UFO Progress

Completed first of four additional applique blocks for the UFO I am finishing up for 2013. 

I love doing the dimensional applique, and I'm really glad I stuck with it for this quilt. Nothing else seemed to work for me.

Also: here are three little quilts for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Iniative. These may be the final three I get done before they shut down this year. Hopefully they will sell either online or at Houston.

I was trying to think of something else to do to the little patchwork on the left but my daughter said,  "leave it, Mom. Sometimes simple is best." So since I was tired to thinking about it, I took her advice.

I may get one or two more finished but I doubt it.I am putting all my sewing energy into completing as many UFOs as possible, I have a baby quilt to do, some stuff to get done by May for the Bassett Hound Rescue fundraiser (I don't have bassets but my sister in law does), and I need to do A LOT of garment sewing for myself and my sister in law. I have a huge pile of new fabric to work my way through. Not complaining - sewing is my therapy. I just wish I had more time to do more of it.

This week: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell Thursday night at the Cobb Energy Center. I've been a devoted Emmylou Harris fan for 40 years or more - I bought her very first album and I have listened to few other artsts in recent years. This is the first time I've seen her in concert so I'm really excited.

Preparation

This weekend is dedicated to:

daughter's birthday
organizing UFOs
organizing and planning AAQI pieces
exercise :-) - where I'm headed in a few minutes.

Here are a couple of AAQI UFOs I've been mulling over for many months along with material and various and assorted other things I figure I can put to use. I have a few hundred $$ to go to fulfill my $1000 pledge.

My oldest daughter's birthday is tomorrow and traditionally we (my daughter, sister in law and I) go shopping on the Sunday closest to her birthday. We have breakfast at The Flying Biscuit, take in Ikea and Target, and then spend the rest of the day roaming around Atlantic Station. We look forward to this every year.

I'm cooking chicken pot pie for the family tonight and have found a recipe for a special cake which will be a complete surprise for my daughter. She usually gets the traditional chocolate layer cake, but she's 25 tomorrow and that calls for something special.

I think 2013 is off to a good start. Here's to sustaining that good feeling and positive action.

Daily Detail - May CQJP

It's coming along....

This is the weekly TAST stitch, knotted cretan although I only knotted half of it. :-) I couched a piece of blue/green ribbon, combined it with a detatched chain & added tiny buttons. It creates some nice texture.

The block is coming along, but I am a slow stitcher. Now I'm already into June and should be working on block number 6. 

Speaking of which, block 6 will take care of all my aunts who were part of the Wednesday quilting group. Then I get started on the middle part of the quilt, which I have some ideas about, and let's just say they are ambitious. It'll take a lot of discipline to follow through on that plan.

A lot of this was stitched while watching The Walking Dead. Anybody a fan? I thought the final episode of Season 2 was fantastic. I can't wait until October!

I'm happy to see that my little AAQI quilt (number 9587) is up to $90 and there are still several days to go. BID, BID, BID!

CQJP - Daily Detail

I was finally inspired, after receiving & pouring over Allie Aller's book,   with so many ideas for treating Mom's photo - this is what I wound up doing:

I love the vintage buttons here. This seems perfect to me, and I'm very happy with it.

Work on this block is going very slowly, not sure why. Allie's book really recharged my thought processes, though so I'm sure I will get a lot done this weekend...if I can stay off this computer!

Today is such a lovely day, very sunny but cool and breezy. I have the windows open, reminds me of home somehow. 

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and do stop by the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative June Auction to day - my quilt is up for auction - "For Aunt Mae".

Happy stitching!

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative - June Auction

I'm excited that one of my quilts  is up for auction this month.

 I had some silk fabric sent to me from quilters in Japan. When the Olympics were in Atlanta, Georgia quilters made and donated quilts for the athletic team and the Olympic committee chairperson for each country. My quilt was one that was chosen - it went to Nauru (I'd never heard of it either).  We also made miniature quilts for the Japanese teams in the Winter Olympics. Afterwards, a group of Japanese quilters sent each of us who had donated a quilt a package of lovely silk fabric. That's how long I had this fabric. the wide lace is from a vintage lace collar I found at an antique shop the the crocheted lace is from one of my old linens. The centerpiece of course is Debra's lovely embroidery. I worked on this partly as practice for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project and Take A Stitch Tuesday challenges.

Added: The auction begins June 1st!

News from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative received a thank you letter  from Dr. Domenico Praticò, Professor of Pharmacology at Temple University in response to receiving a research grant from the AAQI.  Please click through to read the story. This is the eleventh such grant from the AAQI, which has raised over $700,000 for Alzheimer's Research. This money -as you know - comes from the sale of small art quilts donated by quilters like you and me. Please support the AAQI by donating or purchasing a quilt!


