As I have mentioned before, I love quilts from the 30s and 40s that used white muslin as a background for happy colors. The combination doesn't really go in my primitive log home, so most of these become gifts- especially for new babies. These are the blocks for my newest project, although I think I'm gonna use them as a border for a simple checker-board of tourqoise with a red border. I believe it'll make a nice cuddle quilt for the next sweet baby girl that comes along.

Why do we wear black to funerals?

Today is Emily's funeral and I really don't want to wear black. It's not because everything I have that's black is really too small, except what I wore to the funeral home yesterday; sad but true. It's spring, can't I wear pink? Emily liked pink. She liked pink and balloons and tiaras, although wearing a tiara really isn't my style, I'm quite sure a 5 year old would hardily approve of me dawning a rhinestone crown in her honor. Black is what people expect, so black is what I'll wear. I guess it really doesn't matter and it seems pretty self-absorbed to be thinking about clothes when someone's little girl is gone. But if I think about Emily too much, it's hard to function, so wardrobe seems safe.
Emily was 5 years old and had cancer that spread throughout her whole body. I never had the pleasure of meeting her. All I did was make a quilt to help raise money for her family. But circumstances being what they are and quiltmakers being who we are- you get attached to those you create for. Everyday I would stitch and pray for her and her family. I got to know members of her family, some in person some just through e-mails. In an odd turn of events, Emily's brother was able to bring the quilt home to his sister. Two days later she passed away sleeping under that quilt of pink flowers. Her services will be held in the church where I volunteer and I guess it would be appropriate for me to wear black... but I do have a wonderful pink jacket that might be nice.

Sometimes things end up as they should be. Emily's benefit was a huge success. Emily's Garden was put in the $5 raffle along with 3 vacations in Gatlinburg. Emily's brother Austin bought a ticket and won one of the vacations. He then approached the person who won the quilt and asked if they would be willing to trade the quilt so he could bring it to his mother and sister who had to be at home.

Emily's Garden is in the quilting stage. This is the largest quilt I've done in a few years, and the first large one on my new machine (which is performing wonderfully!). Emily, the 5 year old girl with brain cancer for who's benefit this quilt is made and will be raffled off in little more than a week, is home now and doing better than expected. Her cancer is still terminal, but bringing her home from the hospital so she could be with her family for the time she has left, seems to have been the right decision. Please continue to pray for her and her family.

Emily Update

So many of you have been supportive of my project for Emily, I thought you might want to know. Sadly Emily's cancer is now in her spine and diagnosed as incurable. Her family has taken her off her ventilator and meds to make her more comfortable and alert, giving her the chance to be more there for the time she has left.
We are still going ahead with the benefit and I am still stitching away on the quilt. Please pray for Emily and her family, she had only one chemo treatment left and they had such high hopes. Remember, God has given each of us only a certain number of days- touch the lives of others in whatever time you have, just like Emily has.

Here's the progress on Emilys Garden, a quilt to be raffled off at a benefit for Emily Young, a 5 year old girl with brain cancer. Had to re-calculate and now need 25 applique blocks. YIKES!

Emily's Garden is well under way. Emily is a 5 year girl with brain cancer. We were priviledged as a church to be able to pray over Emily and her family in mid Feb. A few days later, I learned of a benefit being held for Emily. They were in need of items to be auctioned. My mother died of a brain tumor when I was 12, and so I really wanted to do something to help her and her family. I asked if they would be interested in auctioning a quilt, and they said, "Sure". I struggled with what pattern to do. I have admired the work that Victoria at Bumble Beans has done in the area of charity quilts and in surfing her BLOG one day, I came across this simple applique pattern that she created for her Sis Boom Pow project. She was wonderful about me adapting the pattern for Emily's Garden. I was planning on doing 9 app. blocks alternating with a scrap double 4-patch variation, but these blocks are so much fun that I could see it growing. Go here to learn more about emily