Cup Dresses

My friend, Judy Wedemeyer, is a fiber artist with an imagination that just leaves me smiling every time and a sense of sharing seen only in people who are happy and secure with themselves.

And, just for the record: She started it.

It was a chat conversation, on the internet. I remember that much, and the fact that, even though it was just words on the screen, I was laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes.

This is MY version of how that went….

She tells me, “we need to come up with a good fundraiser item for Breast Cancer this year.” I mentally agree with her, and think to myself that just another pink quilt doesn’t quite cut it. I ponder the issue and type, “well, what about those great cup warmers you make? I love those things! Maybe in pink?”

She replys “Boring”. Well, then. I try to think harder. More creatively.

“How can we tie those into a Breast Cancer theme?” she sends.

A pause as we both ponder.

“Well. We could put breasts on the cup warmers?” (Quite frankly, I am not sure which of us said it.)

“OMG!” We both cracked up laughing and the conversation went on from there.

It took many months before we were able to sit down together and have a “creative retreat” and make our “Busty Cups” as we had come to call them.

We found out that we’d envisioned a similar result (how many ways can you envision breasts on a cup warmer?) but our methodology was vastly different and we had a blast playing together.

When we’d finished we admired each others’ work and agreed to post about it on our blogs and share the idea with a couple of friends.

My friend Margaret Bucklew, of Chiseled In Cloth, went off in her own direction!

We are all donating them to Breast Cancer Awareness/Support Fundraisers.

Both Judy and Margaret have blog posts about making theirs.

Would you like to join us? We’d love to see your creation (this is a LOT of fun for a group of women especially if you find a way to use your creations to raise money to fight breast cancer).

We’ve put up a free TUTORIAL here with a downloadable pattern and some basic instructions and are letting it all go under a creative commons license. Have fun, have a fundraiser, just don’t re-sell or profit financially from the effort

When I showed mine to my daughter, explaining the process, my granddaughter asked if she could play with the “Lady Cup Dresses” and we both just laughed. I handed them all over to her and she was just a happy little girl, playing with the cup dresses.

I made a short video about the project

If breast cancer has caused hurt and fear in your family, I hope that you will consider our lighthearted approach of creating something that is fun and artistic and realize that we DO understand the seriousness and grief that this disease causes. We do not mean any disrespect to anyone that the disease has harmed or toward anyone at all and I dearly hope that no one will take offense at our silly little projects.

Eye Candy & Inspiration

Quilters, I am not sure what you call it, but when I find a blog that makes me just scroll up and down, over and over, discovering something new, exciting and beautiful, I call that “eye candy”.

This blog is in Spanish, and was brought to my attention by my new friend Rita, who emailed me to tell me how much she likes my videos

Please check out Twinkle Patchwork if you are looking for something new, or just want a “pretty things” show. If you want to read it, and have Google translate the Spanish to English, consider downloading the Google Translator Toolbar – I love it and use it to help me communicate in several languages because I get comments on my videos from all over the world! Or, you can use this translation page to draft a message and then translate it to another language, which I sometimes do.

Either way, enjoy the site and if you like, comment and say “Hola” to Rita and that Marguerita sent you

Project Linus Fundraiser – A Crazy Shortcut Quilt

Karen contacted me to let me know that her group was having a raffle for a group-made Crazy Shortcut Quilt! Here’s her note:

We make items for a raffle and members buy tickets throughout the year with the prizes being awarded at the luncheon. The six of us on the luncheon committee got together and made one of your Crazy Shortcut Quilts. It was not only easy but it was a wonderfully fun group project. I’ve attached a picture of our raffle quilt and you can also read more about the luncheon and our chapter in our newsletter at:
Project Linus Chicago – Spring-Summer News

Vote for Vanessa!

Quilters, you might have noticed that I am loving making videos and putting them on YouTube. I also *watch* a lot of videos there – in fact, when I want to figure out how to do something, like use a piece of software or cook something, well the first place I go now is YouTube.

Oprah Winfrey is doing a talent search and a gal that I’ve watched on YouTube is trying to get her own quilting show. Her name is Vanessa and you can see her “pitch” here.

