Category: 70273 (Page 27 of 28)

So You Want to Make a 70273 Block Without Sewing, Do You?

March 4, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Let’s say you want to make blocks for The 70273 Project but your arthritic fingers don’t want to cooperate. What to do?

You glue.

Six days after launching, my mother (Mother), my other mother (Mama Helen), my brother (Jerry or, as I call him, J3) and my sister-in-love (Robin) had ourselves a block party. Now here’s the thing, though they were enthusiastically eager to make a block, arthritis made it awfully hard and quite painful for Mother and Mama Helen. So what to do? Again I say, glue.

I got to work and auditioned several glues, and found this glue and this glue and this glue work swell. (I’m not done auditioning glues, so keep an eye on the sidebar for additions) – the fabric remains flexible and it holds like nobody’s business. Which it will need to do seeing as how these quilts will be rolled, unrolled, shipped, hung, taken down, and, well, you get the picture. The two red X’s have to stay put.

MamaHelenAndHerblock

The first important note: Mother and Mama Helen found the glue bottle hard to mash, so if that’s a problem for you and yours, you might want to pour some out on a piece of waxed paper and use a toothpick or popsicle stick to smear the glue to the back of the red fabric.

The second important note: If you click from the sidebar and purchase the item, The 70273 Project gets a few pennies in the coffer to help cover our costs. Thank you.

The third important note: I will be adding other items to our little Amazon shop, so check back. And hey, if you know of something we should add to our little storefront, please do let me know.

Back to making blocks . . .

MotherAndHerblock

Mother has decided that she’s gonna’ make 31 blocks in March, and she wants them all to be the small blocks to represent children who didn’t have a chance to grow up.

When she went to lay down the two red X’s, Robin, my sister-in-love, went quiet and said how good it felt to be a part of something bigger than herself.

This block party, by the way, is how we celebrated my birthday – a week late and there was a meal (cubed steak and mashed potatoes and a birthday cake with pink boiled icing just like my grandmother used to make me) that followed the block making activity.

Mother’s kitties, Lewis and Clark (warning: be real careful what you name baby kitties) joined in, too. And a good time was had by all.

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I am absolutely thrilled to be a guest blogger over at my friend Lori East’s e-nest today. Please do go by and wave at her, and take a few minutes while you’re there to enjoy her beautiful work and words. She’s a treasure, that one.

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The blocks are rolling in, and I’m cataloging them in my shiny new (well, 2 days old, but that’s new, right?) system. I’ll be posting them here, so subscribe (see below) cause you don’t want to miss a thing.

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Now remember to:
like our facebook page
follow our pinterest board
and subscribe for free home delivery
and please, please, please keep making those blocks.

The 70273 Project: Off and Running

March 2, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

The 31-Blocks-in-31-Days Event for The 70273 Project is off and running . . .

Barbara Atwell is off and making,
and spreading the word, getting others involved, too.

I met Fran Saperstein around the end of 2009, and let me tell you:
she’s one of those people whose heart shines through immediately.
And look – she’s keeping things interesting for the quilters
by making some vertical blocks!

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Having been gone for a week and a half,
we should be able to get by the post office
tomorrow when it’s open,
so stay tuned for more blocks and makers
as the week unfolds.
(I probably won’t sleep a wink tonight in anticipation!)

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Having spent most of today tinkering under the hood here at the blog.
I direct your attention to the lower right sidebar
where I’ve added a cute-as-all-get-out
working-on-the-goal graphic.
As the blocks come in,
the tube will fill till we get to the magic number:
70,273.
And oh what a celebration that will be.

I also added a directory in the sidebar
for The 70273 Project
to make it quicker and easier
to find specific posts
that might be helpful.

Thank y’all for the blocks I know you’re making.
I can’t wait to see them on Facebook.
Post on your timeline and tag me
or on my timeline
or on The 70273 Project ~~campfire~~ page.

Now I’m gonna’ be on the go
over the next few months,
so if you have a group you’d like me to speak to
or if you’d just like to meet for
a Krispy Kreme doughnut,
let me know.

