Priority Hope Challenge

Up for Auction

2009-02-02T15:46:00.005-05:00

Cher's Little Treasures quilt is up for auction this month and so is Sue's In the Garden of Love and Hope - click here to see! Better yet, bid on one or both of these beauties.

And our challenge page has been updated with the info on hand ~ if your quilt is not shown, please let me know!

Deputy Diva

Need Your Help!

2009-01-14T12:45:00.003-05:00

Ami has created a challenge section on the AAQI website and there's a page set aside for the quilts submitted as part of this Priority Hope Challenge!

If you registered and sent a quilt to AAQI as part of Tonya's challenge, will you please leave a comment below with your quilt's name/registration number (or e-mail me directly at julieATseftonDOTinfo)? [Tonya is super busy right now, so I'm volunteering to create a list of quilts so our challenge page can be updated.]

THANK YOU (again and again and again).

If you want to read about the results from the Houston sale of Priority Quilts, click here ~ WOW!

Better Late Than Never

2008-12-04T11:33:00.002-05:00

Woohoo, finally finished with my Priority Hope quilt. Rather embarassing that I failed the deadline on my own challenge, but even so I did get it done. I just need to get it washed, registered and in the mail. (Along with Clare's).

Ya'all did great and this was a lot of fun. Thanks to all who participated.

Priority Hope Quilt

2008-11-26T15:44:00.003-05:00

I am so SORRY for not being able to send the above quilty for this Hope auction... I nded up in the hospital for 6 days and since I been home so weak I have not been able to hardly sit up...

I never ment to flake on this... I did have the qult finished but was unble to get it mailed... Please know how bad I feel!!!

I know it is way to late to send it in for auction, but if there is anyway you can make use of it... Let me know I will!!! get it to you..... or I will just let it sit and hopefully sometime in the future we can make use of it to raise money....

again, please know how sorry I am!!!

Ami's Mom, Beebe

2008-11-08T21:01:00.005-05:00

I don't know how many of you follow Ami's blog and/or website, but their family has had a very difficult last few days. You can read the latest update here... please keep them in your prayers.

Quiltdivajulie

(Shown above: My Priority Quilt No. 1389 "Today is a Gift")

Sparkle of Hope

2008-10-29T14:09:00.001-04:00

I call this one 'Sparkle of Hope' because the background fabric has glitter infused into it and then it inspired me to add some rhinestones. I think it will find a happy home.

Another challenge quilt to share

2008-10-29T07:36:00.006-04:00

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work; you don't give up." (Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life)

Quilt Pixie Donna set up an online fabric swap recently. I was paired with Claire in California (she is not yet a blogger). I fell in love with one small piece she sent me, and this quilt grew from that scrap and others she shared, plus a bit of my own stash ... and when I told Claire about the quilt and the quote I plan to put on the back (see above), she replied that she had used the fabric to make a celebratory wall quilt for her sister after the completion of cancer chemo... Gwen Marston styled stars with fussy cut cranes in the star centers. I got goosebumps, to say the least.

So, here is my next Priority Hope Challenge Quilt, The Dawn Will Come, ready for registration after the AAQI folks return from Houston.

Quiltdivajulie

p.s. And I incorporated the dragonfly fabric because it tied in so perfectly with the thoughts of hope ~

"Dragonflies are reminders that we are light and can reflect the light in powerful ways, if we choose to do so. "Let there be light" is the divine prompting us to use the creative imagination as a force within your life. They help you to see through your illusions and allow your own light to shine in a new vision."

it's mailed

2008-10-28T11:35:00.002-04:00

High Hopes is in the mail...It's quilt #3289,and it's not as crooked as it shows in this photo :-) )
Thank you Tonya and Julie for starting this blog !!!
Heidi

Way to go, ya'll ...

