Memorial Day 2011

I was a Military brat and Military wife .... this photo says it ALL .....

Quilters Newsletter and Quilts for Japan

Way way back in the mid 1960’s I lived in Japan. In fact, I graduated from Nile C. Kinnick High School along with 42 other military brats. And long before the 1960’s I lived in Hawaii several times. Gosh both living experiences were miles apart. So … if you can the Japanese people need our help.

Quilters Newsletter has long enjoyed a friendship with Patchwork Tsushin, a leading Japanese quilt magazine. So when Editor in Chief Naomi Ichikawa emailed to say her magazine is collecting comfort quilts for those impacted by the recent earthquake in Japan, we wanted to join the effort. QN will gather quilts from U.S. quiltmakers then forward them to Naomi and her staff, who will deliver them to those in need. (If you live outside the United States, email me as indicated below, and I will provide information on how you can send quilts directly to Naomi.)

Here’s how you can be part of this important worldwide response:

• Send quilts of any size from baby to adult to:

Dana Jones
Quilters Newsletter
741 Corporate Circle, Suite A
Golden, CO 80401

• Mark your box: “Quilts for Japan.” (see note below)
• Send quilts as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2011.
• Enclose your name, address, phone number, and email address with the quilts.

If you have questions, please email Dana Jones at djones@creativecraftsgroup.com

NOTE:

From QN comments section:Dana Jones { 03.19.11 at 1:03 pm }

I emailed with Naomi Ichikawa today. She has asked that if you are sending quilts directly to Japan, that you do not send them until May 1 at the earliest. Please watch this blog for regular updates on this time frame as things are changing daily in Japan.

If you are sending quilts to Quilters Newsletter and do not want to write “Quilts for Japan” on the box, please enclose a note that says this. We receive many quilts in our offices and will only send quilts to Japan that we know are intended for Japan.

Please send only new quilts.

I am amazed but not surprised at the compassionate response to this call for quilts. In just 24 hours, we at QN have heard from quilters in the United States, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Italy. We are truly an international community!

Thanks,
Dana Jones, QN managing editor

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

We're thankful for so much .... our family, our health, our love and our home.

We also thank the military for protecting our Country and preserving Freedom.

EDIT: adding photos from dinner

Now to take a nap. Then we'll go over to DD#1's house for dessert. LOL

Quilts for The Military

For some time I've wanted to help honor our military personnel. So on January 28 the following note was posted on the Heartstrings yahoo email group. She said: "A few weeks ago I pulled out the blocks from our summer block swap in anticipation of my son coming home from Iraq I started a quilt for him. The Family Rediness Coordinator from his unit explained that single soldiers come back from deployment to sterile looking rooms in the barracks, therefore upon arrival they like to make the rooms nice for the soldiers and they are allowed to have personal bedding. Most parents will adopt their own soldier and send bedding that will be put on the bed including comforters etc. I am making my son a quilt. Because not every soldier has family or one that is in a position to provide one I am looking for r/w/b twin quilts for those who don't get adopted. I am expecting to be in Savannah end of March to meet them. I will be using Heartstring labels on all of the quilts whether they are string quilts or not. These 140 guys have passed the one year mark and it will be 15 months by the time they get back! (This is infantry so all guys) "

I thought about her comments and decided I could make a difference and in my own small way show my support for our military. I received the red, white and blue string quilt (blocks by Lynn, pieced by Fran) and scrappy log cabin (pieced by Marlene) ....

I emailed her back offering to long arm quilt using the Stars & Loops pantograph by Linda Taylor. (I'm not a freehander and love pantographs.) I started on 2/29 quilting and binding the quilts. On the log cabin quilt I quilted in a few words in the large stars. I'm so happy to say THE QUILTS ARE DONE and ready to mail. I know their lives are changed forever and I hope that in some small way I've helped to make a difference.

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Thank you for all you've done for our Country and for protecting me, my family and everyone.