Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Annoying edges and some Giveaways

Ok so I just finished using my first moda charm pack for a candle mat swap.  Is it me or are those edges annoying?  What do you do about them?  I sewed around them but then ended up trimming them.    Just wondering...


My sister Kelly and I during one of my chemo treatments.  Oh and Flat Stanley too.









BTW Friday is an important day for me.  It is the 5 year anniversary of my last chemo.  It is the date that is significant for me as a cancer survivor.  So I will be giving away a Lucky Duck t-shirt (see on the side) and three of my favorite fat quarters.  To enter write a comment below about how cancer has effected you.  I would especially like to hear any quilting/cancer related stories.  I have read so many great stories through the Bloggers Quilt Festival and it is time to share mine.  I will pick a winner Saturday.


I will post pics of the giveaway later when I get new batteries for my camera..oops. 


P.S. Go visit A Quilter's Place where Lisa is celebrating her 100th post with a Giveaway!




Keep dreaming...Colleen aka 'butterflygirl'



23 comments:

Lisa said...

I thought I was the only one who hated those edges.
I lost my Father to cancer 23 years ago today.
Big congrats on your 5 year anniversary!

Hands Sew Full said...

Congratulations on your 5 years post chemo! Cancer has had a huge affect on my life, almost everyone in my family has had cancer of one type or another. I have a sweet girl friend battling for her life as I type. She has a rare and aggressive breast cancer that was very advanced when the found it. She was expecting at the time and they delivered her immediately so they could start treatment, she has 6 children total. We also found out today that my Sister In-Laws "small encapsulated stomach tumour" was not that at all and her little day surgery turned into a stomach and pancreas removal along with various associated tissues, to be followed with chemo and radiation. So I am thrilled to know that you survived! It gives me hope when I have not seen many positives with cancer lately. Our guild here makes gowns, caps and quilts for the cancer unit in town...I think they bring comfort and the poem on the wall lets people know that the items were made for this use with a purpose to comfort behind it!

Miss Hillbilly said...

I really hate those stupid edges too!!!

I don't have a cancer quilt story...but I started quilting when caring for a family member who was dieing. I actually posted it this week.

As for cancer itself...my husband is a surviver of colin cancer, my best friend of breast cancer.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Congratulations on being a survivor!! When I found out I had cancer in 2001, I racked my brain to think of what was something I wanted to do just in case........make a quilt popped in my mind out of the blue. So I did....grin. I haven't completed many through the quilting stage, but I have lots of tops.

robin said...

Wow - 5 years since you finished chemo - what a milestone! Congratulations! I hope you're doing well.

Cancer has touched my life. My mom died from breast cancer when I was barely 16. She had started her first quilt for my older sister. My grandma had some church ladies finish it after mom died, so my sis has it now. Then Grandma gave me a quilt her mother had made, which I think was really sweet of her. I treasure it. If you'd like to see pics of it go to my blog - I recently posted about it at justcamping.blogspot.com

Thanks for the giveaway chance! ;o)

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Congratulations on your anniversary.
I lost a 16 yr co-worker almost a year ago. FRank will always be in our thoughts. We have a smiling picture of him framed in our work kitchen.
Blessings to you and yours.
Patti

Janet said...

My dad, grandmother, aunt, mother-in-law all died from cancer. My dad's death was horrendous. My father-in-law now has cancer. In the north where I live it seems that cancer is rampant amongst the First Nation people. A friend, a woman I hired in a First Nation training position, has been fighting lung cancer. My friend made her a quilt. I wanted to participate but the timing wasn't right. I wonder if she'd like two.... Congrats on your five years free of cancer.

Gill said...

Congrats on your five years post chemo.
My Dad died of cancer in 1992 on my birthday just 17 days after the birth of my second son
Gill

Anonymous said...

yes congratulations on the five year post chemo. It has effected my family tremendously.

On my moms side:

My great grandmother had breast cancer and died, my great grandfather had colon and stomach cancer and died. My grandmother has had breast cancer got chemo and was cancer free for many years until recently she has found out that she has breast cancer again along with stomach cancer. My mom has bladder cancer. At 36 I have a brain tumor, looking at scans they feel it is not cancerous but wont know until they go in and look.

My dad's side: My great grandparents both died of cancer. My grandfather died of stomach cancer and my beloved grandmother whom I miss more then any one else in the would passed away having had leukemia.
My uncles on that side of the family over the past 20 years have died of stomach cancer as well.

