Never before have I been so anxious to finish a quilt and have it delivered to its new owner as I have this one. From the very beginnings of this 100 Good Wishes Quilt I have felt that every single day counts and each day that it can comfort Joey and help him through his treatments, the more I hope that it helps to bring a miracle for him.
Although I rushed like a mad woman to get the binding finished before I left on our trip to Pittsburgh last Monday afternoon, it just wasn't possible so I took it with me and completed the binding and sewing on the label while on the road. Before delivering it to the Fed Ex office, I found a local park so that I could take a few pictures of it. A huge heart felt thank you goes out to each and every quilter friend that sent fabric squares for this quilt and it is a fact that without your help, this quilt wouldn't have become a reality. Together we made it happen so we can all rejoice in its completion. I proudly present to you
Hugs From Team Joey
My hubby was wonderful about helping with the photos and he stood on the top of the bleachers so that I could get a full-on shot of the entire quilt.
The fabric that I selected for the sashing, border and binding is a Burgundy tone on tone Crackle by Moda. I was nervous about whether it was the right red fabric for this quilt but once the top was completed I was thrilled with the result. The quilting pattern mimics the spikes of the dragon's tail and the flames on the backing fabric.
Kris wanted the design to be simple so the 6" finished squares were framed with 1" finished sashing. The completed quilt size is 78" x 91".
Here you can see the backing fabric that I selected. In China dragons are symbols of friendship and protection and so very appropriate to use in this quilt. The Burgundy border pulled from the darker Red on the edge of the flames and the Gold thread used for the quilting on the back complemented it perfectly.
This quilt was a labor of love of not just me but of over 100 other people, many who have never met Joey, but who have generous hearts and were willing to lend a hand. Quilters are some of the most giving and kind people that I have ever had the pleasure to know. Again thank you one and all.
Once the box with the quilt inside left my hands, I staked the Fed Ex tracking site until it reached its destination. It finally arrived Saturday afternoon and Kris rushed it over to Joey's house. Here is what Kris wrote on her Facebook page and the pictures she included of Joey and his family with the quilt.
"Thank you is entirely inadequate for such a huge effort on the part of EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU who sent in wishes with quilt squares for our dear friend Joey and his family- Kathy, Luke, little brother David, and their precious Nǎinai who left China many months ago for a visit, and stayed when Joey was diagnosed and has not left their sides since. THEY are the heart of Team Joey, how blessed we are by their friendship. A very, very special thank you to Michele for her incredible ability to turn mere swatches of fabric into a masterpiece - this quilt is as beautiful as the lives that now hold it in their hands. (On a side note, Joey went NUTS over it- he truly loves it!). From my heart and from theirs, thank you, thank you, thank you."
This is what Joey's Mom Kathy replied on Kris's Facebook page.
Kathy Liu My amazing friends and people we never meet, thank you for the quilt and wishes!!! The quilt, album, card, wishes, everything is just so beautiful! Joey is now sleeping with 100 wishes and Luke is with him. Everyone in the house want to sleep with it! Thank you, Michele! My mom loves it so much and she marvels at your sewing technique. I feel so lifted up! Thank you, everyone!!
We are truly a part of Team Joey and as a group we will always surround him with love and hugs and he continues to fight the battle against his cancer. If you want to keep up with how Joey's treatment is going, you can follow the Team Joey blog and Kathy's Facebook page is here.
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9 Comments:
This is just lovely - and thank you for sharing this experience with us.
It's wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing this and giving us the opportunity to participate.
Fantastic! I had forgotten all about it until today and am so glad you shared with us. Thanks for letting us be a small part of putting a smile on his face and keeping him wrapped in wishes. I love how you framed each block and picked the dragons for protection. Well done!
This is just lovely Michele!! and so happy he loved the quilt, you did a SUPER FANTASTIC job on it!!
Just wonderful! It looks amazing Michele. Joey looks like a very happy little boy with his new quilt. An awesome quilty hug!
You did an amazing job with this, Michele! So sorry I didn't know about it in time to participate!! Prayers and best wishes for Joey!
This is incredible Michele, what a fabulous post. The quilt is stunning and I love seeing the photos of Joey with it - also shows just how large the quilt is too! What amazing work you do :)
Oh MIchelle! It turned out gorgeous! What a sweet little guy!
This turned out amazing! What a treasure for the family. I'm sending prayers and positive energy their way.
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