Wanna’ get free daily delivery? Subscribe right here.

Week 2 of The 70273 Project

February 29, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Meet Nancy. It was Friday, the end of a long, full week,
and The Girls were happy, sleepy, and punch happy.

LOOKING BACK

Week two of The 70273 Project did not disappoint. Things were quite busy as The Engineer and I spent the week in Florida tending to Nancy’s pressing needs. It was a week filled with meetings and planning and what I think will soon be called good outcomes. I was, however, completely exhausted and slept most of yesterday, so please excuse my tardiness in posting this recap . . .

~ We now have now been visited and/or contacted by 40 countries.

~ Had a ball fielding questions in a twitter chat moderated by Meredith Shadwill for #storydam .

~ Received many supportive, encouraging, enthusiastic emails from around the world.

~ Posses are being formed as folks get church groups, Adult Day Training programs, families (including husbands and granddaughters), quilt shops, and schools involved.

~ One podcast interview scheduled. Details to follow.

~ I’ve been booked as a speaker at a training day in Florida in June.

~ More than 250 flyers have been posted, and more than 500 info cards distributed (that I know of).

~ One guest blog post appeared here. Thank you, Hilke.

~ I understand that envelopes filled with blocks are waiting on me at the post office, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them when we get back on Wednesday. Stay tuned for photos and bios.

Just hitting the high points here. Look for more specifics to come along later this week.

LOOKING FORWARD

Tomorrow’s March 1, so you know what that means :: 31 Blocks in 31 Days! You can make a block a day, 31 blocks in one day, or anything in between. I’m hoping that by month’s end, we will have at least 100 folks turning in 31 blocks each. It’s not too late to join or to spread the word, so please do both.

We have a new Facebook page! If you’re on Facebook, so drop by and “like” it and invite your friends to like it. Though you can post on The 70273 Project page, I do hope you’ll continue posting on your Facebook timeline, too, (and remember to tag me so I see it) because that really helps get the word out.

I’m gonna’ be doing a little housekeeper around here, making things easier to find, so watch for it and do send along any ideas you have cause you know good and well I can’t think of everything myself. I just can’t.

And if you have a group you’d like me to speak to, or if you’d like to chat with me for a podcast, tv show, or guest blog post, or if you have an idea, or if you just want to talk, do let me know.

If you haven’t already subscribed, click right here.

LOOKING RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

Thank y’all so very much for your enthusiastic support of The 70273 Project. Please don’t stop.

Nancy Does Her Part for The 70273 Project Blocks

February 25, 2016 / jeanne / 4 Comments

Nancy does her part: makes a drawing that will become her block for The 70273 Project.
(Lighting was a little on the dark side on account of it was post-lunch nap time.)

And here Nancy and Jeanne (mostly Jeanne, actually) talk about
what it’s like to be a mother and an artist.

Here are Nancy’s finished drawings for her 70273 blocks.
Just wait till you see what I have planned for
my part of the collaboration.
Stay tuned.

Today we picked up the 563 (or so) drawings that will become
In Our Own Language 19.
Here are some of my favorites:

Tonight I was tickled to be invited to talk about The 70273 Project
with other writers over on Twitter
in #storydam,
a chat moderated tonight by Meredith Shadwill.

Don’t forget to help get the word out by mentioning The 70273 Project on
Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media outlet you hang out in.

and

Remember to subscribe so you stay up to date.

and

Let me know when you get your block finished
and let me know if you’re gonna’ participate in the
Make-a-Block-a-Day-in-March Event.

and, as always:

Thank you.

Turning the Tables

February 24, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Nancy and The Engineer

Nancy Talks About her Baby Doll

When I was a teenager, too young to drive myself to the shopping mall and too old to want to be seen with my mother, I would sit on a bench in the middle of the mall and watch people. Sometimes I would pretend I was handicapped just to see how people reacted to me, then I’d switch back to me, then back to handicapped. On and on it would go, this private social inquiry, with me observing and noting the differences in people’s responses to me.

