Juno's Quilt

[katana600]

As we try to make sense of our loss I am finding a positive outlet for my emotional side. Since PDD research has made little progress in decades, but is on the cutting edge of creating a test with higher accuracy for diagnosis I am making a quilt to raffle for the benefit of research funding. I have requested and have been granted permission to use a design from a book by Deb Karasik. If you want to see her work, check her site http://www.quiltmavens.com/ As I make progress, I will show you the quilt. This picture shows some of the fabric I am currently gathering for the quilt.

[JillyBeanz]

Oh Dee! What are you like!! You take your loss and turn it into a positive. You are unbelievable!! I know what quilting means to you (there's nobody I know who gets up at 6am to watch a programme about quilting)!!

 

What a lovely, lovely thing to do - you're an angel! I can't wait to see the progress. What a lovely idea - be sure to put me down for a ticket!

[Supernova]

Dee, what a babe you are, that will be something to treasure for sure.

[pearllyn]

I Can't wait to see how this progresses - the colours of the fabric are beautiful!

x

[Luvparrots]

What a lovely way to remember Juno, Dee. The quilt will be absolutely beautiful and allude the warm of your love for Juno. Please let us know how to participate in the raffle when the time comes. I look forward to seeing Juno's Quilt progress.

[judygram]

Dee, you are an amazing woman and it speaks volumes about how you handle life's stresses, what a wonderful thing to do to remember Juno, as if you could ever forget him but you know what I mean.

 

From the looks of the fabric you have gathered so far it should be a very colorful one, can't wait to see the finished product.

[katana600]

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement. I have never made a quilt this big before, but it all starts with pieces and I can do pieces. I just have to bring color, light and fabrics into my life again and get moving in a positive direction. When I was reading about PDD, there was a group a few years earlier who raffled a quilt for research. I read some more and decided which university was dedicated to this research and then talked with Ann. Her club raises money every year for the same school, so we put our heads together and I am just finding something to give us hope. If this turns out to be a worthwhile time investment, I may do it every year, but that is easy to say since I haven't received the pattern book yet.

[pearllyn]

It's such a great idea Dee. I hope whoever eventually ends up with this quilt appreciates just how much pure love and emotion has litterally been sewn into the fabric.

And to make it an annual thing? That is quite an undertaking!

[pat]

what lovely colours,good luck on your quilting

[Joolesgreyuk]

Dee you are an inspiration. Reserve tickets for me too!

[katana600]

I will make sure the raffle coordinators factor in the overseas shipping and insurance on the quilt. Maybe I should tell them I have to carry it in person. Wouldn't that just be a hoot?

[Greywings]

Lovely healing colors and a creative outlet for you all as well. Nice idea to use as a fund raising idea with a special touch.

[katana600]

I have been on two more fabric buying junkets, LOL. Have had some of the dyes running together but that is why I wash all the pieces and catch it before it ruins all my hard work. I will try to post a couple of pictures of where I am going with the colors. Deb Karasik designed the pattern in her book with Janet Mednick called "Quilt Maven's Perfect Paper Piecing" It is still in the color and design process, but I am making some progress.

[katana600]

I like this design from Deb Karasik in her book "Quilt's With Attitude" but it is too small in its original pink format and I am not so sure about a full sized one, maybe next year. It is aptly called Ribbons of Hope

[katana600]

This is more where I am headed, I just have to find the black-on-black fabric for the background and quilt back.

[Joolesgreyuk]

This is a lovely design Dee, I like it more than the blue one - more colourful.

[kittykittykitty]

Dee, you are one unbelievably special person! :kiss: What a way to remember Juno. Just look at the detail! :ohmy: I hope to be in on the rafflee also.

[katana600]

Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it. The color design is the hardest part for me. I like the outside part because it looks like flying wings, and I may make each one a rainbow of color instead of having separate colors. I am working with the balance first, then with colors, from the outside in. I love being able to put it on the computer first while I am gathering the fabrics.

[Luvparrots]

Love the second design! Thanks for letting us watch your progress. This is a wonderful quilt you are making.

[Jayd]

I wish I could say I had your strength, I don't. What your doing is good. It's hard for me to just reply to your posts...

Jayd

[judygram]

This is going to be one greyt project to honor Juno and to remember him by as if you needed something to help you with that for you will never forget him and besides we won't forget about him either, you are an amazing woman Dee.

[JillyBeanz]

I can't wait to see this come along - I want stages of photos, not just the end product!! I like both designs, but can definitely see why you favour the second - come on girl, get stitching!!!!

[caseyandmikey]

What a beautiful idea this is. You will help save many birds so I thank you in advance. Please post pictures so we can see how it progresses. Good luck and have fun with it.

[pearllyn]

These are beautiful Dee - the black one is particularly striking though. It's wonderful how creative you are! You're an inspiration Dee.

x

[katana600]

Jay, if I wasn't putting my heart into actions right now and finding a way to help other birds while I come to grips with our loss, I wouldn't be able to breathe. It is only through sharing with people like you and finding a way to make a difference that compels me to work hard at supporting research that may isolate this horrible virus and find a way to protect all our birds. There is not a day that goes by that I don't get teary when I think of Juno's chuckle, or how I would wake up and look at the clock to see if it was time yet for me to get up and go see him in the morning. One morning of having him in my life was better than all the Christmas mornings I had in my lifetime. It is that joy of his time with me that changed something in my soul. What I am searching for in the design of the quilt is the sunshine and rainbows and happiness I imagine for him in his place while he waits for me to join him again someday. When we find a place in our life to express sadness and loss, it raises us up to new heights of joy and I can feel that deep in my being. Our journey has a lot of hard, rough spots and the happy, cheerful parts are fleeting, so I just have to say how much I treasure what each of you bring to my life. Meanwhile, my dreams take me to soar in spirit and find a way to multiply all the good parts and put my energy into the things that will make somebody smile today... unless they are trying to edge me out of my lane in this Atlanta traffic. LOL.