Also, The May auction is right around the corner - May 1. Take a peek at the quilts that will be auctioned - please consider purchasing one:

AAQI for February

February AAQI.

I had a lovely machine embroidery from Debra  which inspired this quilt. The silks were given to me years ago. After the Atlanta Olympics - when local quilters donated quilts to the athletes - we also donated small quilts to the Japanese Olympics that winter.  Everyone who donated a quilt received several pieces of beautiful kimono silk from our Japanese counterparts. I've had those pieces all this time, and they seem to really complement the embroidered piece. Then, I have all this dupioni silk - or had, since I've used a lot of it. Holy cow does that stuff ravel! I replaced all of the binding once; then a portion of it yet again. In the process, one of the "fast finish triangles" that I use for hanging the quilt got turned down and I stitched over it, then had to do that over. Not at my best under pressure! The lace is from a vintage jabot I found at an antique place in Woodstock years ago. Depending on your definite of "vintage", this little quilt probably qualifies, because almost all of the materials are at least 20 years old, or older!

Here's a detail from my February cqjp block.  If I say I've had that button for years, you'll probably barf but it's true. I rarely throw anything out. I've got small scraps of fabric that go back 30 years. I drew a circle intending to do something quite different, then decided to use the flower pot button. Still it helped me keep my perspective on the flower placement. They're not too helter skelter I hope.

CQJP and TAST Week Two: Buttonhole stitch

This is a very conventional use of the buttonhole stitch but I promise embellishments are coming. 

What else have I been inspired to do:

A CQ block for a future AAQI donation. I came across an embroidered handkerchief and immediately did this before I got cold feet about using it. 

This is a future AAQI donation, too. The embroidered bird  is one of several Debra gave me awhile back for future AAQI quilts. Using my blanket stitchery skills here! 

While I was walking yesterday I had a couple more ideas that I will share later. I had a thought about how to collect all the TAST stitches and more Alzheimer quilts. I'm keeping file of ideas since this is going to be a busy year and I'm going to have to turn those out fairly easily. 

Blogger seems to be jumping back and forth between new and old blogging. I've heard from others that they were unable to leave comments for the past couple of days. I had that problem on Friday - I hope it's fixed because I love hearing from fellow quilters. This morning, I was getting both the old and new way of posting photos. 

Today is my annual outing with my daughters and sister in law. A couple of weeks after Christmas we pick somewhere to spend the day, have breakfast, and shop. For the past couple of years we've gone to Ikea and Atlantic Station. This time, the girls wanted to do Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. At those two posh places, I doubt much shopping will get done! Ca-ching, ca-ching! I rarely go to Buckhead any more - that's what happens when you move to the 'burbs: you lose your edge - so this should be fun. I lived for several years in the Peachtree Hills.  

Have fun stitching!

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

One of my quilts is for sale at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt website!

I just discovered this young lady who has an incredible voice. Sadly, she passed away in 1996.




I plan to download several songs from Amazon. Her version of "Blues In The Night" just blows me away.

AAQI Awards $30,000 to University of Michigan

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011 6:03 PM

Message body

Re posted, with permission, from Ami Simms:

On Monday volunteers from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) presented a check for $30,000 to Dr. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova at the Life Sciences Institute of the University of Michigan.  Dr. Garneau-Tsodikova and her research team will be using the money raised predominantly through the sale of donated quilts to develop multifunctional drugs for Alzheimer's disease.

Pictured above (from left to right) are:  Jacob L. Houghton, Todd J. Eckroat, Wenjing Chen, Keith D. Green, Rebecca A. Reed (kneeling),  Joshua J. Bornstein, Dr. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Ami Simms, Pat Holly (kneeling), Sue Nickels, Debbie Chenail, and Ruth Langdon.

It is unusual for researchers and those who fund them to ever meet. AAQI volunteers have had this opportunity three times. It is an extremely rewarding experience.

We bring quilts to explain our mission of raising awareness and funding research through art. Dr Garneau-Tsodikova's grandmother and aunt have Alzheimer's. She is motivated by their struggles with AD to work towards a cure.

We also bring Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts to sell. They become tangible reminders of the hope we all share that some day there will be a cure for this horrible disease.

 

It was truly amazing how science and art came together as Dr. Garneau-Tsodikova explained the work of her research team to quilters Pat Holly and Sue Nickels using a quilt from the AAQI traveling exhibit ("Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope") made by Mary Andrews. In the background are exhibit quilts by Mona Fallis and Gay Young Ousley.