Though some were quite gentle, most pretended they didn’t see me when I donned the disabled persona.

(And yes, it’s true: I was an odd kid.)

(Some would argue that I still am.)

Some block makers have expressed reluctance to make a block fearing they will not do it right. Now I’ve known a lot of disabled people in my life (and my regular readers know how much I adore my sister-in-law, Nancy), and never – not once – have I ever heard a single one of them fret about getting something wrong. Right and wrong just doesn’t exist for them. Making isn’t about how they do it, it’s about doing it, period. The making is all that matters.

So I’m thinking that maybe, when we’re making these blocks for The 70273 Project, we could let Nancy and her friends be our teachers and just make for the sheer joy of making. And who knows? We might find it so freeing, we’ll decide to say “Good riddance” and leave judgement on the side of the road and never, ever look back.

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Want to raise your hand and become part of the Make-A-Block-A-Day-In-March Tribe? Leave a comment here or send me an email or find me on Facebook and let me know ’cause I’m thinking about setting us up a Facebook page to call our own.

Want to subscribe? Click right this way.

And hey, if you’re on twitter, you’re cordially invited to join Meredith Shadwill (facebook / twitter) and me (@whollyjeanne) in a twitter chat about The 70273 Project and writing. Look for (and use when you chime in) #storydam to join the conversation. It’s gonna’ be fun.

Any Day Now . . .

February 23, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Every day before heading to the post office, The Engineer says, “I’ll bet today’s the day.” He is so excited about The 70273 Project. I just can’t tell you. So far he’s come out empty handed (well, unless you count the bills), but I understand that several blocks are winging their way to me and others will be soon, so let’s review Operation: Send Me the Blocks . . .

When your blocks are ready to mail, you download, print, and fill out the Provenance Form then attach it to your block(s) with a safety pin. Why a safety pin, you ask? Because just like a staple holds papers together better than a gem clip, a safety pin holds blocks together better than a straight pin. (Plus it’s not as likely to cause pain.)

Mail your blocks and form to the address on the form, then scoot on back to your computer and send me an email containing the following: a photo (or several) of you (you making the blocks would be terrific) and a short bio. Why do I have you email that instead of writing it out on the form and sticking a photo inside the envelope? Imagine me scanning 70273 photos and typing in 70273 bios, that’s why;) If you email them to me, it’s much quicker and easier for me to copy and paste . . . and with the exception of maybe dropping off the first letter of the first word when highlighting before copying, I’m much more likely to get it just the way you sent it without typos.

If you’re sending multiple blocks (Thank you!), feel free to pin all of them to one Provenance Form. If you host or attend a block making party and volunteer to mail everybody’s blocks, be sure each maker completes a Provenance Form and attaches it to their blocks before you put them in the envelope. In other words, each maker must complete a Provenance Form. You’ll also need to get each maker to send me their bio and photo via email.

And what if you want to remain anonymous? There’s a place on the form to tell me that, but I’d still like your name and contact info so I can let you know when your blocks are received and send you a thank you note. If you wish to remain anonymous, know that I will honor your request and your info will go no further than me, and all you need send is your name and contact info. You can leave all else blank and there’s no need to send a photo and bio. The photos and bios are for use when posting your blocks to Facebook or including them in a blog post.

Is there anything I’m forgetting? Anything you still have questions about? Just holler.

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Won’t be long till the Make-a-Block-a-Day March Event begins, so let me know you are in so I can get us all set up. I’m creating a special Facebook page just for us. If we can rally 100 people making a block a day for 31 days, that’s . . . let’s see . . . where’s my ~~Engineer~~ calculator . . . 3100 blocks. Significant.

And hey, be sure to subscribe (if you haven’t already) cause it’s the best way to keep your finger on the pulse of The 70273 Project.

