2thanks' quilt top. This quilt will be finished this week.
Newpioneer (Bobby) lost his beloved husband, Juan, to cancer just a month ago. It was a long battle and Juan fought very hard to live. Bobby was his caregiver the whole time -- working to make ends meet while taking care of Juan, who was in such fragile health. This was a love match of more than twenty years and now Bobby is adjusting to widowhood, alone in an empty house.
We're going to wrap him up in our love. He'll have his own community quilt, filled with loving messages from you to support him as he adjusts to life as a widower.
Meteor Blades' quilt in draft -- I have transcribed half of the messages now so it looks a little different than this picture, taken before any transcription
A community quilt contains words of love and support from you, transcribed by me in archival ink on muslin. My sister and I then work the message patches into a colorful quilt that holds a buzz of energy from all that love. Bobby will be able to wrap himself in this anytime he needs some love -- and it will remind him that he isn't really alone, that many, many people care about him.
hopeful's quilt, detail
Bobby's quilt is paid for -- what we need now are at least seventeen more messages so we can make a pattern with them.
If you would like to support our work with a general donation, here is a PayPal link -- or message me for an address if you prefer to send a check.
The centerpiece of hopeful's quilt is an original block by my sister, Ann
So far, these people have left messages for Bobby:
1. commonmass
2. Youffraita
3. noweasels
4. Louisiana 1976
5. cfk in the Thumb of Michigan
6. Louisev
7. weck
8. kishik
9. Diana in NoVa
10. triciawyse
11. Ekaterin
12. Otteray Scribe
13. TrueBlueMajority
14. broths
15. 4Freedom
16. Ooooh
17. Lorikeet
18. greenbird
19. Kitsap River and Charles CurtisStanley
20. navajo
21. Pam from Calif
22. Christin
23. BeadLady
24. ahoebasha
25. Avilyn
26. 2thanks
27. Dave in Northridge
Ana, a young horse belonging to Bobby and Juan who was severely injured during a theft -- we made a community quilt for her to help her heal.
Need inspiration? Here are some of Bobby's messages:
You are a beautiful soul newpioneer
A kind gentle gorgeous beautiful and generous angel.
May the love so many have for you protect you from any more heart ache and bathe you in the light. Christin
newpioneer,
A love remembered is never really lost; a life remembered is never gone. We love & remember Juan with you; as you wrap yourself in this quilt, may you feel surrounded by our love and light, and may you know peace. ~Avilyn
You'll always have your memories, and this quilt will remind you of the friends you have now as well. I hope it comforts you the way mine does, my new brother. Dave in Northridge
Every time you smile, Juan will be with you.
Every tear you cry, Juan will be with you.
Every breath you take, Juan will be with you.
Love never dies, Bobby. Love NEVER dies. In sympathy,
Kitsap River and Charles CurtisStanley
dear newp: whenever you need comfort, wrap this dK love quilt around you and hold it tight! TrueBlueMajority
May the love that is sewn into this quilt. warm and comfort you, and bring you peace. broths
Goldie inspects hopeful's quilt
These are the community quilts completed to date:
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)
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)
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
Betty inspects Phil N DeBlanc's quilt
These quilts are planned:
high uintas (anguish over sister's increasing dementia)
MA Liberal (caretaker to her mother who has dementia)
Ellinorianne (rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia)
MsGrin (life long heart problems requiring multiple surgeries)
Pooties at the center of Phil's quilt...
PAYPAL LINK FOR THE ONGOING QUILT PROJECTS - THANK YOU!
Boots says, "Thank you for supporting community quilts!"
Namaste