2008-10-27T13:56:00.006-04:00

Don't know how many of you follow Ami's blog ~ Through the Eyes of a Quilter... her post from Sunday shares some noteable, amazing, wonderful, truly outstanding news. Her goal has been to take 1,000 Priority Quilts to the International Quilt Festival in Houston and this year she will! Here's a very special thanks to each of you who are participating in the Priority Hope Challenge by making and donating Priority Quilts. Read all about it here.

And, further down in that same post, there's a link "shown here" regarding the Purple Patch Quilt... I'm thrilled to share that I made that quilt and Chris quilted it. There are 15 slides in the presentation ~ hope you'll click through and feel the emotions...

Together we are each helping to make a difference when it comes to Alzheimer's ~ one quilt at a time!

Quiltdivajulie

Hope Is That Thing With Feathers

2008-10-26T18:56:00.004-04:00

Hey ya'll, Magpie Sue here. My blog is From the Magpie's Nest. I've been in Tonya's Summer Class and have made a few free pieced letters, and of course I read her blog :- ) The way I work now is very much influenced by the techniques in Gwen Marston's book, Liberated Quiltmaking.

I wanted to participate in this Priority Hope challenge as soon as I read about it. In fact, I was grateful for the "opportunity" it created as my mother-in-law has just been installed in a care facility. I knew about Ami's project and had been intending to contribute to it for a while.

Anyway... I didn't feel up to free piecing letters at the time so I chose a print from my stash that had a little bluebird as part of the design. I also chose it partly because my MIL loves music.

That had to sit for a few days while I worked out what to do with it. I decided to free piece a heart... that became the head of a flower... with two sizes of rick rack for a stem...

and then I needed the rest of the garden to go with it. Some background, some sky, some hand quilting... buttons and beads to enhance the flowers in the print... and suddenly it was done!

Before I mailed it off to Ami I sewed on a pewter ladybug crawling up the stem of the flower. Ladybugs are supposed to be good luck. This has been registered as quilt #3286. I have a feeling there will be more coming from the Magpie's Nest in the not-too-distant future; this was fun!

Rainbow Hope

2008-10-16T01:09:00.003-04:00

Here is the front and the back of the mailed Rainbow Hope quilt I did. I really enjoyed making this little quilt and was happy with truly how fast it was to make and quilt. I may make another one after I finish a few other projects in the works.

hope and hoping

2008-10-13T11:14:00.001-04:00

well, i finally got started, and then my sewing machine broke down. so i am HOPING i can get it to work or i will be finishing this by hand.

hope ready to quilt

2008-10-11T19:56:00.003-04:00

this is ready to quilt-I will do various colors in perle cotton. I knife edged it rather than binding-it was the only way to keep the letters intact and be within the guidelines for width.

I have a white blank label already stitched to the back-once I am done quilting, I will write in the information on the label, and pop it into the mail.

My goal is to have it ready to mail by Monday morning. I think this is a very attainable goal.
I am pretty happy with how it looks so far.

Deputy Diva Checking In...

2008-10-08T06:45:00.000-04:00

Two of my HOPE quilts are registered and will be mailed off today! Their numbers are 3175 and 3176... my first PQ was #53...

First is Essential Ingredient (front above, back below).

Here is Between The Lines:

The reverse-side photos show the fast finish triangles and labels designed in Word and printed onto a sheet of Printed Treasures (attached to quilts using Steam-a-Seam 2 fusible).

Between The Lines is a collaborative piece. Wanda of Exuberant Color shared 2 orphan blocks which became the background fabric. After piecing, I returned the top and back to her for quilting. I just love the leaves she stitched into this!

I have another quilt for this challenge bouncing around in my head ~ hope to translate those thoughts to fabric soon!

So glad to see so many participating in this challenge ~ "raising awareness and funding research, one quilt at a time" Looking forward to seeing even more works-in-progress as they are finished and shared!

Quiltdivajulie

---------------------------

"The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope." (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin)

Hope Challenge # Two

2008-10-07T18:49:00.003-04:00

Here is #2, another fun quilt for AAQI. Wouldn't it be great if donations from this project pushed research over the top for a cure! I'm delighted to see the size of the bids that are being made. People care. Some of the quilts are really neat. Be sure and check out this page.

