and still counting: April 2009

Friday, April 3, 2009

It's up!

My mom and my brother and I spent all of last Friday afternoon hanging nearly 1650 blocks at Atonement Lutheran Church in St Cloud Mn. Of course I forgot my camera! Both Friday and Sunday when I went to speak to people during the fellowship time. So when I went to get my camera to take some photos this week, my shutter is stuck. when I get the technical difficulties ironed out, there will be pictures!

How you can help

I need lots of help to complete this project!

Below this sidebar is a tutorial that gives clear directions on creating your own blocks from scratch. I have directions for cutting in the sidebar below that.

You don't have to know anything about sewing! If you send me some $ to cover postage, I will send you blocks, and you can attach beads, or make french knots. Ok, so you have to find a little sewing skill, but anyone can sew on a bead. You can doo it!

Drop me an email, and I'll get you my address!
and_still_counting@yahoo.com

Cliff Notes

A condensed guideline for making blocks.

1. Follow the tutorial - It works!
2. 212 beads or knots per block
3. 2 strands embroidery floss for knots
4. double your black thread to backstitch beads
5. up to 2 beads at a time ( I've been having problems with secureness of more than that)
6. No dogmatic symbols please!I am a stickler on the no dogmatic symbols. Random and organic lines, spirals and the like keep the focus on the numbers and not the designs. This is a memorial for everyone, and not everyone views peace signs, doves and the like in the same way you or I might. Though the sentiments are closer now than when I started the project, peace signs etc can represent a wall of protest for some gold star families. This project needs to remain a memorial. And, as a memorial, it whispers loudly of peace.
7. For easier counting, I put a little stitch after every 10 knots or beads, so then when I feel like I have a whole bunch and I should check to see if it's enough, I only have to count by 10s.

Sleeves

Photos will show up soon, but, not today. Even so, i think you can imagine them in your head....

For each sleeve cut a piece of cotton 5" x10".

Press a 1/4" fold on the long sides.

Stitch the fold along the long sides.

Fold wrong sides together, raw edges matching - stitch 1/4" seam along raw edge.

Hold the seam up as you place the tube on the ironing board flatten the tube with the seam on the top and in the middle of the sleeve -press seam open.

Place seam side down on the back of a completed block with the top of the sleeve sitting about 1/4" to 3/8" from the top of the block.

Using a blind stitch, sew the sleeve onto the back of the block- stitch all 4 sides of the sleeve to the back for added stability.

The blocks hang together better if they are "twisted" - the long binding sides switch back and forth - block 1 they are N & S, block 2 E & W. If you'll be sewing sleeves on lots of blocks, please do some of each.

THANKS!!

and still counting

Friday, April 10, 2009

Photos!

Friday, April 3, 2009

It's up!

humbled

The Beginning

wbuuc

Things needed to complete the project

How you can help

Tutorial

Cutting Fabric Tutorial

Cliff Notes

A Great French knot How - to

design ideas

Sleeves

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