WisePiper's quilt -- it shipped today, he will have it Thursday
A devastating, racially motivated mass murder happened last week. The sanctuary of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, a black church with a long and venerable history, was violated by a young neo-Confederate with a gun. Nine lives were lost, including that of the pastor who was also a sitting Senator in the SC legislature.
It is hard to think of anything else. Grief runs very, very deep. And the hideous nature of our country's centuries old race problems is again revealed, on a very wide screen.
There will be many diaries in coming days about justice for this crime and for the underlying issues that led to it. I hope and pray that justice will prevail, on every level.
In the meantime, I feel called to do something we have been doing for individuals in difficult situations -- but this time for a group rather than for one person. I propose a gift of love from the Daily Kos community to the community of Emanuel AME Church, a quilt bearing words of love and support from you to the congregation of the church, something that can hang on a wall there to remind people that people around the nation and even around the world, hold them in their hearts.
For more information about Emanuel AME Church and how you can send donations to the church, please see these diaries:
The beautiful history of resistance and leadership of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC by Shaun King
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. You can help. by Denise Oliver Velez
The best pattern for this quilt is likely to be the star pattern that has been used most recently in Meteor Blades' quilt and also in the forthcoming quilt for Commonsense Mainer (which still needs messages and funding -- more on that soon!). We will use African fabrics and bold colors.
There are 200 diamonds in the star, each to bear a message.
Meteor Blades' quilt
My sister and I plan to create nine separate "stars" in the background of the Emanuel AME Church quilt, each bearing the name of one of the fallen, in their memory.
It would be nice to include the State, and if possible, the city or town, of each message giver -- but please be aware that there is not a lot of room to write so please keep your message short and pithy. This is the center of Meteor Blades' quilt, to give you an idea about the space:
It takes time and material to make a community quilt -- and it is a living for me and my sister. This one will take a lot of labor because of the design. Each diamond will be pieced on paper first. The messages will have to be carefully transcribed because any mistakes will necessitate remaking a block. It will be also be quilted by hand and likely decorated with beads. If you would like to contribute toward the cost of making it, here is a PayPal link -- or message me for an address should you prefer a check. $20/message is suggested for this quilt but some give more to cover for messages from those who cannot afford to donate. This is really a crowd-funded work of art and all loving messages are valuable. Give if you can, but please leave a message even if you can't. Trust me, there is a healing vibration in every loving word -- and not just for the people in the church! This is for everyone.
Gordon20024's quilt -- his Asheville friends presented it to him yesterday!
We have two other quilts in the queue, each needing funding and messages. If you feel inspired by this project, please consider participating in these two, as well.
A quilt for crystal eyes, who has a cancerous brain tumor
A star quilt for Commonsense Mainer who has COPD and who has done so much for the community
A closer look at the applique block in the center of WisePiper's quilt. The peace symbol fabric was used as the backing of Ben Masel's quilt. He, too, had lung cancer, like WisePiper.
This is the body of work of the Community Quilt Project so far:
1. othniel (cellulitis and ensuing complications, RIP)
2. exmearden (cancer of heart and lung, RIP)
3. MsSpentyouth (brain tumor)
4. Moe99 (lung cancer, RIP)
5. Michelle Caudle (ovarian cancer, RIP)
6. BFSkinner (lupus)
7. Kitsap River (long wait for kidney donor that ended 2/18/11)
8. Frederick Clarkson (blood clots)
9. Dreaming of Better Days (lymphoma)
10. one bite at a time (lost house and belongings to fire)
11. Timroff (cellulitis)
12. Sol Fed Joe (multiple cancers and health problems)
13. Brubs (AIDS, immune reconstitution syndrome)
14. rserven (gall bladder infection with dangerous complications)
15. grndrush (brain tumor, RIP)
16. ImpeachKingBushII (needs liver transplant)
17. andsarahtoo (lupus)
18. Frank Cocozzelli (muscular dystrophy)
19. luvsathoroughbred (breast cancer)
20. Predictor (stroke and HIV)
21. Austex54 (caretaker to othniel)
22. Theodore Olbermann, RIP
23. cskendrick (antibiotic resistant infection)
24. Keith Olbermann (caregiver to father)
25. Juan (cancer, RIP)
26. Ana (a young horse belonging to Juan, hit by truck)
27. MA Liberal’s mother (Alzheimer’s)
28. Charles CurtisStanley (caretaker to Kitsap River)
29. Lorikeet (cervical cancer)
30. Dr. Lori (metastatic cancer)
31. ulookarmless (cancer, heart condition, stroke, RIP)
32. riverlover (caregiver to husband suffering from liver failure, now widowed)
33. Melody Townsel (caregiver to dying father, now deceased)
34. dadanation (AIDS)
35. Dr. William F. Harrison (leukemia, RIP)
36. Larry Bailey (sudden loss of partner to heart attack)