High Hopes - ( Heidi)

2008-10-06T12:43:00.004-04:00

Hi,
after some hesitation ( from me ) and encouraging words from Tonya, now I'm here.
My name is Heidi, married, 2 kids, part time working, quilting now for more than 10 years.
I was lucky to take part in Tonya's winter and summer class.
Here's my contribution, I call it 'High Hopes', the flower in the right corner isn't appliqued yet, maybe I'll change it... then of course I'll have to baste, quilt and bind it :-)
Heidi

There is Hope II

2008-10-05T15:19:00.003-04:00

Here is the front

and here is the back which I thought was appropriate.

It's a fraction under the 12 inch width measurement so I hope it will be ok.

All I've got to do now is to register it, do the label and send it on its way.

completed my hope top tonight

2008-10-05T04:23:00.003-04:00

I jumped in tonight on my hope top. I had bought some luscious hand dyed fabric at spring market by Starr Design Fabrics-I know Tonya has been loving the solid fabric look-these fabrics are in that same vein-I love the saturated color of them.
It did not take long to get this top done, I would say about 2 hours and a bit.
Now I need to get a number for this quilt and finish it up. I have a few ideas on how I want to quilt it.
I was happy to work on this and be able to contribute. I will post a photo once this top is totally finished.

My First Try

2008-10-04T13:48:00.007-04:00

This is my first try (implying there will be more) for this November Priority Hope Challenge. My mother had Alzheimers, and this reminds me of her. She loved gardens and flowers, and remained a bright spot in my life even when her mind slowly slid off the edges. I can imagine her tracing the words and quilting design in this little quilt, and smiling.

I never noticed until I posted the photo how the red flowers move in and out of the O, almost like the O is hanging on to them, or the flowers to the O. Not planned, yet my mother’s name was Olive!

How good for those involved to make this initiative possible. Thank you. I’ve yet to make the label for this one (and first try to name it), but already am thinking of what to do that includes a bird so I can make another one!

Autumn brings hope

2008-10-02T22:21:00.002-04:00

This might be a bit busy but I was trying to work with fabric on hand. I just love that bird fabric.

My mom has alzheimer's and I am so thankful to be a part of this project as we enter the season of giving and gratitude.

Thank you to all who are participating.

There is Hope

2008-09-30T11:02:00.002-04:00

Top done. The letters came out a lot smaller than they were supposed to (I needn't have cut so much off :-)).

Recognise the blue's Tonya?

I loved doing this so I may just be able to get another done before the deadline.

Is there anything special that has got to be put on the label?

So sad...

2008-09-30T09:26:00.002-04:00

Just want to share this with some one. Today, in our local newspaper, Mr. M's obituary states that he passed on last Friday, oddly the day that I completed the quiltie that I had made in his honor. It says that he had owned his own company, hiked all 46 high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, was an avid skiier, dad to 5 children, and grandfather to 10.

Words of hope

2008-09-29T19:40:00.003-04:00

Brenda here with my second attempt at this challenge. I figured out another font for the free-pieced letters -- and an easy way to make sure the quilt won't be too big is to draw it out on a piece of copy paper. I drew out these letters and measured my strips against my paper pattern. I used a hand-dyed purple fabric left over from another project, and two types of word fabric from my extensive collection.

Quilt Label Idea

2008-09-27T16:21:00.005-04:00

Okay, so this label actually belongs to a wall quilt that I just finished ~ but the idea works just as well for Priority Quilts...

I start by using Microsoft Word to create the text and graphic layout. Once I'm done fiddling and tweaking, I print the label onto a sheet of Printed Treasures inkjet printable fabric.

I leave 1/2" of label beyond the text/graphic when trimming.

The edges are finished with 1" strips of fabric (contrast, coordinating, leftover ~ your choice) which are stitched to the label using 1/4" seams.

