Here it is! Your chance to win a beautiful hand crafted quilt, help a terrific Democrat win a Kentucky senator seat, keeping it away from Rand Paul and--best of all a chance to give Mitch Mconnell a new source of aggravation--A Democrat in the congressional delegation from Kentucky!
All kidding aside, elections cost money, lots of money. The DKos community has shown time and time again its ability to support viable candidates in elections through out the nation. This is an opportunity for the community to come together and support Jack Conway, the senatorial hopeful from Kentucky in his bid to win a senate seat by defeating Rand Paul. We cannot let this senate seat fall to yet another narrow minded, perpetrator of social injustice. You can help the Democrats move forward, adding another voice to our causes by donating to the election of Jack Conway---And you'll get a shot at owning a piece of DKos history!
From Red to Blue
The From Red to Blue quilt is a beautiful piece of craftmanship by our own Sara R., Aunt Arctic and Sara's sister Ann. A brilliantly pieced color illusion of a wave changing color across the quilt top and hand quilted, this quilt began at the first Netroots Nation gathering in 2006, when quilt blocks were offered up for attendees to sign. Each block of the quilt has a number of signatures--- some are famous names in the political arena, others are the signatures of fellow Kossaks. The quilt is true piece of textile/political history, a witness to the first time progressive bloggers came together to with a like mindedness goal of getting more Democrats into public office. The names are listed below along with Sara's story about the making of the From Red to Blue quilt.
As a fellow quilter, I have an appreciation for how much work and love goes into every stitch of a quilt. When a quilter spends a lot of time making squares and then hours hand quilting all the layers together, the quilt becomes a part of its maker's soul. For Sara, Aunt Arctic and Ann to give their work to the cause of helping Democrats get elected to public office is no small gift on their part. Show them your appreciation by donating to Jack Conway's campaign. Maybe you'll be the one to win the From Red to Blue quilt and be able to share its remarkable story with your loved ones and friends.
As it stands right now, we're a little less than a thousand dollars away from reaching the goal of 2,500. You can read about Jack Conway's campaign here and if your so inclined to donate, you can do so here.
Details on how you can participate in the drawing are after Sara's story about From Red to Blue!!
From Red to Blue
Back in 2006, at the very first Yearly Kos convention (now known as Netroots Nation), we had a quilt available for signing – something that has since become a tradition and a symbol of progressive blogger community. That quilt is "From Red to Blue", a roman stripe patterned quilt designed by Aunt Arctic, pieced by Aunt Arctic, my sister and me, and hand quilted by me. This quilt really is an artifact of that first convention – and it contains some fabulous signatures. Here they are, listed by block number:
1-1 Shirley Koegel
1-2 fabooj
1-3 Rain
1-4 Pastor Dan
1-5 Yerritt Blom
1-6 Mary Blom
1-7 Brian and Jane Elliot
1-8 Quicksilver
1-9 Francie Goodrich
1-10 Toni R. Ramiz
2-1 Joe Trippi
2-2 Sobermom
2-3 democracylover
2-4 Malecandra
2-5 Timothy D. Smith
2-6 Danielle Coppola-Smith
2-7 Kate Daniels
2-8 Adam Conner
2-9 Hunter
3-1 Christina Stallard
3-2 Arianna Huffington
3-3 Frisco
3-4 Scott Harrid
3-5 Atrios
3-6 Mariva
3-7 Eddie C.
3-8 Colleen
3-9 Liz Noteware
3-10 Murray Waass
4-1 Lo Owens
4-2 Anne Schu
4-3 Warren Lathe
4-4 Mrs. Pastor
4-5 Chunyang
4-6 Mark in San Fran
4-7 Bridgitt Funk
4-8 Chinton Wheeler
4-9 Ann Reed
5-1 China Parmalee & Elizabeth Compa
5-2 Ambassador Joe Wilson
5-3 Emptywheel
5-4 Twin Planets
5-5 Sharon Mahoney
5-6 Pachacutec
5-7 Gov. Mark Warner
5-8 Jerome a Paris
5-9 Barb Morrill
5-10 Rick Boston
6-1 Fred Koegel
6-2 Robert Greenwald
6-3 Shermanesqe
6-4 Jessica C. Clark
6-5 raginggurrl
6-6 Bonddad
6-7 George Lakoff
6-8 K.J. Lakoff
6-9 Linda Mercer and the Boise Peace Quilt Project
7-1 Howard Carlin
7-2 Ducktape
7-3 Jerome Armstrong
7-4 Ellen Harten
7-5 bendygirl
7-6 Susan S.