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The 70273 Project: First Week Recap

February 21, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

One week ago on Valentine’s Day, Love Day, my birthday, I launched The 70273 Project to commemorate the lives of the 70273 disabled people who were murdered by German Nazis, and let me tell you: the response has been phenomenal.

I’ve heard from people in 32 countries.

Have penned one guest blog post.

Have been invited for one podcast interview, two television interviews, another guest blog post, to present at one writing workshop, and to provide a prompt for a writing challenge. (Stay tuned for details and links.)

I hold 20 blocks made by myself and family members.

There are people sending fabric to other people. There are women who are offering instruction to those whose hands have only touched fabric to zip or button or pin. There are women who’ve put fabric and thread in the hands of their husbands. People are planning Block Parties and putting out flyers and emailing others about The 70273 Project. There are so many people posting on facebook and sharing each other’s posts, I’m unable to stop by each one to say Thank you. (Please don’t hold that against me, and if you’ll tag me, I promise to stop by.)

People are tweeting, too, putting me in touch with all kinds of amazingly fantastic possibilities.

The project is being mentioned in digital newsletters far and wide.

Peeps from different countries reach out and ask to be The 70273 Project Ambassador for their country.

Folks help me grow the Thoughtfully Asked Questions page by asking really good questions.

People have designed promotional literature and helped me figure out things and given me digital back rubs.

People continue to subscribe so they’ll stay in the know.

Several folks have suggested venues where we might exhibit the quilts when they’re completed.

Financial donations have been made.

We have a pinterest board (that’s still being updated. Bear with me.)

We’re starting a Make-a-Block-a-Day-for-a-Month on March 1, so stay tuned for more specific info about that.

Well, you get the idea. Like I said, the response has been nothing short of phenomenal, and on behalf of my fingers, the 70273 souls we commemorate, and the disabled people we hold dear, thank you.

Y’all are absolutely amazing. Thank you for all you’ve done and all you’ll continue to do to see this project through.

Blocks Stitched, Painted, and Stenciled

February 19, 2016 / jeanne / 1 Comment

For her first block for The 70273 Project, Margaret Williams cut a rectangle from an old damask tablecloth then embellished it with the two red X’s.

For her next block, she attached the red fabric down with a little blanket stitch to make the two red X’s.

MargaretWilliamsBlock4

Then it was time to play with a little paint. Margaret used freezer paper (you can buy it in rolls at the grocery store or in 8.5×11 sheets at the craft store.) to make stencils for a couple of x’s. She’s not going to trim the blocks until she finishes the embellishing because that might draw them up.

MargaretWilliamsBlock3

Margaret used regular brush and foam brush edge for the other two blocks. Must be sure to put waxed paper or oil cloth tablecloth or poster board – something underneath to protect the surface you’re working on.

And just like that, in the snap of a couple of nights, Margaret has created four blocks. She’s joining me in making a block a day for the 31-day challenge for March. The daily repetition is sure to stretch our creativity and pleasantly delight us with what falls out of our hands as we generate blocks that are as different and unique as the people we commemorate. Won’t you join us and invite others to join us, too? Details coming soon, so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the boat.

More Blocks in the Making & Mentions

February 18, 2016 / jeanne / 1 Comment

MORE BLOCKS ARE BEING MADE . . .

Kitty Sorgen is stitching up a blue streak, and I love it! Yesterday you saw the blocks she stitched on her ferry commute, and today she sends snaps of her latest stitchings and writes:

“I’ve purposely pieced the white fabric on this one to represent the perceived ‘flaws’ of the murdered innocents. This one is also machine pieced….hope that’s ok. Lots of prayers being stitched into these blocks…….”

As for her question if it’s okay that she’s piecing the white fabric together, yes, it’s absolutely okay. I like that each block will be different . . . just like each of the 70273 people were individuals. That’s just the way it should be. And I love the mindfulness and love Kitty infuses into each of the blocks she makes.

Margaret Williams‘ first block is made from an old damask tablecloth. You don’t have to buy new materials to make a block (unless you just want to. Far be it from me to keep anybody out of a fabric store.). Just poke around and see what you already have on hand.