37. ramara (adopted son with fetal alcohol syndrome)
38. Noor B (herniated disk from car accident)
39. Louisiana 1976 (fibromyalgia, severe arthritis, depression)
40. stumpy (MS, stroke, RIP)
41. bleeding heart's niece (cancer, RIP)
42. escapee (failure of corneal surgery)
43. SarahLee (lymphoma, Lyme Disease)
44. Bustergirl (ovarian cancer, RIP)
45. mimi's niece (cancer, RIP)
46. ZenTrainer (breast cancer)
47. Miss Blue (severe injury to shoulder, anxiety over coverage for surgery)
48. Granny Doc (bladder cancer, RIP)
49. mango (heart attack)
50. nudger (ovarian cancer, RIP)
51. DaNang65 (heart condition)
52. Lt. Choi (exhaustion)
53. Nurse Kelley (spinal stenosis)
54. Ben Masel (lung cancer, RIP)
55. Otterary Scribe (caregiver, grieving grandfather, grieving widower)
56. Aji (autoimmune diseases incl. fibromyalgia, inflammatory arthritis, & Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus Syndrome)
57. JaxDem (suddenly widowed)
58. DavidW (AIDS and other undiagnosed illness)
59. Jester the Marine (facing amputation of leg)
60. peregrine kate (endometrial cancer)
61. mimi (grief due to family illnesses)
62. alliedoc (endometrial cancer, RIP)
63. labwitchy (diffuse scleroderma)
64. Daily Kos (celebrating community)
65. belinda ridgewood (sudden loss of her mother)
66. princesspat (blood clots, deep vein thrombosis)
67. Scott Olsen (severe head injury)
68. SensibleShoes (caring for sister with brain cancer)
69. Joanna (cancer)
70. cany (grieving caretaker of mother with dementia)
71. Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (breast cancer)
72. Scottie Thomaston (intense chronic pain from spine, kidney stones)
73. paradise50 (throat cancer)
74. woodtick (caregiver to mother with Alzheimer's)
75. BeninSC (mulitple fractures from bicycle accident)
76. Adrian (colon cancer)
77. Smoh (breast cancer, stroke, depression)
78. slksfca (sudden onset of arthritis requiring hip replacement)
79. arizonablue (grief and exhaustion)
80. Lorikeet (grieving widow - this quilt was a gift from the Rescue Rangers)
81. remembrance (breast cancer) and Glen the Plumber (her caregiver)
82. MassHarry (colon cancer, RIP)
83. Regina in a Sears Kit House (severe immune problems from Lyme Disease)
84. nannyboz (grief for father, crippling back pain requiring surgery)
85. raina (grief)
86. earicicle (breast cancer)
87. AntKat (cancers of the throat, RIP)
88. Alma (breast cancer)
89. DarkHawk98 (lung cancer)
90. llbear (brittle diabetic)
91. michelewin (grief and trauma)
92. Dave in Northridge (grieving widower)
93. racheltracks (complications from knee surgery)
94. Ebby (grief and stress)
95. Leaves on the Current (cancer)
96. Carol in San Antonio (cancer)
97. commonmass (grieving widower)
98. Clytemnestra (DES daughter, debilitating abdominal pain and bleeding)
99. Oke (survived life threatening pulmonary infection, COPD, depression)
100. shanikka (diverticulitis, intestinal abscess and life threatening infection)
101. Serpents Choice (grief)
102. smarx (caregiver to mother who has dementia)
103. FloridaSNMOM (COPD, chronic pain, anxiety over access to health care)
104. Timaeus (enormous hernia requiring major surgery)
105. paradox (cyclic vomiting syndrome, PTSD, depression)
106. UnaSpenser (Lyme Disease)
107. LoreleiHI (reversals of fortune, homelessness, hearing loss, PTSD)
108. Vetwife (caregiver to husband and other family members)
109. namvetkato (PTSD, Agent Orange related illnesses including heart disease, spinal stenosis, and intense chronic pain)
110. Annalize5 (lung cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments)
111. The Packhorse (heart disease and diabetes) and irishwitch (caregiver)
112. Phil N DeBlanc (grieving widower)
113. hopeful (breast cancer)
114. 2thanks (caregiver to wife)
115. Unit Zero (throat cancer)
116. triciawyse (childhood abuse survivor, seizure disorder, sadness, reversal of fortunes)
117. newpioneer (grieving the passing of his husband, Juan)
118. high uintas (sister is slipping into dementia)
119. Meteor Blades (a tribute -- there was a heart attack, too but this is really a tribute!)
120. winglion (survived sepsis), quilt made by Pam from Calif
121. edgery (broken ankle and finger, both required surgery)
122. PerfectStormer (renal failure, in need of kidney transplant)
123. Cedwyn (cancer, RIP, memorial celebration can be seen here)
124. Yasuragi (chronic pain and feelings of depression)
125. MrsBadger (grieving widow)
126. ruleoflaw (harsh therapy for kidney rejection)
127. TrueBlueMajority(abiding grief)
128. CelticLassie (cancer, RIP)
129. Gordon20024 (cancer)
130. WisePiper (lung cancer)
See also these three posts about the community quilt project:
KosAbility: A Virtual Quilt for Sara and Ann, from Community Quilt recipients
We Have Something to Say to YOU, Sara R and winglion!
Community Quilt FlashMob Brightens up NN13
Community Quilt Testimonial Videos
remembrance
ramara
paradise50
shanikka
cskendrick
peregrine kate
Callie inspects WisePiper's quilt
These quilts are planned. If you would like to propose someone for a quilt, just drop me a line.
RubDMC's wife (Alzheimer's)
byardl (fibromyalgia, pnuemonia, widow)
dangoch (newly widowed)
MA Liberal (caretaker to her mother who has dementia)
Ellinorianne (rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia)
MsGrin (life long heart problems requiring multiple surgeries)
TrueBlueMajority's quilt
PAYPAL LINK FOR THE EMANUEL AME CHURCH QUILT - THANK YOU!
Boots says, "Thank you for supporting community quilts!"
Namaste.