HHHHMMMMM Let me try to find out what days she is off so we catch her on a day off...

Great news to hear about Ashlea. Must be a strong person to over come all she has in a short time. Wish the best for your family Miriam. Going to be a very Merry Christmas for you all.

Miriam,

I can't sew worth a darn and would hate to mess up a beautiful quilt. Are there any charities Ashlea would recommend?

Jon

Anything to do with cancer or stroke I'm sure would please her.

OK. Donated $10 to RTH Stroke Foundation. Best Wishes.

Jon

That's sweet. I'll let her know.

It's done! I'll take pictures tomorrow and it will leave for Florida on Monday. I'll post pictures after Ashlea receives it.

Thank you everyone for your support and contributions on this project! It's been a lot of fun and it couldn't have happened without the generosity of the members here.
Rodney

And thank you, Rodney, for all of the work you have put into this gift for Ashlea. Many small parts make a wondrous whole but only when there is someone to gather the parts and make that whole as you have.

Donna,

That some tag you got after your name. WOW!


Jon
Just Jon

Roger,

You have completed a very large and very wonderful task. If I were a gambler, I'd bet that several times you've wished you had not started this -- I think we all do at some point in a project such as this one. I feel very privileged to have participated in this project. Each and every member of the QB has to be proud of the kindness and caring manifested in this quilt! Thank you, Rodney, for all the work and enthusiasm you have invested. I don't think I could have done it, because, after all, I am a "rank amateur"! There's a "funny" about that expression -- My husband (who passed away 10 years ago), my son and I were and are "ham" radio operators. The license granted by the FCC is known as an "amateur" operator's license. and my "rank" is classified as a technician! LOL

Thank you again, Roger and Olivia, and all those QB Members who supported this project.

Miriam, I know you will enjoy this quilt, and I am so very happy for Ashlea's recovery. She has really shown a great will to meet the challenge. You and your family, Ashlea, Caleb (and Savannah) are in our thoughts and prayers and best wishes for continued good health and happiness!
Jeanette

That some tag you got after your name. WOW! Jon Just Jon

OK, Jon...is that a good WOW, a bad WOW or a "gotcha thinking about it" WOW? Don't think about your reply...there is no right or wrong answer. I'm just curious.

And here I am this morning, not getting anything done to make my day count for something. But I have enjoyed catching up on my reading here on the QB. Actually, I am doing some procrastinating, because I started a quilt for my GDIL over a month ago, ran out of the fabric to make the rest of the design come out right, and lost my focus. Now I am just drifting, trying to make up my mind to "pitch it all" or put it in a box, call it a UFO, and start all over after a trip to Whittles to buy enough to make it start to finish. What to do, what to do......

Jeanette be happy you didn't put money down on that bet. I never felt that I shouldn't have started the project though there were a few oops moments where my thoughts were along the lines of "I wish I hadn't done that. Now how am I going to fix it?". Some things I couldn't fix, others I could. I fixed what I could and moved on. Live and learn. I know there's no such thing as perfection though I chase after it anyway. I drive my wife nuts because I nitpick my projects to death. It's funny though, stuff that bothers me on my own work would be completely acceptable or not noticed at all on other people's work.

Actually I'm a rank amatuer too. This is the second quilt I've completed and I learn more every time I sit down to sew. I actually really enjoyed every step of this project. It started out as something to lift the spirits of Ashlea but seeing everyone pull together to make this happen has lifted mine as well.

JoAnn, I'm sitting on the first quilt I ever started. It was intended for my wife. I was too ambitious in the pattern I chose and really haven't come up with a good way to salvage it. I also have a roughly half completed quilt I started for my new grand niece after she was born. She's a year old now. I hit a spot where I had to stop and regroup on it too. I have a direction again on hers and will start it again now that this project is finished. I just need to pick up some more fabric for it.
Whatever decision you make I'm sure it will be the right one and you'll be able to move forward again. Don't let it get you down for long. I think everyone hits roadblocks like yours or mine.

Donna I love that quote you found.
Rodney

How can I reply without thinking? :)

Should I just "shoot from the hip?" I'm lible to blow my toe off.

Rodney, so glad you have finished the quilt. Like everyone else can't wait to see pictures.

