Please Enjoy!

For the next few weeks I will be traveling in India with my daughter and son-in-law while my dear husband holds down the fort at home. We will mainly be in the province of Kerala south of Kochi in the village of Alleppey. You can see Kochi and Kerala marked on this map - why Kerala is marked as it is a province, not a town, is not clear to me but, at least, this gives you a general idea of where we will be.

My blog will stay active while I am traveling as I have prepared a series of posts in advance but I probably won't be able to respond to any comments till I return. I hope you will understand. Promise to bring back many wonderful photos to share.

And, more progress!

While Irene swirled up the East Coast of the U.S., I was busy beading. Totally coincidentally, part of my plan was to bead some swirls into the center of my current piece. So, there I was sewing swirling beads while the weather bureau filled our television screen with swirling hurricane images. I like mine a lot more!

You can also get a glimpse of some of the decorative stitching and quilting lines for the center of my piece. I am more than half-way through the beading process. I am not sure which is more tedious - stitching the swirls throughout the center of the quilt or threading and knotting invisible thread to individually sew some 20 or more beads that I fell in love with at my local bead store, Bead Breakout.

However, I am nearing completion. Already, I am planning for my next set of projects!

Hungry in America

ABC news has had a series of reports this week on the number of hungry children in America. The numbers are staggering.

"Homeless" -  Judy Warner

According to a website article:  "As many as 17 million children nationwide are struggling with what is known as food insecurity. To put it another way, one in four children in the country is living without consistent access to enough nutritious food to live a healthy life, according to the study, "Map the Meal Child Food Insecurity 2011."



Here is another startling statement: "In fact, a shocking 49 percent of all babies born in the U.S. are born to families receiving food supplements from the WIC program, according to Jean Daniel, spokesperson for the USDA." [WIC, a supplemental food program that provides tailored food supplements to pregnant women and families with children under age 5 whose household income is less than 185 percent of the gross federal poverty limit. That's an annual gross income of $41,348 for a family of four.]


 In a related web article, there is a list of ways that you can help including supporting your local food bank, or contributing $10 by texting FEED to 50555.

I will be flying off to India later next week and much of the time will be spent in an area where poverty is rampant and families go hungry. I found the ABCNews reports a stark reminder that hunger is not just 'over there' but right here in my own backyard.  Hope that you can take the time to check out some of the stories and choose a way to contribute in your own community.

Making Progress

I am continuing to work on my latest piece that I last reported on in the beginning of August. It has come a long way since then and I would love to have most of the quilting done before I take off on a two week trip at the end of next week.

I finished piecing the outer and inner areas. Here is a view of how that proceeded.

Now I have added some pieces that I best call 'lightning strikes' to the background of the quilt.

 Right now, I am working on quilting the piece. Will let you know how that develops.

A Simple Project

September 11 is approaching. Having grown up in the environs of the tragedy, it is always a difficult time for me. I was fortunate, in one sense, as anyone I knew in the buildings managed to escape before they crashed. But, always, the date brings sadness. This year I will be in India on Sept. 11 and I have wondered what that will be like.

A project came to light in the many emails that I receive that has given me a way to make a statement, feel part of a community that looks for the positive in that terrifying event. I thought I would share news of the project in case it interests you as well.

Called One Common Thread For Peace, everyone is asked to cut a 12-inch strip of ribbon, fabric or some other knot-able material, write a message of hope on it or simply sign your name, and send it to:

Human Thread Center

645 W. 18^th Street

Chicago, IL 60616

There, the individual “threads” will be tied together and transformed into a work of art symbolizing our collective hopes for a more unified and peaceful world. The artwork will be unveiled as part of a 9/11 commemorative event in Chicago. 

The project is co-sponsored by the Chicago Fringe Festival and Human Thread.

They have certainly made it simple to participate! My plate is full in many ways these days but I suspect that on 9/11 I will find a bit of peace in knowing that I have made a statement in my own way to commemorate the date.

A Surprise Show!

Last weekend my aikido dojo hosted our Sensei from Japan for a workshop. On Saturday, we planned a catered lunch in another part of the building where we rent. We didn't get to see the room until Friday morning when a few of us went to fix it up. After washing the floor and walls, it looked pretty dull.

So, since I still had a few hours till our Sensei would arrive in town, I drove back home and gathered up some of my quilts. I probably set a record for hanging a room of quilts. It was just the touch that was needed to perk up the room. Once we added some flowers, the food, and had some music playing, it really turned into a nice relaxing spot for lunch in the midst of our seminar.

So, I guess you could say that I had my first solo show. Everyone enjoyed seeing another aspect of my life. And, I have to admit, the quilts did look pretty nice hanging in the space.

A Moment's Pause

A few weeks ago I was driving along one of the busier streets in our area. Slowly a line of geese began to cross the highway. For once, my iPhone was near and I grabbed it. I am happy to report that all geese safely crossed the road - one car cut it really close and I held my breath for a bit. It is sort of nice to know that despite all our busyness, we all were willing to wait and allow this flock to cross the road safely.