String Quilt from Duke Says Sew What?

Kris from Duke Say's Sew What? is a very talented quilter, no doubt.  We've featured her many times on Fabric Tuesday, she always has a great project going!  But this string quilt we're featuring today that she made for her mom has a lot more meaning.  Kris' family has been through a lot lately and this quilt will serve as comfort for her mom.  After you read the story stop by Duke Says Sew What?  and see some of her great projects!

If you're a regular here, you know that I have been working on finishing a string quilt to send off to my Mom.  They say a quilt is a hug - and this is a hug for my Mom, who had a stroke recently.

There have been a few health issues around here recently.  It started with my oldest son getting gasoline in his eyes.  We called my Mom, who works for an eye doctor and she recommended immediate medical care so off we went to the ER.  (He's fine now.) I had already been experiencing a tightness in my chest, but the day after his ER visit, I started having electrifying zaps of pain from under my arm across my breast.  I called my Mom, who of course always has a way of calming me down when I get rather anxious about things.  I thought I had the symptoms of breast cancer - I really didn't know what those are, I just knew I had a pain like no other.  My Mom talked me through what I think was an anxiety attack over the chest pain - I was pacing the house in circles, mainly because I couldn't sit down since sitting down made it worse.  I could only sit on a hard chair.

 After a trip to urgent care I was diagnosed with a pinched nerve and given pain and anti-inflammatory medications.  Good thing I went in because it only got worse before it got better.  By the next day I could hardly sit in the car to drive.  The pain came in waves and I couldn't help but gasp or sometimes scream!  What a nutcase I had become! Just ask my husband!

That's when my Dad called to say my Mom was in the hospital and they were running tests to see if it was anxiety or a stroke.  She was feeling odd and couldn't speak in a normal manner.  When the doctors asked her if she was worried about anything in particular, she said "my daughter is having pain in her chest".  OH NO!  Now SHE was worried about ME!  I was very worried for her - but did my best not to cry because crying uses your chest muscles and mine were on fire!  What a mess this had become!  The thought of sitting for a 3.5 hour plane ride to go be with her was out of the question.

Test showed a blood clot in her brain but it was small, and physically she was not experiencing any problems.  The only challenge for her was her words. As it turned out, this was not an anxiety attack but I still felt badly for any part I played in it.  

That night I got a call from my Mom.  She was in the hospital room by herself - Dad had just gone home.  She wanted to let me know that she was okay and for me not to worry.  She told me this in words that I completely understood, but some of them weren't quite right.  

We've since been told that Mom was extremely fortunate to have had so little problems following this mini stroke.  She's home and doing much better.  She still gets a tad frustrated when speaking or writing, but is expected to fully recover.  She sounds better and better.

We are all so relieved that she is doing so well.  The only thing that has us all a bit sad is my parents have had to cancel their trip to come stay with us and attend Mitch's High School Graduation.  There's no where my Mom would rather be - she adores her grandchildren, but she's not ready to travel this far in a plane.  

We will be glad to have them come visit us and enjoy themselves fully when Mom is 100%.  

Until then, I made this quilt for Mom.  She loves pink so this quilt is filled with it!  Mom had a great support group of my friends praying for her and I can't thank them enough.  I'm also thankful for all of the medical staff that treated her and of course, my Dad, who is her rock!  My Dad provides a comfort to the family like no other.  

I love you Mom and Dad!

xxoo  Kris

Deborah's Berner Garde dog quilt...

Deborah creates these amazing quilts of man's best friend, your dog.  She teaches classes on her technique, and also creates quilts for customers, check out these darling dog quilts she has made for her customers.  Any time I go to a quilt show, I am amazed at these people who can turn a photograph into an amazing quilt with the tiniest of detail!  Be sure to visit her blog as well. She has raised a ton of money for the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America , read on. Meet Deborah's dogs...

I am so fortunate that my quilt story started when I was very little with trips to my Great Grandparents farm in the 60's. A trip to the farm meant that we would help in the barn, raid the pantry for cookies and get to stay in those old cast iron beds that squeaked, bounced, had feather pillows and covered with quilts that Great Grandma and generations of Grandma's had made. But the moment that I knew I was going to be a quilter began when I was a senior in high school. I was in the hospital and my aunt brought me what was supposed to be my graduation gift. It was a quilt. It was red with a novelty print of the alphabet. It was a gift of love, something she made and I loved it and her, and the obsession began. 

After years of sewing, eight years go I saw the pet portrait patterns of Sharon Malec and being the obsessive dog lover I am I just had to have a quilt of my dogs! So I started snapping pictures, making patterns, cutting, applique and stitching I found my love in portraits and thread painting.  I am now teaching my portrait method at Quilters Corners in Ithaca, NY and to guilds making a custom pattern for each student of their best friend. I love to teach, making new friends and trading stories of all the silly things our furry best friends do through my portrait classes.

What I am most proud of are the quilts that I have donated to the Berner Garde Health Fund. Each year at the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America National Specialty, Berner Garde has an auction of donated gifts to raise money for it's health fund. The health fund supports grants that are currently going to South Carolina State Human Genome project to study Histiocytosis which is one of the leading causes of cancer in Bernese. In the past four years I have donated a quilt each year and have helped raise $14650.00 with the highest bid this past May for my quilt of "Sebastian" for $7650.00.

Showing off some of my quilt blocks...

Hi. Heather here again. Just wanted to show off some DARLING blocks I have been working on.

DOES YOUR HEART MELT LIKE MINE?

These blocks contain some of my favorite fabrics of all times. Fabrics that I have horded for years. And a stash that I continue to add to. I LOVE vintage florals, pinks, blues, reds, stripes. I LOVE Tanya Whelan, Jennifer Paganelli, Lecien, among others.

It is a good fricken thing that I have 4 daughters, because I have been able to incorporate my favorite fabrics into bedrooms, clothing, accessories. It is SUPER fun for me.

This is going to be a quilt, I am actually nearly finished with it. Will share soon....

FABRIC TUESDAY YA'LL

 Hi, Heather here. Here is what I was able to accomplish last week. It was my older sister's birthday. I whipped up this little tote for her, and stuffed her favorite thing on the planet into it. A stuffed bunny. Yes, she is a grown woman, but she LOVES anything bunny! She is so hard to buy for, until I just decided to buy her anything bunny and it is a hit with her everytime! This is a super soft Jelly Cat. I wanted to keep it it was so soft, and I had to hide it from the children because they wanted to keep it too!

The main fabric is  a cute bunny Japanese print. Can't remember the line or designer, SORRY!

I lined it in a Denise Schmidt print, LOVE how it turned out. My sister loved her gift :)

And I found this pic on my computer. I never showed it. It was from last year. I made it for my downstairs bathroom. The ties have made it much easier for the children. Since apparently it is so complicated to dry  your hands on a towel and not pull it to the floor, or out of the bathroom for that matter! (I know my children are not the only ones who have such a rough time with this...right?)

Dang it, can't remember the print here either! It was from a couple years ago. Maybe Tanya Whelan?

Anyhow, what did you all make??? Can't wait to see!

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