Jeanne Hewell-Chambers

+ Her Barefoot Heart

Page 12 of 125

Just What You’ve Been Waiting For

a bag filled with mail - some boxes some large envelopes

In the past several weeks, I’ve received blocks from these good people:

BLOCKS

  • Margaret Allen (US)
  • Edna Jamandre (US)
  • Susan Blexrud (US) (We’re gonna’ meet live and in person sometime this year.)
  • Iris Harris (US – and from my hometown Fayetteville, GA!)
  • Patricia Costantini (US) dedicated to the 70,273 innocent souls
  • Pepe Bowman (US)
  • Anonymous
  • Irmgard Römer (Germany)
  • Sandra Engstrand (US)
  • Bill Croft (US)
  • Stephanie DeAbreu (US)
  • Lis Binns (US)
  • Theresa Vaarga (US)
  • Shannon Timberlakd (US) dedicated to Emma Leah Timberlake
  • Chrissy Cozzi (US) dedicated to her daddy: Wm. L. Ellis, Jr., Nazi POW
  • Kathy Westmoreland (US) dedicated to her daddy: Wm. L. Ellis, Jr., a Nazi POW
  • Nancy O’Donnell Glosup (US) dedicated to Maeve Watson T1D
  • Sieg Leland (US)
  • Roland Bostick (US)
  • Sherry Searcy (US)
  • Cissa Kamakura (US)
  • Susan Melton (US)
  • Joan E. Beier (US)
  • Stephanie Bowen (US) dedicated to Nancy Chambers and Jeanne Hewell-Chambers (Thank you.)
  • Katharine Wall (US)
  • Nancy Erisman (US) dedicated to Laila and many, many, many others
  • Sharleen Jespersen

These students in the KMS Gifted and Talented Program in Kennett, MO also sent blocks:

  • Ethan Davis
  • Sophie Boone
  • Saraity Morris
  • Destiny Lloyd
  • Delaying Dalton
  • Jordan Crawford
  • Craig Noblin
  • Macy Bazzell
  • Camden Moore
  • Cody Holden
  • Taylor Isenhour
  • Alec Holden
  • Lani Heeb
  • Camille Thomas
  • Conner Thomas
  • David VanDyke
  • and their teacher, Cindy Thomas

QUILTS

  • #549, a Long Skinny made by Grace Ann Cannon (US) dedicated to Aubrey Hendley
  • #552, a Middling made by Maria Conway (Argentina)
  • #550, a Mini made by Jan Snell (CAN) dedicated to Spruce, Melissa, & former students
  • #553 Bev Haring, a Long Skinny

Our last block count update found us with 33,491 commemorations in hand. When we add these in, we have commemorated 36,647 people.

Now I’ve been sifting, sorting, wading, and winding my way through the blocks and quilts from Durham and Channel Islands to make sure I don’t duplicate or leave out anything. You see, those two  have been making blocks and quilts since the double digit quilt numbers, and back then . . . well, I’ll explain it all later. Just come back around soon because my plan is to  add the blocks from Durham, Channel Islands, and Rochester over the next week.

Shelf-ish Pursuits: April

A day late and a dollar short.  Story of my life.  🙄

Anyhoo, April’s Shelf-ish Pursuits book selection is “The Boys in the Bunkhouse” by Dan Berry.

I’m roughly halfway through this one already.  Yes, I may have cheated a smidge and jumped into this book just as soon as I’d finished last month’s, but with no one paying me nary a bit of attention, who’s to know?  I am loving this book and hope y’all will too.

From the very start of our book club, I had it in mind to alternate between fiction and nonfiction.  I even had the entire year’s selections picked out and in a stack all their own.  But things happen and new titles catch my eye and…squirrel!  You get the idea.  For the most part, I’ll try to stick with my plan so there’s no burnout.  Variety, after all, is the spice of life.

Toward the middle of the month, I’ll announce May’s book 📚 and post in EVENTS our next discussion.

Please keep your book suggestions coming!  I promise I really am keeping a list and will choose a book from it on occasion for everyone to enjoy.

Happy reading! 👓 ☕ 📖

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Wanna’ See Some 70273 Project Quilts?

a monthly calendar

Do you love road trips? We now have an Events Calendar, thanks to the generosity of The Events Calendar folks, so now it’s easier than ever to find where 70273 quilts will be near you, pack a bag, and head on out.

If you’ll look at the the top row on the menu bar at the top of this page, you’ll see “Home” then just to the right “Events”. Click on Events, and you’ll be whisked to The 70273 Project Events Calendar. I am waiting for information on some exhibits. I’ve requested it and will add it to the cavendar when I receive it. Promise me faithfully that when you can, you’ll go see the quilts and support the show organizers.

On the Events page, you can search for specific events by date, keyword, or location. Or you can click on an event in the date box of the monthly calendar and be whisked to specific information – including a map, admission fees, hours, and more – about that exhibit. If you’ll note the Categories, you’ll be able to tell whether it’s a single quilt in a quilt show, a Special Exhibit in a quilt show, or a  Featured Exhibit. You’ll also be able to tell which events I will be attending by looking in the Category section, so you can come by and say Hey and let me call you Sugar to your face.

