900+ !!!

Hey- we're making progress! I have just over 900 blocks completed with your help.

Keep plugging away and sending me blocks. And no excuses like, "I can't sew on a button." To sew on a bead, is one stitch up, and one stitch down. Granted, that's over and over, and over. Then you spin that technique and use the fancy term, "mastery learning" by the time you've completed a couple of blocks, you'll be able to sew on a button! Another bullet point on the resume of life!

If you still refuse to pick up a needle and thread you can help by purchasing some size #1 safety pins, and purple "E" beads. Right now I have 3 sections of 30 blocks each ready to pin together, but I am fresh out of pins and running low on beads. HELP!! I won't turn down other supplies either, but pins and purple beads are the top priority right now.

I am working the details to hang the project in another venue. I am hoping all 1000 (because by the time it hangs you'll have sent me at least 100 more blocks and the pins and the beads) will fit in this space. I'll let you know.

At Last

Here is a photo of the portion of the project that is currently hanging at the LOFT Gallery in downtown St Cloud. This show is a group display with other artists from the Avon Area Arts. A new local group that has started up. Check it out at 819 St Germain. (That's the downtown version of St Germain- it's interesting to note that there are 4- yes, 4 different streets with the same name in St Cloud. Two of them are only a couple blocks apart from each other, and the other 2 are on the other side of town, not really near each other. I like to joke that city planning meetings are actually keggers. I don't know how else to explain 4 distinct streets with the same
name without accusing someone of being drunk.)

I hope everyone has been diligently knotting and beading and stitching. Perhaps someday we'll be caught up, and it will only take a few of us getting together once a month to record the most current deaths. Or, maybe it will all end peacefully, and I can be done with this BIG project. That's the one I'm hoping for. Thank you to everyone who is helping to complete this. Your response and dedication keep me going when I sometimes feel overwhelmed with the enormity of everything.

If you find yourself in the St Cloud area on a Sunday afternoon, Stop in at Mississippi Bean and Tea at 819 St Germain. (Yes, in the same building as the gallery) I am going to be setting up a little stitching get together from 2-4 in the afternoons. I will bring blank blocks, thread, needles, & beads. You can bring along yourself and maybe another friend to help stitch knots, or beads while we enjoy each other's company. We will do this every Sunday, unless I have something else come up. Then I will make a note here. But if we get a nice group going, you won't even need me every single Sunday. I'm excited for the progress we've made recently, and it makes me want to maintain that momentum.

Catching Up

Life got a little overwhelming for a while, but, things are almost back to manageable.

We are making progress! Remember back in January when I hung the 330 blocks that were completed then? Now there are 330 hanging in The Hjemkomst Center, 360 blocks hanging at the Loft in downtown St Cloud, and I have another 100 finished blocks courtesy of Anne, Bob and Eileen . THANKS!! Sarah sent me a note saying she has another 70 blocks ready for knots!! We are going to pass the 1000 completed block mark soon.

I would love to know how many blocks you have in progress and might be sending in soon. And if you feel the need to send in some #1 safety pins, and size E purple beads, I will do a happy dance!!

My pc and I have been arguing about posting photos this week. I'm going with the tomorrow is another day theory. Check back for images from both the Hjemkomst Center and the loft soon.

Out and About

I spoke with two groups about the project this week. One a contemporary quilting group in Lakes Country Minnesota, and another small symposium group on compassion up in the Fargo / Moorhead area. Hi to all who kindly let me ramble on!! It's really energizing to meet folks who are excited to join in.

I hung some more panels at the Heritage Hjemkost Interpretive Center in Moorhead. Of course I left my camera in St Cloud. I will do some scrambling this afternoon and get some photos up soon.

I am putting some more panels together to hang at a gallery in St Cloud this weekend. I'm almost out of brass safety pins, so if anyone has any they would like to donate to a good cause let me know!!

Anne and the Lightbulb

So it's one of those ideas where we all went, "Well of course!" Okay, to be honest I did stop and think about it for a minute or two because, well, I can be a control freak sometimes. My family can stop laughing now.

Anne discovered that if she programmed her Bernina 1260 just right, she could add a space between the asterisk stitches, and they would look like the individual beads and french knots we have putting in our blocks! Thanks Anne!

On a 1260, the stitch is number 27. Hit number 27, memory, and then straight stitch, memory, and you should be good to go. The stitch is a little bigger than the beads and knots have been, and I am guessing that a spiral is going to be the best design to get all 212 stitches on the block.

Don't have a Bernina 1260? As long as you are able to program a stitch in between an asterisk stitch * * * , so they maintain their individuality, I say go for it. I don't want a running together of stitches ***** that don't have any distinction. This is after all, about remembering the individuals who have died.

If you have other sewing machine makes that have a similar tight stitch on them and you think you want to try it, let me know. St Cloud has dealers for every major brand of sewing machine and I can go test drive it to make sure it clears my inner control freak.

I like how there will be a nice mix of beads and hand stitching and machine stitching in the project. A bit of everything. And we may actually get it done! Now if Anne can figure something out for the soldiers and our government leaders we'll be set to finish the damn war too.

Cold Cold Day

Here they are in their sweaters and hats. Thanks to everyone who came out in the frigid, frigid weather on Saturday! We completed another 25 blocks and had a great afternoon hanging out together.

I had six panels along with me, and I left them at the Hjemkomst Center to become part of a exhibit on compassion. If you're near the Fargo / Moorhead area stop in.

Momentum

A big Hello and ThankYou to Carol from Giraffe Dreams and everyone who has been following her link here! It's great to have more folks supporting the project!!

I am getting ready to work on the project with folks up in Fargo/Moorhead this weekend. There will be a day of compassionate workshops at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead from 1 - 4pm. I have 6 ( YES 6!) more panels to display, and we will be working on putting more knots and beads on even more blocks. I'll post some pictures early next week.

Come join us on Saturday, or check out the display at WBUUC - It comes down Sunday afternoon.

* That makes 17 completed panels of 30 blocks each, or, 510 Americans, 108,120 Iraqis.