For everyone who sews for the AAQI, I know you do so because you care deeply about finding a cure for Alzheimer's. Let me assure you that what you do matters. Every single stitch counts. Your art touches people in a most special way. Just look at the faces of the people below holding the quilts you made!

Together we CAN make a difference.

To everyone who supports the AAQI by making quilts, buying quilts, and through financial contributions to our nonprofit, please accept my personal and heartfelt thanks for the work you do to make the AAQI a reality.

Together we have raised more than $679,000 since the AAQI began in 2006. This is the 10th research project we have funded.

Thank you!

Ami Simms
Founder & Executive Director
Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

Disclosures

AAQI Raises $62,000 at Houston

From Ami Simms:

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) raised $62,000 during International Quilt Festival (IQF) in Houston , Texas . From November 2-6, 2011 , volunteers sold 1,141 Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts (mini quilts measuring 9" x 12" or less) breaking all previous sales records for the all-volunteer nonprofit organization.

Click here to see the quilts that sold in Houston.

This was the sixth year the AAQI was invited to display and sell Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts by IQF founder and director Karey Bresenhan. Brooke and John Flynn, from Billings , Montana , again sponsored the booth.

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative awarded $115,000 in grants in 2011, funding research at the University of Michigan , the University of Pittsburgh , and Cornell University . AAQI grants are made possible in large part from income generated by selling made by its supporters. Nearly 9,000 Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts have been donated since the effort began.

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is a national, grassroots charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope, a nationally touring exhibit of quilts about Alzheimer's, and the Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts project are two of its programs. The AAQI has raised more than $679,000 for Alzheimer’s research since January 2006. Ami Simms of Flint , Michigan is the founder and executive director of AAQI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Her mother had Alzheimer’s.

For more information on the AAQI or to make a donation, contact Ami Simms at 810-637-5586 ( 9 a.m – 3 p.m. Eastern), ami@alzquilt.org or www.alzquilts.org.

p.s. I'm so pleased to say that I had six miniature quilts at Houston this year that sold. This cause is so dear to my heart. 

AAQI Update

Beth Hartford is an AAQI Board Member and Priority: Alzheimers Art Quilt registrar. This post is about her purchase of one of the priority quilts at the Houston IQF this November.  If you have purchased or donated a quilt to this worthy cause, you should read this post.

The AAQI also recently held a Stanley Cup Quilt-Off which raised over $17,000.  Here are photos of the amazing and beautiful quilts that were donated, and the quilters who made them. 

It is a joy for me to make these quilts and donate them to a cause that is so dear to my heart: a cure for Alzheimer's Disease.  My mother and three of her siblings had Alzheimers and now my mother-in-law is suffering from the disease. To be able to do something I love, and that Mom and her sisters so enjoyed doing together, and also help fight the disease that took so many of them from us, is a privilege. 

December 2011 & January 2012 AAQI

Here are my December 2011 and January 2012 AAQI quilts. Very easy & simple but I imagine I'll be making quite a lot of this type of quilt for them this coming year. The first quilt is December 2011 and the second will be submitted for January.  Debra sent me a number of machine embroideries awhile back and this is one of them (my daughter fell in love it).  I'm trying to get some easy quilts done to submit to AAQI next year.  Once I've done 6 months worth of the Monthly Challenge, I may take the pressure off and drop out of that challenge, just concentrating on my $1,000 pledge. I'm more than halfway there but it may take next year's Houston Festival to reach the goal. There are just so many quilts being submitted at this point, people have a lot of choices. But that's perfectly fine with me. I know they sell tons at Houston and I'm happy to contribute.

Now that I'm ahead of that game, I plan on getting blocks ready for the CQJP 2012  and Take a Stitch Tuesday challenges. I'm joining a great group of quilters/stitchers and I'm excited and looking forward to a year of getting to know them all. Keep up with our progress at the Tuesday Stitchers blog. I'm honored to be part of this group!

Getting up a 4 am is not unusual for me but this morning not only did the dog need to go out but I got up to redo Stella's bandage by myself. Fortunately, she was uncharacteristically calm. I didn't eve have to hold on to her, she just sat there and meowed a few times. She did keep looking at me but it was more of a "Gee, thanks. That thing was nasty" look. Not like the other day:

 I don't know if you can see the eyes but they are totally dilated. When I see eyes like that on a cat I generally move slowly away.....

December Alzheimer's Art Quilt Auction

The AAQI December Auction begins in four days. Mini-quilts make great gifts. Like this one and this one and this and here.