7-7 Ilona Meagher
7-8 Sam Seder
7-9 Alinda Lord
7-10 Pucklady
8-1 hono lulu
8-2 Maryscott O'Connor
8-3 Martianchronic
8-4 Eric Wagner
8-5 Ninth Elegy
8-6 Jim Edwards Hewitt
8-7 Nolan Treadway
8-8 Sarah R. Carter
8-9 Aunt Arctic
9-1 Christina S. O'Connell
9-2 Uncle Jack
9-3 Pamela Nelson
9-4 Raines Cohen
9-5 David Perry
9-6 Bonnie Hannifin
9-7 Ke (Kay?) Tibbetts
9-8 Derth Adams
9-9 paxpdx
9-10 Elizabeth Carter
10-1 hyperbolic pants explosion
10-2 Martha Tune
10-3 Andy Ternay
10-4 Chicago Dyke
10-5 Tracy Joan
10-6 Rep. Brad Miller
10-7 David Sirota
10-8 Milo Elliot and Rosemary Elliot
10-9 Jack Carter
11-1 Jeanne Vollmer
11-2 Vigilant Meerkat
11-3 Daniel Senning
11-4 M&M Gal
11-5 Jeffrey Feldman
11-6 Redd Hedd
11-7 Juliette Moore
11-8 Quotefiend
11-9 Brett Spivey
11-10 Glen Greenwald
12-1 Jesterfox
12-2 Momster
12-3 Diane Palmer
12-4 San Diego Dem
12-5 Londonyank
12-6 Rochelle Athey
12-7 mik
12-8 Nicole Sawaya
12-9 Skwimmer
13-1 Barbara B
13-2 CD Moondancer
13-3 Stephen Darksyde
13-4 Maribeth McIntyre
13-5 Baratunde
13-6 World Wide Ellen
13-7 Lisa Schiff
13-8 Brillig
13-9 Mary Ratcliff
13-10 Dante Atkins
14-1 Linda Lee
14-2 YKos volunteers
14-3 Pat Schwieterman
14-4 Frederick Rhine
14-5 Eric Boehlert
14-6 mc joan
14-7 Elizabeth D.
14-8 Evie Zeidman
14-9 virgomusic
15-1 Chris Bowers
15-2 Chris Kenngo
15-3 Greg Felice
15-4 Kos
15-5 Michael Schiavo
15-6 Terry Boggs-Moura
15-7 Mark R. Brown
15-8 Major Danby
15-9 David Keeler
15-10 teacherken
16-1 Kael Alford
16-2 Lucky Ducky
16-3 Diane Purcell
16-4 Maxomai
16-5 James W. Hill
16-6 Lakshmi Chaudry
16-7 Senator Harry Reid
16-8 Dan Abbott
16-9 Alex Vrevick-Ackelsberg
17-1 Kid Oakland
17-2 American River Canyon
17-3 Shockwave
17-4 DiAnne Gieser
17-5 Deborah Brown
17-6 Rick Hegdahl
17-7 Vince Vitale
17-8 "42"
17-9 Zack Brown and Anna Hentzel
17-10 Lil Bird
18-1 Scarecrow
18-2 Gina Cooper
18-3 Laura Fitzpatrick
18-4 David Atkins
18-5 Jamie Vollmer
18-6 Tim Waters
18-7 Ann Rose
18-8 Nancy Skinner
18-9 Outlandish Josh
19-1 Katie Halper
19-2 David T. Harris
19-3 Jamie Ekatomatis
19-4 Claude Hayward
19-5 Robyn D. McMillin
19-6 Jeanne & George Kalogrides
19-7 Mari Higgins
19-8 General Wesley Clark
19-9 John Laesch
19-10 Sari Joseph
This quilt is quite the autograph album! It is 62" square, contains all cotton fabric, a fine cotton batting, and was hand quilted by me with tiny stitches. There is a sleeve on the back to make it easy to hang on a wall.
By the by, on block 6-9 is one group name you might not know because I wrote for it and got it by mail -- but I was quite pleased to have a connection for this quilt with these ladies. I am talking about the Boise Peace Quilt Project, as writtenabout by Col. Dan Smith on CounterPunch in May 2006. If you will recall, there was some intense saber rattling in the direction of Iran going on at the time. The Colonel wrote:
Fast forward 77 years to 1984 in Boise where a red, white, and blue "National Peace Quilt" with 50 panels--one for each state--is unveiled. Each panel contains a child's vision of what peace and security would "look like." The inscription on the quilt reads
"REST beneath the warmth and weight of our hopes
for the future of our children,
DREAM a vision of the world at peace,
ACT to give the vision life."
Each U.S. Senator is challenged by the Boise ladies to take the quilt home and sleep under it for one night. In return, the names of those participating were embroidered on the quilt. Over the course of 1985-86, sixty-seven senators participated, recording in the "National Peace Quilt Log Book" their own personal vision of peace and how to achieve that goal.
This Mother's Day, May 14, marks the 20th anniversary of the collective dreams of peace recorded in a log book in Boise following (one hopes) a restful night. The Idaho Peace Coalition will send Mothers' Day Peace Entreaties to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee--whose chairperson and ranking member took their turn resting an dreaming under the blanket 20 years ago--asking the committee to redouble their efforts to develop diplomatic solutions to will resolve the animosity between the United States and Iran.
From Red to Blue Label
This quilt could be yours! From now until September 15, every day you donate $10 or more to this Act Blue page, you will receive a chance to win the quilt – one donation per day will be counted. OR, if you prefer not to donate, you can enter by writing an essay of 50 words or less on this subject: "What Jack Conway’s Run For the U.S. Senate Means to Me" -- and send it to communityquilts (at) yahoo.com. If we find your essay to be topical, we will give you an entry in the drawing, one essay per person per day. The drawing will take place the last day in September.
PleaseDONATE here!!!
Thank you!