Much heart ache for our family. Even today 17 years after my beloved grandma passed, I can still feel in my mind the softness of her hands when she held mine. I can still smell all the flavors of all the breads and treats she would make by hand, My favorite always there waiting when I would visit. The most yummy cranberry bread I have ever had. She was the one who taught me that working with a needle was the greatest feeling!

My heart feels for anyone who loses such treasured people to cancer

Thank you Colleen for having a giveaway that also reminds us to enjoy what we have and who we have NOW before something like cancer takes it from you!

Hugging tightly all of those who have lost someone in your life to cancer.

Ann Flowers
flowerscrazyq@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

That is so awesome! Congrats on your being a survivor! I have a couple friends who are in the midst of a battle with breast cancer...the one has already gone through chemo, bilateral mastectomy and will begin radiation - hoping to be finished before Christmas...the other is just beginning. It is something that keeps me praying for them constantly.

Kellyyrn said...

Congrats big sis! What a cute picture of me...i dont think i have ever seen it :)

WvHmmngbrd said...

I had colon cancer at age 44. Both parents died from it. I am ok now 4 1/2 years later. Thanks for the chance to win!

Laura said...

I watched my oldest brother's best friend die from bone cancer when I was a kid. The impact we had by keeping him supplied with goofy cards and frequent visits spurred me on to volunteer with several cancer-support organizations - a couple local and three on-line (www.chemoangels.com, www.hugsandhope.org, wwww.makeachildsmile.org) Since then I've lost far too many friends to cancer...
Congrats on five years!

shirley said...

Congratulations for surviving cancer. It is such a harrowing experience to undergo in someone so young.
A hug from cyber space coming your way.

StitchinByTheLake said...

My husband was diagnosed with melanoma in December of 2004. That was just after my father died in March and my mother in July. I thought my world was disintegrating and I suppose, if I had let it, that could have happened. He had surgery in January of 2005, did chemo (3 shots a week he gave himself) for a year and a half. He was scheduled for two years but his numbers didn't cooperate. He's now 4 1/2 years out from his last treatment and, as of yesterday, still has a clean picture. I am praising God every day for His grace that carried us through that. Quilting was my outlet. I stitched and cried, stitched and moaned, stitched and cussed (I know, I know I shouldn't), stitched and cried some more. Somehow I don't think the crying would have been enough without the stitching. :) blessings, marlene

JayTee said...

Congrats on your anniversary. The support of family and friends was a blessing , I'm sure.

MoeWest said...

A big congratulations to you for your 5th anniversary post chemo. May you have many more milestones to come. My friend is just starting on this road of chemo treatment for breast cancer. Her first treatment is next week. I hope she can be a lucky duck too.

Daisy said...

Congratulations to fight and celebrate your fifth anniversary of the last chemotherapy.

I have a friend who fought and defeated, 10 years leading a normal life, but at first it was very hard for her ..

Congratulations!

Joanne Lendaro said...

Congrats on the 5 years! Wonderful picture of you and your sister!! thanks for the chance in your giveaway...."IF" by some lucky chance my name is drawn.....please give/send the shirt to MoeWest to give to her friend, sounds like she could use some of your wonderful positive encouragement! Thanks, you are a sweetie!!

Quilt n Queen said...

Congratulations on being 5 years cancer free. Cancer has affected me through many friends and family. To mention only a few....my husband with skin cancer...twice, my son at age 23 with testicular , and my sister at age 45 with breast. My son is now 34 with 3 beautiful children...3 miracles... and my sister is now 14 years cancer free. Congratulations again and here's to many many more years cancer free.

Thanks for the chance to win:)

Nancy Sue said...

Congrats on your 5 year anniversary!!! That is awesome! My mother is a 12 year breast cancer survivor. It's amazing how times have changed and it's hard to meet someone who HASN"T been affected by cancer. It is heart renching to read the other comments!
nsue21702 at gmail dot com

Marcia W. said...

Hope this comment posts (3rd time the charm). Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary. Cancer has touched me, my family, and friends with sad losses and some wonderful "free froms". A good friend - after double M and many treatments - is now 15+ years cancer free. It's difficult to write about the losses. The pinked edges of pre-cuts are difficult to sew with my quarter inch presser foot so bother me too.
Thanks for the giveaway and congratulations again on 5 years "free from".

Gmama Jane said...

Blessings to you Colleen and to your courage in fighting the cancer!!Keep fighting and share your story to help others.
Gmama Jane