The edging fabrics are folded to the back and pressed before the finished label is hand stitched to the quilt.

In the case of PQs, I typically print the label as above, but then apply a fusible like Steam a Seam to attach the label to the PQ.

Quiltdivajulie

Hope Butterfly

2008-09-27T11:41:00.006-04:00

Here is the first little quilt I have finished. It's 8-5/8" x 11-3/8". I figured I should make it smallish, that way I wouldn't have to worry about making it too big.

These are fun, I have another one in the works, and am planning a third.

I'm making these in memory of my Grandmother, Izola, who taught me how to sew.

Bird of Hope

2008-09-27T00:52:00.005-04:00

GiraffeDreams (Carol) here... I set out to make a Hope quilt, but it turned into this bird. I am happy with it, and it's appropriate to honor my dad, I think. He used to like to watch the birds at the cabin, although he wished they could learn to share and take turns! ("There's enough birdseed - you don't have to fight over it," he used to tell them.)

I have been meaning to make an Alzheimers quilt for quite some time, and now, thanks to Tonya, I have done it. I made this on my birthday, and it was fun to think of my dad while I sewed.

My Bird of Hope is in memory of my dad, Roscoe.

Hope & Wisdom

2008-09-26T18:39:00.002-04:00

Hi all, this is Knit One Quilt Too Kristin. I just got my little quilt done and have sent in the registration email. I made this one with some solids and a favorite owl fabric. It's also hand quilted. I dedicated this to my husband's grandmother who was a remarkable woman. Thanks for the fun challenge, Tonya!

Finished rays of hope

2008-09-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

Brenda here with my first attempt at this challenge, now beaded and bound. This was my first experience with beading on a quilt -- I mostly just put the beads on with the quilt stitches. What would be another way of doing it? I'm assuming the seed beads are on firmly, but I'm not so sure about the bigger ones.

I've also made another Hope quilt, and I'll post it once the binding is on. I can see why making these quilts could be addictive -- they're certainly quick to do.

I am so glad to be a part of this...

2008-09-26T12:52:00.002-04:00

Hope to one of the most important parts of my life! And I look forward to making my hope blog... I have two very close Friends who have this and it is so heart breaking to see them try and keep it together as long as they can!

thank you for starting this and for allowing me to be a part of it... I live outside of a small town, Woodburn, Oregon, am retired and have a take care of himself husband... so my days are pretty free to create....
sammy

Done!

2008-09-26T10:12:00.003-04:00

I finished my piece this morning....

Here is a close up of some of the quilting...
I tried various techniques and patterns...
and no, you don't need to rub your eyes...
the photos are kinda blurry..

it is dark and dismal outside today...
rainy....
not like yesterday.....

Our family is fortunate not to have been touched by this disease but a neighbor down the street, who we knew as the man who lived in the yellow house, suffers from Alzheimer's. He now lives in a nursing home, his wife plans to move to a smaller home and one of their daughters and her family live in the now grayish brown house.

I dedicated my little treasure to Mr. M.......

Breakin' the mold..

2008-09-24T11:54:00.004-04:00

This morning, I saw this...
and this...
which inspired this...

more work to do!

Rays of Hope

2008-09-23T15:58:00.001-04:00

This is Brenda from Scraps and Strings with a first attempt at the Priority Challenge. I used batik leftovers from this quilt made for my cousin's wedding last spring -- my aunt, my mom and I collaborated on it and the rest of the aunts and uncles contributed to cover the cost. A few days ago, one of those aunts died of Alzheimer's, so I decided to use the scraps in this quilt challenge. I'm calling it Rays of Hope and I plan to quilt more rays in it, and perhaps have some fun with bugle beads as well. And for the record, it has some liberated effects -- I had to piece the yellow and I added a cut off piece of ray from the top on the bottom. This measures about 8 by 11.5 unfinished.

Let me introduce myself....