And when I posed this morning’s facebook question: “What’s gonna’ make this (or has made this, depending on where you are in the world) a day to circle on the calendar and draw stars around?”, Susan Howell Graham (we grew up together, though she – like a whole lotta other people – is younger than me) answered thusly:

I can’t wait to see Susan’s blocks. She’s been wanting to learn to quilt, you know.

Do you have blocks in the making? I’d love to see them – you can send them via email, post on my facebook timeline, or post on your facebook timeline. (Be sure to tag me so I don’t miss anything.)

TONGUES ARE WAGGING . . .

“One square or 1,000, we can help make the invisible visible. We are all less able when there is hatred instead of love.” ~ Sarah Meredith

“I may even try to sew, which is an idea I never imagined I’d entertain. I don’t know much about fabric drawing either, but this is a good cause to learn on.” ~ J. Clement Wall

“Yes, yes yes! I would love to be involved and I will see who else I can get involved in this over the pond … I am also thinking about Fine Cell Work too and maybe they would get involved … Now all this is something I didn’t expect to wake up to and start buzzing about!!” ~ Lucy Iles Horner on Facebook or luxyloo11 on Instagram

CURIOUS MINDS ARE WONDERING . . .

Linda-Marie Davinroy Smith asked another good question on Facebook: You’ve listed 3 different sizes of blocks, do you need equal amounts of each size? Will all 3 sizes be incorporated into one quilt, or is each size being used for different sized quilts?

The answer: While we may make some quilts using blocks that are all the same size, we’ll mostly mix it up and make quilt tops using blocks of all the 3 different sizes. “So feel free to throw us a challenge,” I told Linda-Marie, “and make some vertical blocks.”

Keep those blocks going and questions coming, y’all – keep spreading the word – and subscribe so you’ll stay in the loop. We’re not even a week out, and already there are things in the works that you don’t want to miss.

On behalf of my fingers, the 70273 souls, and the disabled folks we hold dear, thank y’all.

The 70273 Project: And On We Grow

February 17, 2016 / jeanne / 4 Comments

Less than a week after Launch . . .

BLOCKS ARE BEING MADE!

My friend Kitty Sorgen made a couple of blocks as she rode the ferry yesterday and sent me these photos. Isn’t that a beautiful commute? Here’s what she had to say:

“Had an hour long commute this morning on the Kitsap from Friday Harbor to Anacortes. It’s like ‘old home week’ when we ride the ferry……seeing all your neighbors off to do shopping or having doctor appointments. This morning I sat stitching my first blocks as the islands slipped silently by in the misty morning.”

“The black spots in some of the reds represents to me the darkness of heart there must have been in someone who could have participated in such a plan as this.”

Kitty on Facebook

WORD IS GETTING OUT!

Yesterday I received an email by Hilke Kurzke of Büchertiger Studio & Press is a German national who now lives in the UK, a book artist, and the mother of two disabled boys. She read about The 70273 Project and has not only started her first (I hope there are more) block, she featured the project on her blog today. How’s that for fast turnaround! And, as if all that isn’t enough, she’s invited me to pen a guest post, too. I’ll let you know when it goes live. You know I will.

Where to find Hilke:

QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED!

Over on Facebook, Merle Halliday Westbrook, a talented, fun, and funny woman I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person, asked the title of the documentary we were watching when the idea for The 70273 Project lighted on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. It’s a multi-part documentary called Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution. The few sentences about this atrocity appears about 2/3 of the way through the first episode of the first season. (They don’t mention the number 70,273. That came from my subsequent research.)

This Q/A has now been added to the Thoughtfully Asked Questions page. Keep those questions coming, y’all.

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Don’t forget to help get the word out about The 70273 Project (Thank you).

Make a block . . . or at least make plans to make a block.

Subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

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Category: 70273 (Page 27 of 28)

So You Want to Make a 70273 Block Without Sewing, Do You?

The 70273 Project: Off and Running