Off and running! After weeks of dreaming about it, it only took a few more days of planning, htmling, designing, phone calling, writing and editing, but we have our Rainbow Around the Block quilting effort ready for you to join us! And my favorite part now is the quilt block sewing!
In case you're not up to speed with the giddy-jabber-along, Rainbow Around the Block is a project that I dreamed up to have quilts made for as many families as possible who lost their homes and belongings during the flooding that happened here in May. I recounted my personal experience of those first days of flooding here. As more days passed, I felt compelled, like so many, to find a way to help. Our schools were canceled for a week due to roads and school buildings being too damaged and so rather than have some time to get out on the front lines of cleanup, I was mostly taking care of my brood. Just giving monetarily feels insufficient somehow when the devastation is quite actually in my backyard. While many have the means, the insurance or FEMA to help them rebuild a home or buy necessities, there was so much lost that can't be recovered. Items of great sentimental value washed away. That's so much harder to ever get back again.
I decided that I'm not alone. I know there are so many of you that are just exactly like me who have a little time, a little material, and a little know-how to make a small block of something beautiful. And if we put our pieces together we can rebuild a little bit of what was lost. The hopes and prayers that we stitch into these little blocks can help to restore some of those memories, sentiments, and warmth that drowned in the unbelievable rains those two days. Money can only replace money. But giving of our time and talents will replace much! I will be so honored if you help me!
All the knitty gritty details of the project are located here at my website and we have all summer to sew. You were going to do that anyway, right? (Not to mention there are ways to help even if you don't quilt.) From that webpage you can link to the Flickr group that we have set up, already sporting members and some pretty blocks too! This is a 200x200 icon that you can post in your sidebar if you choose, and link to either the webpage or the Flickr pool. We also have all the info written up in a simple one page pdf that you can print out, take to your quilting groups, local quilt shops, etc. And thank you, so, so, so much from the bottom of my heart for doing so!
lots of love from sunny, hot Tennessee! xoxo, Anna & family
(p.s. The whole family sat down with graph paper, rulers and colored pencils last night and each dreamed up his or her own 12" block. It was loads of fun, and I'll be sharing each of their designs in the coming weeks. Today I sewed up Joseph's square within a square block design. He is beaming. Now they feel part of the effort. I'm beaming too.)