2008-09-22T13:35:00.003-04:00

Hello everybody! Bonjour Tonya!

I am Lisa (aka Upstatelisa). I am usually behind the camera so photos of me are rare and usually unusual. This one was taken with my wonderful veggie sushi dinner while out with some quiltie friends...

I live in Upstate NY, hence my name, (although I originally hail from north of the border) where the leaves are just beginning to change for fall (today is the first full day of fall!). I am a wife, mom to 3 busy kids, landlord, volunteer, etc. etc. I am an addicted quilter/crafter/swapper, blogaholic, fitness fanatic and I am happy to have joined Tonya's Hope Challenge.

It will probably take a few days to get going but I hope :-) to have my Hope piece done soon.

You can visit me at Upstatelisa

Robin's HOPE

2008-09-22T13:12:00.010-04:00

Here's my HOPE quilt. This is a wonderful challenge. Thanks for inviting me!

(Victoria from bumble beans...)

Mine was inspired by my husbands brother, Robin, who passed away this past May from cancer... Beatrice, my daughter, in January drew this "robin" (below) and we made it into a soft lovey for him as a gift.

Although we have no one in our family with Alzheimer's, Robin did a lot of Humanitarian work of all sorts to help many people, so with the help of my daughter, we honor him with this "Hope" quilt.

***Just need to add the label, and the hang-y thing and I can send it off***

My Hope is Almost Done

2008-09-22T13:06:00.002-04:00

Tonya here. I spent yesterday and today doing the quilting and now all I need is the binding. Woohoo! These do go fast.

A few adminy things for you.

Turns out you do not need to link to your blog in your posts. There is now an automatic handy dandy list of contributors in the sidebar. However, if you are a blogger and Blogger isn't your host, then I'd suggest that you Edit your Profile and in the spot where it says Homepage URL (it's there below your birthday) put your blog URL. And while you're in your Profile add your email addy (if it's not there already) so that folks can reply to you when you comment. If you want. Just makes the experience better is all.

Try to say who is posting right at the beginning of the post, that saves everyone having to scroll to find out. And please put your name as a label. If you have no idea what that last bit means, then don't worry about it, I'll do it for you.

Ami is taking a whole bunch of priority quilts to Houston for the big quilt festival. If you get your quilt completed, registered, and mailed off by the end of this month there is a chance - just a possibility - that your quilt could go to Houston. You can see a whole bunch of the quilts that have already been selected here.

My quickie instructions for free-piecing HOPE for this size of a quilt have been uploaded on Quiltville - thank you, Bonnie. The link is in the sidebar. I apologize that it is going to chew up so many pages to print off the instructions but I was having some issues with Microsoft Word - it doesn't love me. Please let me know if you notice a boo-boo or need a clarification on anything.

In the registration form it will make you state that you hold copyright to your design or you have to get written permission from the one who does. Just so you know, if you use the free-pieced HOPE you have my written permission here so you don't need to worry about that.

Deputy Diva reminded me that each of these quilts we're making will need a unique name for the registration form so they can't all be named Priority Hope. So come up with something creative or just plan on putting your name or blogname in the title. I hate coming up with titles for quilts but Julie is excellent at it so I'm sure she can give you a hand. I keep volunteering her for all sorts of things.

Thanks to all of you for participating.

Here They Are ~

2008-09-21T22:01:00.004-04:00

This is "Between the Lines" ~ which is actually my second top for the day (slightly wonky letters instead of straight from Tonya's great instructions). This one is a collaborative piece as the background is made from two 9" orphan blocks given to me by Wanda of Exuberant Color to be used for the Priority Quilt project. Liberated touches include seams wherever they fell in order to make it work and virtually nothing left of those two 9" blocks! I will hand quilt this using embroidery flosses (back will be the letter color and binding will be same fabric as the horizontal lines). Time permitting, I may add some beading... we'll see.

