May's goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes...

I almost forgot to post my May goal for ALYoF....

I've made progress on my batik quilt, the quilting is completed so...

my May goal is have it bound and gifted.
As time permits

I would also like to make some progress on my Hands2Help quilt.
A quilt top flimsy would be good...
having it quilted and bound would be awesome!!

I will be using a Bear Country School layer cake and charm pack by Moda.

All I've done so far is matched a layer cake with a charm pack.

I'm sure I will move a few around.  

I will be using a folded square-in-a square block to make the quilt.
The 2 quilts below are donation quilts...
the one on the right is for the Relay for Life 
held next week in Canton Michigan.
It measures 50" x 60".

The multi colored one is 48" x 54".

I used the folded square-in-a square block to make both quilts.

I'm linking to Melissa and Shanna

Happy Stitching!!

Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge

(Quilts I donated to Happy Chemo last year)

It's that time of year for the annual

Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 

hosted by Sarah of Confessions of A Fabric Addict.

I participated last year and will be joining in again.

Last year I donated 2 quilts to HAPPY CHEMO and I will donate 3 for sure this year

...probably 1 to each charity.

If Hand2Help Charity Quilt Challenge is new to you,
you can read all about it in detail at Confessions of A Fabric Addict.

Brighten someone's day and donate a 'comfort' quilt.
Choose your organization from the H2H featured charities
or if you are an international quilter...
you can choose a local charitable group to give your quilt to!!

Hands2Help Linky Party

It's the first day to link up your comfort quilts with Hands2Help .  

Be sure to check out all of the beautiful quilts at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

that will be donated to

Happy Chemo and Quilts Beyond Borders.

It is linky party that lasts all week...

I will be sending Emily 2 quilty hugs for Happy Chemo.

...quilt #1 is called 'In Full Bloom'

...quilt #2 is called 'Playing on the Grass and in the Dirt'

You can find more details at Em's Scrapbag blog.  

Emily is helping cancer patients of all ages going through chemo treatments.

Her goal is to give 1500 quilts to Happy Chemo.

Wrapped in a quilt is like giving each cancer patient a...quilty hug.

Emily shared a lovely thank you note from a cancer patient 

who received a Happy Chemo quilt.

You can read about it in Emily's post "Happy Mail Day".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I first heard about Happy Chemo I knew I wanted to help.

Most of you may not know this about me as I don't

usually share much about my family life on my blog.

but...I'll share this...it's why I chose to make the quilts for Happy Chemo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before I started quilting,

 my sister and son both received the 'C' word from their Drs.

It was tough couple of years for me...

my sister received her diagnosis in May 1998...just a few weeks after our Dad passed.

After a couple of surgeries, chemo and radiation,

...it was March 1999 when my sister finished her treatments.

Our son was diagnosed a few months later...in October.  

Chemo drugs are administered differently depending on the type of cancer.

Our son had an IV drip for 4 or 5 hours every morning for 5 days

 then off the drugs for 2 weeks

then back on the IV for 5 days.  

He did this for 4 months. 

Shortly after my son's first treatment...

 I found him in my sewing room with his girlfriend and now our DDIL

cutting up large squares of brightly colored fleece.

They made a fleece quilt...and it turned out pretty darn good.

He was in his final year of University...

and with a wonderful circle of friends and understanding professors 

he graduated along with his class.

I shed a bucket of tears at graduation.

I confess...I've used a tissue or two today too.

Luv you guys...both are cancer survivors.

Thank you Sarah for hosting this challenge.  

Your hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated.

I hope to participate again next year.

Happy stitching