I took pictures yesterday. I was able to hang the quilt in Roserips' studio where I could get pictures of the whole thing. I will ship the quilt out tomorrow. It should arrive at Ashea and Caleb's home around Thursday or Friday. Pictures will be posted after I know it made it.
Rodney

lap quilt???

Yep, just your "shoot from the hip" thoughts. And what do you think of the new signature quote, Jon?

Donna (blueheavenfla) that is wonderful (yours, about the types of person); or were you commenting on Jon's--I guess I'll have to go back searching and see what y'all are muddling (or laughing?) about.

Back to the subject at hand, I keep checking every day to see the progress on Ashlea's quilt, and Ashlea herself.

Ever hear the 1920's song "My Blueheaven"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w-_xbBmXJ4

Actually it was one of the first "real" songs that I learned to play on the piano...a favorite of mine so DH and I named our previous home Blue Heaven which became a landmark on our road for many people (ie "it's between BH and the marina etc). I may still have the original sheet music that my mother had.

I can hardly wait to hear what Ashlea says and thinks about the quilt. Hasn't this been fun for all of us, except maybe Rodney, who worked so hard to make our efforts shine...thanks again, Rodney.

43 pages of thread.....this is truly a labor of love.

Jon

Thanks for this song--brought me to tears--my daddy could whistle like that and I can remember hearing him whistle like that when he was plowing--with a horse, not a tractor.

Thanks for reminding me. The quilt left yesterday afternoon. I need to give Miriam the tracking# for Ashlea and Caleb.
Rodney

My dad was a whistler too. I remember him whistling something about "an old spinning wheel in the parlor." He also made up his own "tunes."

My son, Caleb, is a whistler - how appropriate to be talking about whistling on here. He started whistling when he was a baby. I yelled at the older kids for whistling in the car. It was him. He used to walk around whistling all the time. Here is a link: http://calebhawkins.bandcamp.com/album/wood-and-wire It is number 5 the song is 'Seventeen' it is one of my favorite songs. When he does a show he asks the audience to whistle with him. One place he went was serving cookies. Nobody could whistle.

I know we're all waiting to get word that the quilt has arrived so Rodney can post the pictures of the finished quilt.

For my part, Roger, thank you so very much for your taking on a monumental task. Thanks to all of my fellow members here on the QB for participating with your 9 patch blocks! I feel privileged indeed to be a part of this group.

Thanks again, Rodney!

Jeanette

They have the quilt but they also have house guests doing a recording. Rodney might need to go ahead and post pics of the quilt. Caleb told me they want to post something soon.

I was trying to give Caleb a chance to post first but it looks like they're busy for a while.
Here's the pictures you've all been waiting for.
This one is a set of pens and boxes that Soman2 (the other Rodney) made and mailed to me to be sent along to Caleb and Ashlea.
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They're truly beautiful and thank you for your generosity Rodney!
Next up, Joe Miller (JMiller) and his wife Elaine make totebags for sale that they call whacky bags. Joe and Elaine graciously donated one of their bags so Ashlea would have an easy way to store and carry her quilt. The bag is very well made and is a great match for the quilt.
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Thank you Joe and Elaine!
Cari-in-Oly kindly took the time to embroider the label on the quilt. It turned out beautifully. While her embroidery machine isn't vintage I can certainly see the appeal of having one.
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If you're having trouble reading it, it says "A Quilt For Ashlea Hawkins Made With Love By Members Of The Quilting Board 2014". Thank you Cari!

Monopas donated the batting and various members sent cash donations for the fabric used in the sashing and borders and for shipping.
Roserips originally suggested making the quilt and taught me a lot along the way. She helped spray baste the layers together and taught me how to FMQ. I still have a lot to learn but it's a start. These pictures were taken in her sewing studio. I don't have anywhere large enough at home to photograph a quilt this size.

The white block in the center of the quilt in the top photo was made by JudytheSewer. She embroidered it on her Singer 66 IIRC. When I commented on it in another thread she asked if I would like it for the quilt. I said yes. It's the only block in the quilt that isn't a 9 patch. The work is incredible and it's a great example of what these old machines can do in the right hands.
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The quilting pattern is a simple meander in a light cream thread so it would blend in with most of the quilt and because as a beginner it was within my skill level to do an adequate job. Miriam mentioned some hearts would be nice so I tried freehanding some random ones in pink around the borders. I have a lot of respect for the people who can quilt the flawless feathers, flowers and other patterns that I see posted here.
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Thank you again to all the members here who supported this project! It couldn't have happened without your generosity and all of you working together! I'm very happy I was able to be part of this!
Rodney

Rodney, it all turned out beautifully. I know it was hard work and time consuming but, look at it now so pretty. Thank you for taking on this project. JOB well DONE!!!

