Quilt Blocks for Cancer

Today starts team Lucky Duck's new fundraiser for Relay for Life called Quilt Blocks for Cancer.  As many of you know I am a five year Stage 4 uterine cancer survivor.  I have had a desire to give back to those who suffer since I was cured.   Two years ago I started Team Lucky Duck to participate in Kernersville, NC Relay for Life event.  Friends and mostly family have helped me to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Thats me in the braids.  Yep my hair grew back!

I have Lucky Duck tshirts for sale in my Etsy store and on my blog, all the money goes to Relay.

This year we will be unable to participate due to a family event. I would still like to raise money and would like my Blog family to participate as well.

I am asking you, my blog friends to send quilt blocks for me to assemble together to make a quilt to raffle off. The quilt block can be a memorial, in honor of, or just a celebration of life. I would like any 12.5" unfinished star blocks.  Applique, embroidery, words, and embellishments are welcome.  Cancer survivors are STARS and they should SHINE!  Here is a pattern for my favorite basic star block.  Or you could send a 5" square to use in the border with a message of hope written on it. 

I would like you to use bright, fun colors.  If you want to coordinate your colors with a certain cancer here is the link to what color goes with what cancer.  This should not be just a pink quilt. I want to honor all cancers.

Peach is the color of my cancer. The mother of one of my students died this year from ovarian cancer and I would like to use teal and create a block in memory of her.  I would like to collect the blocks through March 31st, assemble it  and find someone to quilt it for me in April, and raffle it in May and the beginning of June .  (Anyone willing to quilt it for me?)

Blocks can be sent to this address:

Colleen Yarnell

570 Cedarbook Ct

Lewisville, NC  27023

I am so blessed with my relatively good health.  I want to help fight for those who are not so lucky.  If you can not send a quilt block please consider donating to Team Lucky Duck.

Please share this with your friends and blog about it.  Use the Quilt Blocks for Cancer button to link to this blog page.Keep dreaming...Colleen

Me with my amazingly supportive parents and sister
when I was going through chemo.  I'm the one with no hair.  LOL!

A Quilt Fiesta giveaway

It's time for a Book Fiesta! 

Cheryl Lynch is launching her first book Quilt Fiesta!

 

I am the next stop on her blog book tour. 

I 'met' Cheryl through a link to her blog from another blog site.  I commented on something she wrote about PA where I am orginally from.  We emailed back and forth until she asked me if I would be apart of her tour.  Cheryl has sent me two autographed copies of her book, one for me to keep (yeah!) and one to giveaway!

But before we get to that I want to share my favorite parts of her book.  First there are the photos and history of her journey learning about Mexican tiles.

This was probably my favorite part of the book.  At least until I started reading the patterns!  Each pattern is translated from an actual Mexican tile shown in the book!  Better yet she shows how to use the pattern in alternate settings! 

This book is a wonderful mix of piecing and applique with amazing fabrics and colors! 

 

I wanted to let you learn a little bit aobut Cheryl and she was kind enough to answer a few questions:

Colleen: If you could be any sewing notion what sewing notion would you be and why?

Cheryl:  I think I would choose to be a rotary cutter. It makesdfast work of any job and when there is a sharp blade, it's a sweet thing.

Colleen:  If you could be any type of fabric what type of fabric would you be and why?

Cheryl:  Silk dupioni - It's irregular and I like the way it sounds.

Colleen:  What quilt do you currently have on your bed and why?

Cheryl:   Bue and white scrap basket quilt folded at the end of my bed. It was one of the first quilts I made and it matches my blue and white bedroom.

Colleen:  Last but not least finish this sentence

Cheryl:  I like quilting best when I'm on a creative roll and my favorite tool to use is my brain.

Thanks to Cheryl for this great blog tour!  Don't forget to visit these other sites on the tour!  Each site is giving away an authographed copy of Quilt Fiesta!

 2/22/11 http://pinkadotquilts.blogspot.com/

2/23/11 http://www.quiltsoupblog.com/

2/24/11 http://grandmacocosdesigns.blogspot.com/

2/25/11 http://quiltville.blogspot.com

2/26/11 http://fingerlakesart.blogspot.com  

2/27/11 http://cyarnell.blogspot.com

2/28/11 http://amyscreativeside.com/

3/1/11 http://therootconnection.blogspot.com

3/2/11 http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com

3/3/11 http://CherylLynchQuilts.blogspot.com

To enter the giveaway just comment below.  Winner will be announced Friday.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

 

I will announce the cancer quilt project this week. 
Please come back and support this fundraiser for Relay for Life.



Scrappy pin cushion

I had a sewin tonight and made my scrappy pincushion for the Flickr groups swap.

It is two sided.  I dug into my special scraps to make this.

I even added a needle holder.  I hate when pincushions don't have these.  And then the pins get lost in the cushion.

I also tried a little experimentation with some polymer clay and made some pin toppers!

They turned out better then I could hope. 

 Good enough to include three with the pincushion.

And I also rolled up some great scraps so my swap partner could make some more scrappy goodness.

I added a few vintage sewing supplies-a 10cent rick rack and spool of thread.

I may add a few more goodies before I mail this.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



A duck filled raffle basket that raised $45 for Relay last year.
Included a baby quilt, stuffed quilt, and lots of rubber ducks!



Quilt Blocks for Cancer

As you know I am a five year Stage 4 uterine cancer survivor.  I have had a desire to give back to those who suffer since I was cured.  I cut my hair last week to donate!

 I also started a Relay for Life team called the Lucky Ducks two years ago. 

Friends and mostly family have helped me to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  I still have Lucky Duck tshirts for sale in my etsy store and on my blog, all the money goes to Relay. 

 This year we will be unable to participate due to a family event.  I would still like to raise money and would like my Blog family to participate as well.



My Lucky Duck duck pond is always a big hit!



I was thinking about asking you, my blog friends to send me quilt blocks to assemble together to make a quilt to raffle off.  The quilt block could be a memorial, in honor of, or just a celebration of life.  Any pattern, 12.5"(or should they be smaller ?) unfinished.  If you would also like to just send a 5" square to use for a border with a message of hope written on it.

My just live bracelets have peach beads for Uterine cancer. 
The cards tells you to just live every day to fullest.

This should not be just a pink quilt.  I want to honor all cancers.  Peach is the color of my cancer.  The mother of one of my students died this year from ovarian cancer and I would like to use teal and create a block in memory of her.  Here is a link to other colors for other cancers.  I would like to collect the blocks through March 31st.  Assemble and find someone to quilt it for me in April and raffle it in May.

Tell me in the comments below if you think this is something you would like to participate in and you know someone who would help me out with quilting this as well.

BTW I had my yearly cancer check up Friday and my doctor who is AWESOME, said I am doing great!

Keep dreaming and living...Colleen



If you have never been to a Relay one of the most moving moments is when the luminaries are lit.
 Each one represents a lost life or a survivor. 
They line the track and are arranged on a hill spelling out HOPE.