Please help people know about scheduled exhibits by sending messages and links out in social media, being sure to use #the70273project on Twitter or Instagram, linking to the Facebook page or the Facebook group so they can obtain more information about the entire project as well as a specific exhibit, And please tag me, too (@whollyjeanne on Twiter and Instagram and @Jeanne Hewell-Chambers on Facebook) so that I can retweet and repost your posts and save them for the scrapbook I keep for The 70273 Project. The more we post about an exhibit, the more exposure and attendance the exhibit will enjoy!

Would you like to host an exhibit? Do you know an organization that might like to exhibit some of the quilts? Help us grow! Because The 70273 Project is growing in all directions and because there is so much going on, please contact me and let’s talk about it before you make plans and commit quilts. To reach me, click the envelope icon in the upper righthand corner of this page and like magic, a ready-to-use email form will present itself. Or send me a private message on Facebook or Instagram – whichever is most convenient for you. I’ll need this information:
~ dates of the exhibit
~ location of the exhibit (city/state/country/facility)
~ organizer of the exhibit
~ contact information (url, email, phone)
~ # of quilts you’d like to exhibit or submit to the exhibit

On we grow, y’all.

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All Good Things Must Come to an End

The 70273 Project quilts that have been on display in Rochester Cathedral since 23 Jan 18 came down today, and how very appropriate that as they made their exit they were serenaded by the King’s School Choir rehearsing for their spring concert.

Thank you, Rochester Cathedral for hosting the exhibit.
Thank you, Wendy Daws, Edina, Veronica, Bev, and hundreds of others (whose names I will add here when I wake up at 3 a.m. thinking of them and their smiling faces)) who worked tirelessly to make these books and quilts.
Thank you, Lucy Horner, for being The Woman Who Led the Way and for sharing this afternoon with us through your amazing videos. You can see more of Lucy’s moving videos on The 70273 Project You Tube Channel. Be sure to subscribe to our chance because I’ll be uploading them over the next few days.

To see more of the quilts as they hung in Rochester Cathedral, click here and here and here.

Now I know you’re wondering, Dear Readers, how many people we have commemorated, and I promise to tell you soon. I’m sorting things out because I had already counted some of the beautiful commemorations made in the Channel Islands and Durham, so I’m meticulously going through every block and quilt and email to make sure I don’t over or under count. Soon, Dear Readers, soon. If you want to subscribe to the blog to make sure you don’t miss anything, click right this way to stay updated about everything to do with The 70273 Project – things like  bock counts updates and where some of these quilts are needed next.

The 70273 Project Quilt 304

a long quilt - white background covered with pairs of red X's

Meet The 70273 Project Quilt #304. This beauty is a Long Skinny made of blocks created by kids in the Religious Education program at the First Unitarian Church in Toronto, Canada.

The quilt is dedicated to the memory of Mark Jorgensen, 43 years old, who died in the summer of 2017 after living with Rett Syndrome, a genetic brain disorder with increasing mental and physical decline. Writes The 70273 Project Ambassador Linda Heron, “Mark enjoyed coming to church and was an enthusiastic singer and an occasionally loud participant in the church service. He was always acknowledged by service leaders with a friendly nod and a smile. We will all miss him.”

three people sitting at a table using needle and thread to stitch red strips of fabric onto white fabric

The quilt measures 19″ x 40″ or 48cm x 102cm. Completed in  November 2017, Quilt 304 commemorates 18 people. It will hang in the Library at the  First Unitarian Church in Toronto, Canada  throughout the month of March, and anyone in the area is invited to stop in,  view the quilt, and make some blocks using materials available there.

Thank you, Linda Heron, for coordinating these beautiful commemorations, for sharing news of The 70273 Project,  and for sending these photos.

closeup photo of a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

The 70273 Project Quilt #304

Pieced, Quilted, Finished by Linda Heron

Block Makers:
Nikita de Jonge
Chloe Macintosh Rideau
Samantha Ponic
Nathan Morrisey
Alex Stones
Sally Pfohl
Jack Pfohl

Adult helpers:
Wendy Dines
Judy Magny
Linda Heron

Happy Birthday to Just Wanna Quilt

four small quilts covered with pairs of red X's

Happy one-month birthday to Elizabeth Townsend Gard and the Just Wanna Quilt Podcast!  I met Elizabeth at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX last November  (apparently we didn’t snap a picture of us, though), and we just clicked. She and her Quilting Army have been VERY supportive of The 70273 Project, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Click over and give a listen to some of her fantastic interviews. The 70273 Project episode is #14, and Elizabeth released it on 14 Feb 18 – the 2nd birthday of the project, and my birthday, too (though I’m not telling how which one!)

Thank you, Elizabeth, for all you do to help The 70273 Project and bring quilters together in a digital quilting bee.

Meme: Be Your Own Kind Of . . .

I’ve added an entire page of The 70273 Project memes, so go help yourself.
Just download and use in your social media outlets as you will.

