderful, too!

Quiltdivajulie

Four More

These four are my 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Priority Quilts for 2009 (bringing my grand total to 67). And, in case you haven't heard about the very special vintage quilt auction going on to raise research funds for AAQI, click here to learn more!

Don't you just love the little teddy bear sweater on I Love Hugs?!


Garden of Friends was hand embroidered many years ago and spent much of its life as a pillow. Now it has been re-worked into a Priority Quilt (it really is straighter than the photo shows).

Serenity is a collaborative Priority Quilt. Wanda from Exuberant Color sent me some orphan blocks a while back. I added batiks from my stash to her center block. Chris then quilted the piece.

Elsie's Potholder features a vintage crocheted potholder appliqued onto a gorgeous vanilla paisley. Elsie was my paternal grandmother.

Still stitching binding on the recent group of quilts that Chris returned over the last couple of weeks ~ stay tuned for more finish photos soon.

Quiltdivajulie

Sneak Peak - Feverish

Feverish is ready to go to Chris for quilting ~ the photo gives you a hint of what's to come . . . if things go as planned, Chris and I are supposed to catch up with each other this weekend so we can swap the ones she's quilted  with Feverish and Laurel & Freddy plus a couple of Priority Quilts that have appeared over the last week or so.  After the last couple of months, it feels good to have some sparks of creativity back.

Spent an hour or so last night cleaning up the studio ~ it never ceases to amaze me how fast that room turns into a disaster area.  

Looking forward to the weekend!

Quiltdivajulie

Fumble Fingers

This is my latest Priority Quilt for AAQI ~ did you see the annual report issued by the Alzheimer's Association yesterday? Their full 2009 report is 80 pages long ~ but the news release gives you a very good overview.

Bottom line: we ALL need to be concerned about this disease and its impact on our lives.

Fumble Fingers is made of soft, fuzzy chenille and is a deliberately tactile piece. Agitation (including sundowning) is all too common for Alzheimer's patients. As my mother's disease progressed, she spent so many hours fondling the edges of her bedcovers, her lap quilt First Star to the Right, the hems of her clothing, and any other edges she could rub between her fingers.

I have 3 other PQs in various stages of completion ~ will share their photos soon.

Quiltdivajulie
------------------------------
“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

First Finish of 2009 - Your Thoughts??

This is my first official finish for 2009 - a collaborative Priority Quilt that still needs a name. Suggestions?? [each of the photos will enlarge when clicked upon]

I've posted photos of it turned all four ways ~ I can't decide which one I like the best... do you have a preference (top is 1, then 2, then 3, and the bottom one is 4).



Truly a collaborative effort, Wanda pieced an oversize batik block and sent it to me to turn into a PQ for AAQI and Chris added the quilting using the Shiva panto.

So now you have the opportunity to add your suggestions for its orientation and its name. It's an awesome little quilt!

Quiltdivajulie

---------------------------
"One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. Which road do I take? she asked. Where do you want to go? was his response. I don't know, Alice answered. Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter.” (Lewis Carroll)

Pushing Through ~

Spent this four-day weekend taking down and putting away all the holiday decor plus major house cleaning (our annual after-the-holidays ritual)... so much gets out of balance this time of year. Between the should's and the need-to's plus my own struggles with SAD, I haven't spent much time in the quilt studio (there's been a major creative crisis of confidence).

Finally, this afternoon, I was able to spend some time tidying up the studio and cut coins for Kitty Chaos, a scrappy cat-themed Chinese Coins quilt for my MIL (photo above shows an assembled 20" uncut strip set that will be used on the pieced back). I really need this kind of project to ease myself back into the groove...

I also managed to trim up and prepare binding strips/fast finish triangles for four collaborative Priority Quilts for AAQI. (shown above). Chris finished quilting these in early December. Wanda and Karen, do you recognize your orphan blocks?

These are the three ties that will be used in my January block of the month. I haven't chosen a pattern yet. The ties were pressed and lightly starched (Mary Ellen's Best Press) just after I took this slightly blurry photo so I could see just how much fabric I'll have to work with. This will be one of my first piecing with silk efforts...

It's back to the office tomorrow ~

Quiltdivajulie

----------------------------

"It is not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." (Author Unknown)

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today would have been her 92nd birthday. . .
Mom's long struggle with Alzheimer's is what has and continues to motivate my participation in and support of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative
and particularly AAQI's Priority Quilts.

My 2006-2007 PQs

My 2008 PQs

- - - - -

"And so our mothers and grandmothers have,
more often than not anonymously,
handed on the creative spark,
the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see,
or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read."
(Alice Walker)

- - - - -

Quiltdivajulie

Goosebumps and a Priority Quilt ~

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work; you don't give up." (Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life)

If you look back at yesterday's post, you'll see the central section of this PQ mixed in with the other fabrics sent by Claire from California. I knew that I wanted to make this quilt for the Priority Hope Challenge from the time I first saw that scrap. I e-mailed Claire to share my excitement and told her about the quote I'd chosen ~ her reply came back quickly. She had used the fabric in a wall quilt for her sister's completion of cancer chemo... (goosebumps).

"The Dawn Will Come" is my 25th PQ for 2008 and it's ready to be registered with AAQI as soon as they return from Houston. What a wonderful way to have spent last evening ~ creating, stitching, and completing...

Quiltdivajulie

p.s. Notice the dragonflies in the companion scrap I pulled from Claire's assortment of fabrics? "Dragonflies are reminders that we are light and can reflect the light in powerful ways if we choose to do so. "Let there be light" is the divine prompting creative imagination as a force within your life. They [dragonflies] help you to see through your illusions and allow your own light to shine in a new vision."

Truly Amazing...

Please take a few moments to read this post on Ami's blog.  There's a link near the end that leads you to a slide presentation about the Quilt of Purple Patches (shown above).  

I'm thrilled beyond words to have had the opportunity to participate in this amazing project ~ and for any of you headed to Houston, PLEASE stop by the AAQI booth!!

Quiltdivajulie

Priority Hope Challenge / Class

H O P E

Have you seen Tonya's newest class blog?   Free-piecing for a cause!  

And it's all extra exciting because Tonya has deputized me as her assistant!  

So, I'm adding my personal invitation to teach of you to participate, even if you've never made a free-pieced letter in your life.  The 9" x 12" scale of a Priority Quilt means you are not making a commitment that takes months on end to complete.  In fact, the goal is to have these projects done, registered, and shipped by Thanksgiving (before the hectic month of December begins).   That is TOTALLY doable!

I plan to get my first top organized and maybe stitched today ~ then I'll have the small "canvas" to quilt and embellish.  What fun! 

This will be Priority Quilt No. 55 for me ~ and today is my 55th birthday.  Who could have known?!?!?!?!?

Pop on over to the Priority Hope Challenge blog and then grab those small pieces of your favorite fabrics to make your own class project!

Quiltdivajulie

----------------------------

World Alzheimer's Day - September 21, 2008 

Have you put a Virtual Quilt Purple Patch on your blog?