This is "Essential Ingredient" ~ batik scraps (hadn't tried them with free-piecing before, LOVE how they work!). The binding will be the same royal blue as the background and the back is a section cut from a scrappy batik quilt back. Again, I plan to hand quilt ~ perfect lunch hour stress reliever (the batiks have been washed which should help them needle better)...

Really enjoyed my afternoon with these small-scale letters ~

Quiltdivajulie

Deputy Quiltdivajulie Here ~

2008-09-21T09:40:00.004-04:00

Oh, my ~ this is exciting! I don't have a challenge quilt ready to show yet, but I'll get a photo of the first one posted here as soon as possible.

Tonya's new Priority Hope class challenge gives each of us an opportunity to play with free-piecing without the fear of being overwhelmed by the size of it all. (9" x 12" is a LOT easier to finish than a twin or full size quilt!)

As you explore Ami's AAQI website, you'll discover a number of personal, heartfelt pieces shared by other quilters on the "why" behind quilting for this particular cause. And, if you scroll through the listings of registered Priority Quilts (sold, pending, $1,000 Promise, Houston bound, etc.), many of the descriptions contain even more stories. For Ami's mom, my mom, Michele's mom, Ken's and John's dad ... and so many other moms and dads, sisters, brothers, family members, and friends who are affected by Alzheimer's ... the stories give context for WHY so many of us participate in the Priority Quilt effort.

I'm working on a couple of examples for Priority Hope quilt labels ~ more on this soon! (I tend to slow down and get stuck when it comes to the hanger and the label part... which is pretty silly since they don't take long at all once I finally get busy). And if you want to save yourself the hanger issue all together, check out the tutorial for fast finish triangles!

Hope you'll join us!! I can't wait to see the gloriously liberated designs, colors, and techniques of the free-pieced birds and HOPE Priority Quilts that ya'll are about to create ~ here's to the fun of designing and creating!! And do, please, share your works-in-progress!

Quiltdivajulie

The Priority Hope Quilt Challenge

2008-09-20T11:21:00.003-04:00

I'm challenging you all to make a quilt for Ami Simm's Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, specifically the Priority Quilt auction.

The challenge (besides the size) is to use:

the word HOPE in fabric, thread, ink or beads on the quilt top
OR
an image of a bird in fabric, thread, ink or beads on the quilt top

Please don't use anyone else's copyrighted pattern - you may however add traditional quilt blocks (but they're gonna have to be teeny).

The goal is to have them mailed to Ami by Thanksgiving (November 20th).

This isn't just a challenge, it's also a class in usual Lazy Gal style. Meaning I just turn you all loose and you post away and ask questions if you need to and make comments on your fellow classmates work. I've deputized Quilt Diva Julie to help out, since she's great at making free-pieced letters AND making Priority Quilts for the Alzhiemer's Initiative.

I made a couple of tops so that I could give you all tips on getting the sizes right if you choose to free-piece the word HOPE. I'm pretty happy with this, my second effort, but I'm hoping it shrinks up some in quilting because it's close to the size limitations right now. I plan to trim before binding just in case.

This was my first one and I was playing around to see just how big I could make the letters. eek, not all that big. I'm not sure this one looks right as is, so I may just add some more to it and keep it for myself.

You can definitely make more than one quilt in this class and only one has to be a donation to the Initiative (although more is certainly encouraged).

Do read through the info at Ami's site to find out how to make and finish quilts donated to her project.

I have made some instructions for free-piecing HOPE you can find them here at Quiltville. Please please please give me feedback.

Oh, I won't be putting the list of all the classmembers in the sidebar. Instead, include a link to your blog (if you have one) in each post. And make sure to do an introductory post please.

You'll need to have a Blogger account to post directly on the blog. That isn't mandatory to be in the class - you can also email me info and I'll add it for you.

To join the class, send an email to me TARTBR47 at Hotmail dot com - I probably won't see it if you just ask in the comments. Let me know if you have a Blogger account and I'll invite you to join the blog.

this post was edited on 21 Sept.