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SHELFISH PURSUITS: A two-fer

I feel like time is moving at warp speed.  Is this another one of those perks of aging: parts start to wear out and sag; you refer to anyone under a certain age as “kids”; and you wonder if your neck wrinkles are the body’s equivalent of bunnies, multiplying rapidly and seemingly overnight?

I’m staring at the end of another month like trying to stare down at my feet.  Except my stomach is now in the way and I’m not even pregnant.  How did this happen?!  Yikes!

February’s book, “The Seamstress” , proved to be a slow-starter for me and I had to force myself to keep at it.  After all, it wouldn’t do for me to not read the book I picked out, amiright?  Just as I thought.  Fortunately, it finally picked up steam and I was hooked.  I’m looking forward to hearing what y’all thought (I hope it’s good) or if I’ll be out on my ear for picking a stinker.

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Are you excited for March’s book?

Have you read each book, following along with related posts, or have you found yourself finally ready to dive into the book club and this one is the first for you?

It really doesn’t matter: veteran or newbie, we’re glad you’re here.

As posted earlier, this month’s book is “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” by Kim Edwards.

Off to a running start, I can already see a few parallels to my own pregnancy experiences.

Back when I was pregnant with His Awesomeness, our soon to be high school graduate, we were asked about genetic testing.  The outcome didn’t matter, but it was “the thing to do” and so, we did it.  By the time I was pregnant with The Diva, we’d already decided against it, knowing we’d play the hand we were dealt and go on.

The second thing I can already relate to is a statement made by Norah Henry, the birth mother in the book, speaking about the birth of her twins with her sister.  Thinking the girl baby had died, she said of visitors to her home who didn’t even mention her, “They act like, since I have Paul, I ought to be satisfied.  Like lives are interchangeable.”

During The Diva pregnancy, I began lobbying for a tubal ligation because two babies were plenty for Himself and I.  I mean, God gave me two hands, one for each of ‘em, and this struck me as divine logic.  My Ob/Gyn tried to talk me out of it because “what if one of your children dies?  You’d want another child to replace the one you’d lost.”   I thought the world of this man, himself a father to a severely disabled child, and replied they were human beings, not tires.

I know some of you are moms to special children and I’m eager to hear what you think of this one at the end of March.

I hope announcing the book earlier has helped y’all put hands on a copy sooner, whether it’s through your local library or as a purchase.  Please remember if purchasing through Amazon Smile, to choose The 70273 Project as your charity of choice, thereby helping to raise some funds to help continue this worthwhile endeavor.

If you have a title you’re especially fond of and would like to see as a potential Club selection, please PM me the details.

Happy reading, y’all!

 

 

 

Quilt 55

a quilt with a white background covered with pairs of red X's

Photo Description: Quilt 55, a quilt with a white background covered with pairs of red X’s. Photo by Margaret Andrews.

Meet Quilt 55 of The 70273 Project. This beauty – measuring 60″ x 68″ or 152cm x 173cm – is made entirely (blocks, piecing, quilting, finishing) by The 70273 Project Ambassador, Margaret Andrews who hails from Missouri in the United States. Completed in January 2017, 121 lives are commemorated in this quilt.

closeup photo of a quilt - white background covered with pairs of red X's

Photo description: closeup of Quilt 55, white background covered with pairs of red X’s. Photo by Margaret Andrews.

Writes Margaret of this quilt . . . The 70273 Project grabbed my heart and pulled me in when I first became aware of it in late summer 2016. I have one precious grandchild, and he has been diagnosed with CHARGE syndrome, a rare disorder present from birth. I firmly believe that he, along with very other person I’ve met who has been labeled “handicapped” or “disabled” (lis Shawn and Janice and Jonathan and Josh and Dale) have added to the beauty of my life.

In working on this quilt representing 121 lives extinguished, I have had the opportunity to share the story of The 70273 Project with many people. I will continue to gather blocks (and Provenance Forms), piece, quilt, and finish quilts, and recruit others to join us until all 70,273 lives are commemorated.

closeup photo of a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Photo description: closeup photo of Quilt 55, white background covered with pairs of red X’s. Photo by Margaret Andrews.

Being a woman of her word, Margaret has made many quilts, recruited many stitchers to help commemorate, and is always sending me information about places to exhibit quilts. Thank you, Margaret, for your heartfelt contributions to The 70273 Project and all we stand for. Wishing your grandson the best. I know he’s a treasure in your life and the lives of all he touches.

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The Dean of Rochester Cathedral on The 70273 Project

Take a few minutes to see what Dean Phil has to say about The 70273 Project.

As time permits, I’m adding videos to The 70273 Project You Tube Channel. Nine or 12 more subscribers and I’ll be able to get us our own customized URL for our channel, so if you would be so kind as to go subscribe and to encourage friends and family to subscribe, I’d be ever so grateful.

While you’re there, stroll around the channel to have a look at the videos there, and be sure to visit again often because I’m constantly adding videos.

Thank you, Dean Phil, for having The 70273 Project in your beautiful cathedral, and thank you, Lucy Horner, for all you did to get the quilts there and for making sure I saw this lovely video. There’s so much more to come, so subscribe to the blog and subscribe to the occasional newsletter so you’ll be in the know.

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