4Patches4Hope

Well, I didn't get the evening I wanted yesterday.  My boss had a big last-minute project and I ended up staying at the office working on it til 8 PM - she was here until after ten - so I didn't work out, I picked up fast food, and went home to eat in front of the TV.  I did do a little hand sewing on the border for Kaleidoscope, but really only have a quarter of it done.  I was ready for bed by 10 or so.  So maybe tonight.

In reading this morning's blog feeds, though, I learned from SewCalGal about a project called 4Patches4Hope which consists of making light/dark 4 1/2" four patch blocks along with a $4 donation for each to the American Cancer Society.  It really can't get any easier, since those are 2 1/2" squares making each corner, the same size as a jelly roll, and goodness knows I have a whole drawer full of 2 1/2" strips waiting for inspiration.  Regina Arlauckas, who initiated this project, has a goal of 1,000 blocks and $4,000 by February 28, 2012.  There is also a PDF you can download from her site that gives everything you need to know about the project on one handy-dandy page, including cancer awareness colors you might want to incorporate into your block(s).

Now I have to say that as of a few years ago, I really didn't know anyone who had had cancer.  We're smack in the middle of breast cancer awareness month and I still don't know anyone who has had breast cancer.  But over the last several years I lost my Aunt Joan to brain cancer, my Honey's mom to esophageal cancer, my childhood friend Soo to ovarian cancer, and my aunt Maryalice to metastasized melanoma.  So I will be making several blocks that memorialize them in the colors representing the cancers that took them:  gray, light blue, teal and black, respectively.   The blocks themselves will be made into comfort quilts for cancer patients.

We are all, so often, asked to do and give so much.  But $4, one little four-patch block made from some jelly roll scraps, and a first class stamp is is not a lot for any quilter to manage.  Do what you can, but please, consider doing something.