Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Grace Once Again

For the month of June, we have a 'free' challenge, meaning we can make whatever we want. I knew I'd work with the Faded Blue Jeans line by Kathy Engle, and make a quilt. I wasn't sure what, exactly. You can read the background about the quilt and see the flimsy in this post, so I won't repeat myself.
I got the quilt quilted on the weekend and bound on Monday. I took it to Seacliff Beach after supper for some evening light on it against Lake Erie.


I love how it turned out.

So as you may recall, or you may now know, if you read the post on the flimsy, I had planned for this quilt to go to Quilts for Nova Scotia. However, last weekend I emailed to check if they still were accepting quilts, and found out that the guild has received nearly 400 quilts, and they know not all have been registered! She said that my thoughts of giving it elsewhere were just fine...

Three days after I started the blocks for this quilt



Chantel Moore, a young, 26-year-old Indigenous woman was killed. Shot five times in her own home. Her mother had called police to do a wellness check on her. Chantel had recently moved from BC to New Brunswick to be near her mother and her 6-year-old daughter. She had plans to better her life, learn French, take courses...and that has now been snuffed out. Many hearts are broken.


Once again, police brutality: shoot first, as opposed to use de-escalation tactics, was used. Chantel had no gun. Some reports say she had a knife. 

SHE WAS A MOTHER. A HUMAN BEING. Most likely hurting or in some mental distress.

It haunted me. How her mother must feel. What Chantel's daughter will have to face and live with.

Her entire life.
Scraps from previous Island Batik projects made the back. Warm tones.

I know a little bit what I am talking about. Three years ago tomorrow, my son-in-law was killed, far too young, in a boxing match. His son, Brady, was just 8, coming up on 9 years old, and I have seen the lasting trauma that child must deal with pretty much on a daily basis. And because he was so young, he didn't deal with the trauma because he wasn't equipped at that young age, and so his maturing self is now trying to deal with it, make sense of it all. And it's debilitating at times for my daughter, his mother, to watch, to try to deal with, to try to console, to try to help him understand.
Gold binding idea I got from Ann at Laughing Gas Quilts. Machine-stitched to the quilt back and top-stitched down on the front.

There really is no understanding. As there won't be for Chantel's little girl. Chantel's mother has to deal with raising her granddaughter, something that she had been doing, yes, but now has this extra weight on her, in helping that child try to cope, meanwhile, coping with the loss of her own child. As Brianne copes with the loss of a husband.

And so, because this quilt was filled with thoughts of Chantel's daughter, and that I wanted to do something for her, it is fitting that it does go to her. Let this little one, and her grandmother know that people do care, and that this senseless killing should never have happened, and it needs to stop.


It is even more fitting than I realized all the while I made the quilt.

I emailed Brenda, who is in charge of the Go Fund Me page, and explained everything. Half way or more through that email, when I wrote Chantel's daughter's name, I literally lost my breath for a moment:

Gracie.

The original quilt I made was made for an unborn, but much-loved and anticipated child, named Grace. The quilt, and the pattern, which is in my Etsy shop, is named Grace. How fitting that this quilt goes to another Grace, who goes by Gracie. Time and again I've said, and I fully believe, quilts do whisper to me; sometimes they seem to know more than I as the mere maker, do. Please note that any sales that occur because of this post, through this weekend, I will donate 100% to the Go Fund Me page.

I did horizontal straight line quilting through the broken shadow heart, and vertical wavy lines with what I'd thought could be water drops (thinking ocean) but now also could be tears.
I pieced the quilt with the Aurifil navy and the green, quilted it with the medium blue and top-stitched the binding with the 40 wt gold.


I haven't heard back yet from Brenda, but I will update this post when I do to confirm that the quilt does get mailed out to Gracie. As for the blue heart you see on the back? That idea came from another blogger friend, Kathleen of Kathleen McMusing, who said on Instagram, something about lots of heart in this quilt, and zip! I knew I had to make another heart to be the label, and sew it into the backing. For some reason, I was hesitant to fill out the required information on the label for the Quilts for Nova Scotia, and so it has remained blank. The quilt knew.

Update: I heard back from Brenda and she is thrilled at this and has let Chantel's mum, Martha, know. Martha is out in BC right now having to "some very difficult business for her daughter". She needs some time, but she will get back to me on where to send the quilt. 