If you like what you see, please give her a vote. I personally would LOVE to see some new, young, fresh representative of quilting on national TV and this gal just crush’s it! Go Vanessa Go!

Crazy Shortcut Quilt for Auction to Benefit Adoption

I found this on our Facebook Page – this family is having an auction fundraiser to help with their adoption of a child and their friends donated a Crazy Shortcut Quilt!!

I just **LOVE** this coming together to benefit the family and the child!!!

Here’s the Quilt that is up for auction – which ends June 13th. Here is the story of the Adoption Family and here is their Blog.

Happy Things!

Check out this great video! It will put a big smile on your face

Need Help with your Sewing?

Meet Debbie (from Ohio) of Squiggly Twigs Designs!

She emailed me (you know that I love email, right?) and she asked if she could use my video about chain piecing on her site. Of course I said yes, then immediately went to her blog to find out more about her. WOW!

She is offering FREE help for people with sewing issues!!

So, In addition to checking out her blog and seeing her great patterns (too cute for words) I read about how she’s helping people with sewing problems and I am impressed!

Her offer is only good for another week, so dig out that old pattern you were working on and drop her a note about the reason you tossed it into a drawer a year ago.

I love people who help others!! Yay Debbie!!

Really Great Inspiration

I love reading Seth Godin and so of course I downloaded his (free!) new ebook as soon as I could. It’s called What Matters Now.

Since I am sharing things I love, this video really speaks to me. It is on TED and it is William Kamkwamba talking about how he Harnessed The Wind. I want to do what he has done.

Meanwhile, I am quilting away, writing and thinking of new projects I can create for Crazy Shortcut Quilters; helping a few friends with their blogs (do you need help? Just email me….) and of course, taking videos! I hope to have another ready for you soon. Meanwhile, I put one up about the adjustment of Pressure on the sewing machine Presser foot. What a tongue twister!!

First Place!

Our dear friend Kathy Harte mentors young girls in their sewing. Here’s her email to me from just a few minutes ago:

Hi Marguerita and Sarah – I’m so excited about some great – exciting fantastic news ! ! ! I had 5 students last school year who completed their wildly beautiful “Crazy Shortcut Quilts.” Two of my girls just called to let me know….

Tyanna Baker took First Place, and Grand Champion in her age group (12 years old) for the king size quilt she made ! ! ! ! !

Christina Baker took 2nd place in the 9 year old category for her lap size quilt ! ! ! !

The girls’ Mom will e-mail pictures of the girls with their masterpieces, and I’ll forward those on to you….

AND….. I’ve got everything documented from start to finish on my computer… if you like, I’ll burn CDs for you so you can see what all the girls did using your book as our guide.

I’m soooooo proud of them and am doing the happy dance ! Just thought you’d like to know YAY YAY YAY

Love to you both,
Kath

I am so excited for these girls – to have won recognition for their hard work really is so wonderful and for Kathy to see their success, well, that is the highest reward for a wonderful teacher!

Happiest Mother’s Day to Everyone :)

On a long drive home from Anchorage yesterday Tom and I had an interesting conversation. I will admit that being fifty has changed my perspective a bit. We talked about our “bucket list” and I challenged him to make a list (I will too) and we will compare them next weekend. That should be an interesting conversation! I’ll keep you posted

This morning we had a quiet breakfast and then he went to bring flowers from the garden to his mom and I went and cleaned off his grandmother’s grave.

I love graveyards, I always have. I like quiet. There’s not much quieter than a graveyard. It takes me about an hour to clean her grave and it is contemplation time that I enjoy. Although I live almost every moment being grateful for what I have, right now, and making the very best of it, I become extra grateful when I clean off her grave once or twice a year.

It’s a very nice grave, with a marble headstone and full white pebble rock covering (this is what takes so long to clean). I hope she accomplished all the things in life she wished, and was happy with what she’d made of her life and the impression she’s left on people. I never met her but I hear great things about her from Tom because she lived with their family as Tom was growing up.

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