Chemo Quilt
How to make a quilt in 10 days while working a full-time job, and doing a girls’ cabin weekend in the middle of it all (a.k.a. quick ‘n dirty style):
Day 1: Decide, upon hearing that your dear auntie who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer will be starting chemo in 10 days, that you MUST make her a care package, complete with handmade lap quilt. Make plans to hit the fabric store after your New Year’s Day date with your husband. Curse the universe when you realize that the fabric store closes too early for you to get there.
Day 2: In a 20 minute between-appointments break at work, run into your favorite local fabric store. Grab several bolts of your favorite Anna Maria Horner fabric, thank your lucky stars that there isn’t a line at the cutting table, and walk out with about 1/2 yard each of 6 quilting cottons and 1 yard each of voile. On the drive home, wrestle with the eternal question: to prewash or not to prewash?? Opt to prewash.
Day 3: Decide that you don’t have time to use an elaborate pattern. Start laying out the fabric on your living room floor, keeping the pieces as large as possible. Time is of the essence… planning and piecing eats time. Misplace your scissors. Burst into tears a few times. Ponder the thought of losing yet another family member so soon… Start ripping fabric. Discover that your plan for the backing won’t work. Dig through stash, find more fabric. Assemble the top and the back. Cry yourself to sleep.
Day 4: Make your quilt sandwich, using organic cotton batting and basting spray to hold everything together. Try not to spray your dog, because he keeps trying to “help.” Gather quilting needles, thread, curse yourself for failing (again) to buy a thimble.
Day 5: Go out of town with your girlfriends. Take a day off from working on the quilt. Say a silent “thank you” to the universe for blessing you with such great friends.
Day 6: Everyone knows that girls’ weekends are filled with wine, chatting, more wine, more chatting, and other sedentary activities (except that one time when there was snow – we went snowshoeing!). Use this opportunity to start the hand quilting. Work on the stitching whenever sitting down, which ends up being about 10 hours over the whole day.
Day 7: Continue stitching on the drive home, and for the rest of the evening. It helps if your husband is sleeping on the couch.
Day 9: Yes, more stitching! Finish! Stand back and realize – whoah. Those colors are, um. Bold. Loud. Not exactly subtle. Then again, there’s nothing subtle about cancer.
Day 10: Trim the edges. Realize that the failure to measure anything while assembling results in less-than-square corners. Decide you don’t care. Make double-fold bias binding. Machine-stitch to the quilt. Wash and dry!
My sister and I delivered the care package to my aunt last weekend, right after she finished the first treatment. She loves it, and refuses to bring it with her to her treatments. That’s alright. It can stay at home.
In case you find yourself in this situation and are looking for chemo care package ideas, here is what we came up with:
Large tote bag
Slim expanding file folder
Business card folder
Notebook/journal
Fun pens
iTunes gift card
Extension cord (for her iPad)
Hard candies (sugar-free Jolly Ranchers, Werther’s, mints, honey-lemon lozenges)
Smartwater
Water flavorings (Crystal Lite packets, Mio water flavor drops)
Various teas (Smooth Move, Ginger, Peppermint)
Crystalized ginger
Assorted hand lotions
Lip balm
A tea kettle & pretty mug
Cozy lounge pants, t-shirts, and zip-front hoodies
I feel like there was more in there… I can’t remember what else though. We made a pot of vegetable soup and a pan of veggie lasagna and froze those in single servings. We also cooked some frozen fruit, then re-froze it in ice cube trays. We thought those might come in handy if her white blood cell counts go low, and she wants to keep doing smoothies.
Now we just need to say our prayers and call in our favors and hope that she comes through this as strong as ever.
17 comments:
That is such a great idea. I love the quilt, and you have an adorable way of telling your story. God bless.
Thanks for making an interesting story from a horrible tragedy. I wish you all the best as you face this; and your aunt the strength and determination to fight.
This is a beautiful quilt, I will add your aunt to my nightly prayer list.
What a beautiful and thoughtful gift. Prayers for your Auntie!
Genevieve
very touching story. Saying a prayer for her recovery!
A wonderful story- I hope she is doing well. The quilt is lovely and the hand stitching is beautiful.
Such a lovely quilt and great story of making it for your aunt. She is in my prayers.
Such a touching and lovely story. Your aunt will see and FEEL your love whenever she uses her quilt. Prayers going to your aunt.....
What more can be said when it's made with such love even with less than perfect, who cares! It is so beautiful! Saying a prayer for her aunt. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story and such great ideas for care package!
Oh gosh, this is such a bittersweet post! I love how you tell the story with humor... Humor helps in the worst of situations, doesn't it!?
I love the quilt! I love that, even in the rush to get this done quickly, you chose to do the quilting by hand!!! What a beautiful way of showing your caring love for your Auntie!!
Best wishes to all of you, and I hope Auntie comes through with flying colors!!
i love the red stitching and all the bold florals!
What a wonderful gift. Give your aunt all of our love.
http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
Dogs are very sweet. They try to help, but sometimes, they mess things up innocently. :D You're so sweet and thoughtful, Kim. Your aunt must be thankful for your gift. She's blessed to have a loving and supporting niece like you. I'll pray for your aunt.:)
Rocky Delafontaine
lovely job, I'm sure she was very grateful xx
((blush)) Thanks everyone... it really is a bittersweet quilt.
It seems we all know someone going through chemo. Wishing your Aunt all the best - thank you for a wonderful tutorial.
I love this idea! I had to do chemotherapy (cytoxan/solumedrol) infusions for my Lupus. Yep, cancer is not the only disease that is treated with chemo. I can tell you that one of the things I received that was really a blessing was an ipod from my daughter. She had preloaded it for me with music including some of my old favs she knew I loved very much. I am a grandmother. I still enjoy some really good rock music along with many other genres. I was listening to a particular rock song from Creed. I had pulled the earphones away and you could hear what I was listening to. The lady next to me laughed and told me "girl you let that freak flag fly!" We all laughed and it was a really nice moment in a not so nice situation.
I am wishing you and your family the best.
BTW, I found this site on ps I quilt. I am now a follower! I love your blog!
http://nanasrcool-nanasrcoolandlovetoquilt.blogspot.com/
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