All of the fabrics, thread, batting and needles were supplied by Island BatikAurifilHobbs Batting, and Schmetz Needles


I have another project up my sleeve for this free challenge month. Hopefully, between the few remaining Q2FAL projects, one of which is currently loaded onto Avril ready for quilting, I'll get it done too.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: Original design, Grace
Size: 48" x 64"
Fabric: Island Batik Faded Blue Jeans
Backing: Island Batik various
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom Natural 100% cotton
Quilted: on Avril; 64 514 stitches
Threads: pieced with   Aurifil on my Bernina; quilted with Aurifil 50 wt; The Bottom Line in the bobbin

Linking up

One last item of note: I have started a post on the New Blogger, which yes, has some most annoying, frustrating pieces to it, but is also really, very easy to navigate. I should have that together for you in a day or two. So Rose, please don't stop blogging!

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely & very sad story in one post. Amazing about the nameing & the recipient to be. Love your photos & I think I might have to make this quilt, as I admired it last time. I'm about to try the new blogger too, as we'll have no choice soon anyway, but know where I can go to for help(smile). Take care, stay safe & huggles.

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  2. Sandra, the quilt is lovely. The story behind it is heart breaking. Your response, making that little girl a quilt, is heart warming. Thank you for sharing this post.

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  3. I think that's a great place for your quilt to end up. ♥ I'll have to remember to go purchase the pattern to do my part for the cause.

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  4. How appropriate that Grace is going where she belongs. May Chantel's daughter, Gracie, feel all the love you have poured into this beautiful quilt.

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  5. What a heartbreaking post to read. So very appropriate that the quilt will hopefully be going to Gracie! I haven't tried the new blogger yet some day soon maybe.

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  6. When one door closes, another one opens. It's really wonderful that Nova Scotia received more quilts than they know what to do with. How fitting that another need immediately arose and that the quilt is so appropriately named. It's those butterflies again.
    Pat

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  7. I love this pattern and quilt but your story has me in tears. It is heart-breaking and hopeful at the same time.

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  8. Wow, that brought my breath up short when I read her name is Gracie. I hope that you hear back and that this quilt finds its way to comfort her.

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  9. Hi Sandra! Oh, little Gracie. I sure hope you do hear from Brenda soon and that you are able to get this to her. I had no idea sweet Brady lost his dad. He is so lucky to have you in his life, his Facetime buddy and overall champion of all supportive things. He knows he has a place to always voice his concerns and questions without judgment. That is priceless. {{Hugs}} And thanks for encouraging Rose to continue blogging! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  10. I'm not even sure I have words to express my sadness of the story of this quilt. My heart aches for the family and especially for Gracie. I love it when quilts come together in ways we don't expect. So this is an incredible finish, Sandra. I'm so very sorry that Brady lost his dad; I can't hardly type that without tears. Hugs.

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  11. Such a sad story that breaks my heart. I so admire the way you dig right in and find a way to use your quilting to help others. Thank you for bringing these hard stories into the light of day. It is too easy to shut out the hard stuff.

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  12. Beautiful quilt, born of empathy. How fitting that it is blue, the color of both sadness and the unending sky. I hope it makes its way to Gracie to comfort her in these tough, sad times.

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  13. The "incident" will haunt her forever, but this beautiful quilt will remind her that there is good in the world as well. The quilt is going where it belongs.

    -Soma

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  14. I've just bought Grace - thank you for your generosity - you seem to be converting me to blue :-)

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  15. This is wonderful and sad all at the same time. Thank you for sharing your heart and your thought process. It is a beautiful gift filled with lots of love

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  16. Oh, blessings on all. These stories and your compassion are woven into the fabric of this quilt and its eventual home. So much sadness; so much love. I pray it gets to its destination soon for the comfort it will give.

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  17. What a gift this will be to Gracie. I appreciated all the emotions in your story and journey with this quilt and you are right, this quilt absolutely knew where it needed to go. It's lovely, and so is the path you've chosen for it.

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  18. Thank you for sharing your “heart”! I love the design and the colors! Truly lovely!

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  19. Beautiful quilt, beautiful though heavy, sad story. Beautiful generosity.

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  20. Oh Sandra, I got tears in my eyes reading this lovely post. You have a way of expressing so many things that need to be said, things that are in my mind as well. I wonder will we ever learn...the path seems long to that eventuality.
    You are so generous and sweet to have this quilt make its way with the sweetest of messages.

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  21. This was a difficult read, so difficult I needed a couple of days to process it. Grace, on so many levels. My heart goes out to you with your own reliving of a tough time in your family's life and your ongoing healing. And then the connections between your original pattern and gift and now the need to comfort another family, where there are no answers and so much pain. Grace. Just meant to be. Bless you!

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  22. Amazing. Amazing quilt, amazing fabric collection, amazing story. I always love the free months, people are so inspiring when they weave their passions into their creations. Thanks for sharing at the Chameleon's Colour & Inspiration Party.

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