So much to be Thankful For...

For my wonderful family.  For my loving friends.
And for all the quilters and bloggers out there who have embraced my project and given me encouragement, support, treasured stories, and LOTS AND LOTS of blocks!!!

As of today - we have REACHED our goal of 1000 blocks - and then some!  1092 is the current count!!!

I am so warmed by your support -and excited at seeing how word continues to spread.... and I am revising the goal to 4000 blocks.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American quilters -and to our quilters worldwide -I am so Thankful that your life has touched mine - even in this small way!  All the best wishes to all of you, wherever you are!!!!!

Treasured Stash

The cards and stories that are coming in with the blocks are tremendous - thank you all for your kind words, and for sharing your reasons behind joining my project.

And even more special is the sharing of your treasured stash - like Cindy in NC who shared scraps from her Mom's stash... another Mom lost to cancer.  It is so special to have your Mom as part of this project - I know both our Moms would be glad.

A letter from across the sea

I received this letter in the mail today from a quilter in East Souburg, the Netherlands -with these three quilt blocks.

I don't think English is her preferred language for writing, and the lovely European script was a challenge for me to read in spots -but the meaning was clear (I am copying what was written to the best of my ability)

Dear Quilter,
Here is myn 4 patches.
I am a nurse, I work with a lot of cancer patiences.
I know how they feel.


Here are three patches.
One is cotton from a woman with breast cancer
after 4 years fighting she died.
She wear these culture clothes.  A nice old woman.


One is the break's again and again trying to build a new future.
One are the break from near by the beach.
Slippery.
That means after all the chemo cure's they are sick (most of the time.)
After all they get the answer if the cure's are getting on or not.


Any whey I try to give you what I saw.
It's always grey.


Only when you get the good answer YES!


Success with the collection.


Rika

Oh Rika - your patients may be unlucky to have cancer - but I believe they are lucky to have a nurse as caring as you are.   Stories like yours are a big part of why I am doing this project. Thank you so much for reaching across so many miles and across the ocean to share this important reminder.

One Month

In the one month since we began 4Patches4Hope, generous quilters from all over the US have sent in 245 blocks and donations totaling $185.  Just as cancer knows no boundaries, I have had email responses from as far away as Brazil and France as well but no international parcels have arrived as yet.

October "participation prizes" will soon be in the mail to Patricia Sturm of NY for being the first to send me blocks, and to Marie Joerger of NH, whose name was picked at random from the "one block one chance" entries.  Of course Marie so generously sent 72 blocks - matching ones that will easily transform into a child's comfort quilt.  I also love that her blog post gave me 2 great ideas for easy layouts of these blocks!  Thanks Marie..

Donations varied from 1 block to 72... each and every one beautiful, heartfelt, and appreciated.