All the quilts are donated by quilters around the United States. All proceeds go to the AAQI which supports research and awareness initiatives about Alzheimer's Disease. AAQI has raised more than $679,000 since January 2006.

Please support the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

In Other Quilting News

More pictures of my progress on the November AAQI quilt:

I chose a polka dot background since it's a little on the whimsical side and that's the direction I'm going with this:

Cut out the fusible pieces and placed on the outline. The fusible material I use allows you to reposition the pieces before ironing which is just great.

Finally the pieces in place - I'm pretty pleased except that she looks a little angry, which is not what the photo looks like. Some of the details were drawn and I have some more work to do but I'm pretty pleased with this first effort.

November AAQI and Houston

Right now my favorite thing is the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (November auction going on now, by the way [EDITED: Auction ends tonight!). November's AAQI monthly challenge - one of them - is a self-portrait so I decided to do a portrait of my daughter instead. She is a lot easier on the eyes. I read about the technique below on the Internet somewhere. Ah yes - it was the Interpret This! challenge hosted by Debra Spincic a while back.

I took a picture of my daughter doing what she does frequently, drinking coffee, then edited it on Piknik where you can choose an application called "posterize". This gives you a sort of outline which I traced with a big sharpie, then traced onto fusible web. Next step is to chose the fabrics.

I've never done this before so  I hope I don't get hung up on getting it "right". In fact I might go for some truly whimsical fabrics just to force myself out of that box.

I read Debra's rundown of the Houston quilt show and I pretty much agree with her assessment. I do love the Japanese quilts, however. I doubt I will ever tire of them. I know Debra likes lots of color and I do too but I love the elegance of the Japanese quilters. I agree with Debra - not much new, nothing really blew me away. I did love the 12 x 12 International Art Quilt Challenge which I thought was the most original exhibit there. Lots of inspiration in those pieces.

I'm kind of over the extreme machine quilting I see. The top honors for a couple of years have gone to phenomenal quilts but it make me wonder how much farther can this go?  It's certainly admirable and has it's place.  I really am more impressed with handwork:  applique is my favorite. The Baltimore Album quilts last year alone were worth the trip. Scrap quilts are a very, very close second.

It's all in the process for me. I love making quilts and giving them away or donating them. Quilting should be enjoyable for everybody and there is room for everybody. I've learned that every quilt I make doesn't have to be the best quilt in the world. But it sure is great to see those breathtaking examples of human creativity. 

Tomorrow: pictures of REAL authentic UFOs.

Inspired

I came back from the Houston Quilt Festival with a lot of pictures, inspiration, and good intentions. I have actually pulled out a UFO that I'm determined to finish. I've also committed to continue this blog, for what it's worth, and to minimize my time on the evil Facebook, the spawn of Satan. Moreover, I've moved all my sewing downstairs

which gives me more room although it needs a tiny bit of organization (I'm working on it, okay?). While I don't think I'll be  invited to join this crowd at least I'm not squeezed into a broom closet like before. (Also, nice shot of the trash can.)

Bonus: 

On the right is the lovely lady who bought one of my Alzheimer's Art Quilts. We shared not only a love of quilts but our names: both Deborahs and even had the same surname. . Hey, we even LOOK alike (a little). Got to meet Ami Simms, too. Four of my quilts sold at Houston!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the UFOs I have dragged out to salvage and hopefully finish--some early applique work. You can offer advice on how I should finish them.

September ALQ Quilt

I made this quilt some time ago but did not know where it was going. Didn't seem worthy to me. I took it out again and thought; 'beads'. Thst seems to be what it needed. I noticed after taking the photo that I had missed some areas where it needed more quilting so I took care of that. I'm pretty happy with it. I paper pieced each quadrant then stitched them together and appliqued the circle in the center. I used organdy ribbon for the binding.

The Stanley Cup Quilt-Off Has Begun

What's that wacky AAQI bunch up to now? Check out The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative blog to find out!

Everything you need to know is here.

Raising money for Alzheimer's Research!

August AAQI entry

This quilt is not wonky, it's the angle of the camera. I barely made the deadline, again, for the monthly quilt for the AAQI. It's been more like an every other month quilt pledge. I love this little sampler, which is based on patterns in the September 1994 QNM, in an article called "Mini Block Bonanza." I started some of them a long time ago, pulled them out & made a few more for this quilt.

It's dedicated to a friend who returned to nursing school and is now a gerontological nurse practitioner, working with Alzheimer's patients. She was a great friend when my mother was sick.