1,921 and counting

One thousand nine hundred twenty-one
That's the number of IBOLs received so far as of yesterday!

The total will increase as my IBOLs are still in transit, along with countless others. How exciting that over 1,000 Iraqi women will soon be receiving fabric and notions from well-wishers around the globe. I am amazed at how the internet shrinks the size of our world, the distance between far-flung places. Don't you agree?

As Maj. IBOL Guy (a.k.a. Maj. Art LaFlamme) works out a distribution plan, we must wait patiently for news of the next phase. One can only hope that this project will continue or relocate (maybe to Afghanistan?) in some form or fashion....

Dream big!

Check the latest news on the IBOL blog.

IBOL is on Facebook too.

Click here for an article in the Honolulu Advertiser.

Generous hearts - quilters helping others - does it get any better than this?

Two IBOLs

I managed to package two IBOLs to send to Iraq and did not even make a small dent in the over-abundance that is mine.


As you can see, by following the specified directions (click here), the bundle of sewing items (fabric, yarns, notions, etc.) will be easy to unpack and deliver to two Iraqi women.


I am hopeful that this program will be continued in some manner -- and will post here if I learn that this happens. But even if it stops now, the current count of IBOLs arriving in Iraq has far surpassed the IBOL Guy's original dream. Quilters make me smile when I see evidence of their generosity.

Meanwhile, I have learned of other groups that send care packages to our American military personnel (men and women) stationed in Iraq and elsewhere. Click here and here for information on two of these.
Continue to pray for peace in our world in our lifetime....

... it could happen ....


Before you go, click here to see the warehouse where all the IBOLs (mine included) will be kept until the distributition. Approximately 500 have been received as of this posting, and that number is sure to double or triple (that's my humble guess).
I can hardly wait to see what the final total is!

Hurry & purge/share

I have just learned of an amazing project called Iraqi Bundles of Love (or IBOL). It is a simple idea dreamed up by one of our American soldiers in Iraq who is about to return home. The IBOL guy wants to leave something positive behind in Iraq by helping women in the war-torn region get back on their feet.

To help with his vision, gather a bit of your fabrics (plain or prints, simple is best, any is appreciated), thread, yarn, needles and such that you are happy to send to another with far less (click here for more on "what to send"). Stop by your local post office and pick up a large size APO flat rate box (or more than one). Click here to see how "to bundle" your gift. Then gather, pack, label, and send (costs $11.95 to ship to APO address). It is that easy.

Click here for a photo of one IBOL that arrived.

Here's the catch -- your IBOL Must be Mailed by Tuesday, September 8, 2009 to reach its new home in time.

Click here and here for more photos of arriving IBOLs. (sorry, I am unable upload images directly so you'll have to click to see them).

Thank you to Karey Bresenhan, Director of the International Quilt Festival (Houston, Chicago, Long Beach) who shared news about it through the Quilts, Inc website (click here to see her message) and has started the Festival Brigade. I heard about it via contacts that all link back to Karey.
Thank you to the many quilters, knitters, and crafters who have shared their bounty with these Iraqi women, including Sew, Mama, Sew! who coordinated the first large effort of over 150 IBOLs (click here for her cute photos - love the baby!) and Happy Zombie for the IBOL button (click here to get yours) as seen in sidebar of my blog.


Join this incredible effort to make a difference.


I will close with Karey's words:

I know how much receiving a Bundle of Love would mean to me if I were living in the conditions the Iraqi women endure, and I urge you to take action IMMEDIATELY to participate in this fine project. What an impact this can make.
* The extra stash was paid for long ago.
* The postage will run $11.95 if you use the APO flat-rate box.
* The box is free.
* The goodwill is priceless.


Please excuse me now, as I have fabric and thread to bundle and send .... email me for the address (or there are links in Karey's message too).

new beginnings

Summer has ended.

A new school year has begun.

It is time to return to a scheduled routine .... but before I can do that, a quick reflection on completed tasks and goals met during the lazy pace that comes with summer.

As well as progress made on outstanding - unfinished - projects  .... or maybe I'll go read a good book instead!

2009 Breaking Traditions ....

With this year's theme of Home, proceeds benefiting A Place to Bark, my earliest idea for this exhibit was of my cat Tabitha. She was a wonderful calico kitten -- a birthday gift many moons ago when my family first moved to Texas in the middle of my sixth grade year. Growing up military, I was accustomed to moving and perpetually being the new student in school, but this was the first time we moved during the school year, and we moved just before my birthday. My frequent request for a kitten was finally granted that year. Tabitha brightened my childhood, living to a ripe old age of nearly 15.

However my quilt for this year's Breaking Tradition show is not of a cat. In fact here is an early photo ....


Instead of memorializing my beloved pet (and also honoring the beneficiaries of this year's show), I began creating a yellow brick house. The bricks are made of hand-torn handmade yellow paper. This was taken while auditioning backgrounds .... needless to say, this batik did not survive the cut.

To personalize my little home, I added photos of my dearest ones in the windows -- and yours truly is about to walk through the front door.


Inspired by two Beyond the Border's friends Connie Fahrion (with her thread trash technique and article in Quilting Arts) and Mary Ann Littlejohn (with her free-motion embroidery tree postcard), I created a tree for the sideyard of my quilt.

I was surprised at the fun I had playing and creating with loose threads and yarns. Thank you Connie & Mary Ann for the inspiration!

Also, thank you Lynn Krawczyk for changing the orginal 'must receive by' date to a 'must postmark by' date, as this enabled me time to finish and mail my entry in time for this year's show!

To see a full view of my finished quilt, stay tuned for the opening of the 2009 Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit later in September at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan.

I get by ...

I get by with a little help from my friends

Hannah Mallon, organizer of the recent QGGH quilt show, made this quilt for the theme challenge, Houston Undercover. (Where did she find the time?) The show was a wonderful success. I am guessing that Hannah will down play her hard work and give all the credit to the help received from her friends, as many stepped up to assist with the multitude of tasks that come with putting on a quilt show. Congrats again to Hannah and all her friends for an excellent show!

I love the memories her quilt conjures up, not only with the title but also with the familiar Pink Panther lounging on the park bench.

The BTB forest

Beyond the Branches

Here is our finished piece from my Beyond the Borders (BTB) challenge to make a "Tree" quilt with these two restrictions:

1) The color green may not be used.
2) The size must by 20" long and 6" - 12" wide.

It is quite fun to see everyone's tree together our funky forest!
I am still confirming which tree belongs to which friend but believe this may be correct:

Trees on the top row, left to right:
Ann Schafer, Susan King (Monarchs in the Pine Boughs), Rex Watson, Susan Byrne, Susan Carter

Middle row:
Ann Schafer, Bethany Carter, Elaine Connelly, who?, Janice Daniel McKeehan

Lowest row:
Cheryl Johnson, Jo Sweet, Cathy Winter (Solitude), Connie Fahrion and Sara Sissenwein Norris



Congrats to the group -- We have won our Second Honorable Mention ribbon (the first was for our Pizza quilt at the last QGGH show).