BEAUTIFUL. Thank you Rodney and Olivia, Cari, Miriam, Jon & Elaine, the other Rodney, and my brain shut down on me at these names, so to the rest of the ones here on the board who participated, we done good, didn't we?

Miriam, you are blessed to have such a son as Caleb. I went back and listened to his recordings. PM me for how to order them. I am not so computer savvy. (Witness, I never post a picture, remember?) I love his music ....

I'm not sure how to get his music on line maybe Itunes or Bandcamp - that's not in my realm... He just only has CDs otherwise - I'll have to ask. Some of it makes you laugh and some of it makes you cry. He says he's working on some more.
Tammi also sent a mug rug. Ashlea took it to work - she said she LOVES it. She LOVED the pen, too. She said it was the right color ink for work so she took it to work, too. So she's been angling to get Caleb's pen, too but so far he is holding out... Then there is also the tote bag I made from some material Earthwalker sent from Australia with the national flower and she loved it, too. She has things she has to carry all the time so tote bags are VERY welcome. Thanks Joe and Elaine. ALL of you - big thanks. When they called a few days ago, they were expecting someone in from out of town to do some session work in the studio so I doubt if they have come up for air yet. I'm going to try to see if he will send some pics and then forward them to someone who can actually post them here. I'm not that good on computers... Anyway thank you everyone for caring about my kidos. They said they could just feel all that love in that quilt. They were shocked at how big it is. Special thanks to Rodney and Olivia - that was a much bigger project than you signed on for but it is really really cool. You people are such a great bunch - better than family. I wish you all lived close so I could give you all hugs.

Rodney, Olivia, Cari, Stitchenriper and all who help Rodney put this quilt together I want to thank you far a beautiful job you did us proud. This was a wonderful project for us all to cheer Ashlea during her recovery. I always new QBer's were the best. Thank you.
Skip

It is an honor to be a part of this (as Miriam put it...better than family) group. Thank you to all who put in all the
"extras"...time, money, advice, special gifts. The 9 patch blocks were the easy part. The rest of you who participated are extra special loving quilting family.

The quilt is gorgeous!! Blessings on all who got this together. It's amazing how the turquoise sashing and borders brought it all together.

Roger, Olivia, and all those others who participated in this project, thank you all. I am very happy to have been a part of this project, no matter how small my part. To Ashlea and Caleb, may this quilt remind you each and every day how much you are loved and how much we here at the QB wish for the very best for you always.

Jeanette

It looks to me like everything is a digital download, MP3, etc, so no CD that I could find. I even tried Amazon.com and it too, offers his music in digital download only, same for a website called CDBaby. Seems odd that something called CDBaby would have only downloads. Tell that super talented young man that most of us are like the old sewing gear we love to play with. Guess I will have to find someone to hold my hand through the purchase of an MP3 player and how to use it. I would download Caleb's music right before Seeger & Guthrie,s.

I sent him another email. See if he comes up for air any time soon. I know he had some CDs last summer. I don't know if you can find him on face book or what. There are a lot of other guys with the same name and they do music, too. LOL He is something like at least a 5th generation musician that we know of so maybe be genetic... My FIL used to play in the bars back in the late 1930s and 1940s - he played back up on mandolin, guitar and banjo to Oklahoma Johnny who ever that was. I guess he came to his senses at some point and never went back. When the family got together all they ever did was play music - I think it was more peaceful that way. LOL.. Years ago FIL gave Caleb a bunch of old instruments, showed him a few licks and he learned to play them. He plays about anything with strings. He does a bit of studio work - if you listen to his music you will hear a lot of instruments - he played them all. There was one guy sang back up on the truck song but the rest was his own dubs.

I've been looking at this quilt for a few minutes, and I have to say, I am so moved by the love I feel in it. Something so simple in design, made with hands from total strangers (in most cases), to lift the spirits of a person and her family that has gone through a serious trial of life, has brought tears to my eyes. To see beauty and kindness in a hodgepodge of fabric is truly precious. Thank you, Rodney, Roserips, Olivia, and all who contributed.