Sunday---Precious Promises

Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.  Luke 11:28

Little Quilts At Work

AAQI Awards $30,000 to Cornell University

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) has awarded its ninth grant to Dr. Chris B. Schaffer, Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. The $30,000 grant is the second grant the charity has awarded for Alzheimer’s research at Cornell University.
Dr. Schaffer explains his work: “In the conventional view of Alzheimer’s disease it is thought that neurons in the brain are damaged by the accumulation of a small protein called amyloid-beta, but recent work shows that the blood vessels in the brain are also affected by amyloid-beta. In addition, Alzheimer patients have less blood flow in their brains than people without the disease. It is possible that the vascular effects of amyloid-beta and this blood flow decrease could contribute to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and add to the impact of the direct neuronal damage by amyloid-beta.
Our work suggests that the blood flow decrease may be caused by white blood cells that block small blood vessels in the brain. Normally, white blood cells become activated, stick to the wall of blood vessels, then exit the vasculature and tissue in response to an infection or injury. However, in Alzheimer’s disease such activation may be detrimental because it could slow blood flow and deprive brain cells of oxygen and nutrients. In addition, the decreased blood flow may trigger the accumulation of more amyloid-beta, producing a vicious cycle of injury to the brain.
In this work, we will test potential therapies that prevent the white blood cells from plugging blood vessels. We expect to see an increase in blood flow and hope to see a decrease in amyloid-beta accumulation. This work relies on new imaging techniques that enable us to track changes in amyloid-beta and blood flow with micrometer resolution in mice that are engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease. If successful, this therapy could potentially slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in patients.”
Learn more about research that has been funded by the AAQI here:

http://www.alzquilts.org/researchawards.html

Hard to Concentrate on Quilts

I have to confess I have not looked at a quilt or picked up needle and thread since it all started.
From the Rally Squirrel to last night's Unforgettable Game---The Best World Series Game ever.  The quilts have been put away and I've been glued to TV.  This is the first year hubby and I have not purchased Post-Season tickets, who would have guessed.  Go Cardinals.

But, some people have been thinking of quilts not baseball. 

Our biggest sale of the year is just around the corner. International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX is going to be the AAQI's home away from home November 2-6. We will be in the Exhibit Hall, Row T, in the front.

 

We asked our supporters for 1,500 quilts AND WE GOT THEM! Watch this short video to see a sampling of the quilts we will be selling in Houston.

http://youtu.be/5MPIHb0vkoc

November 1-10 (overlapping with Quilt Festival) is the Stanley Cup Quilt-Off. Twelve extraordinary quilts will be on the auction block at

http://www.benefitbidding.com/listings/categories/index.cfm?category=965774286 starting November 1st.

Take a sneak peek at the quilts here: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html  Happy Quilting

Go Out of Business Sale

Hubby and I are always going to auctions---he likes sports memorabilia and I like the quilts.  A couple of weeks ago we went to an auction in a small Missouri town, where a Quilt Shop was Going Out of Business.  She sold  her major inventory of fabric, threads, notions and embellishments to another shop in the area.  What she offered at the auction were Quilts and Quilt Tops.  Did I ever have fun.  Years ago, because of my hubby's growing sports memorabilia, we opened an eBay Store.  Since then I have added fabric, notions, quilts and quilt tops.  These new quilts and quilt tops I bought at the Auction are now listed for sale in our eBay store.  If you would like to see my finds just Google---Walnut Forest Collectibles and click on the first entry.  That will take you to the Home page of our store, you'll recognize Bo.  Check out the quilt and quilt top categories.  This was a fun auction and some wonderful quilts.  As Always, Happy Quilting!

Sunday---Precious Promises

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.   James 4:6

Wordless Wednesday

We're Going to the Fall Classic

Not a Quilt Show.  The Cardinals won the National League Pennant race last night and will meet the Texas Rangers in St. Louis on Wednesday to start the World Series.  YEA!!! Cardinals.
But what does a girl do while she and hubby watch the Baseball games???   Quilt of Course.  I started a little AAQI quilt that is just plain FUN. 

The little quilt is just 9 x 9 inches and has a spider web center fabric.  I'm using hand quilting to accent the spider webs and quilt at the same time.  I'll then finish with some free motion quilting on the borders.  Just a fun little quilt to work on while watching the Cardinals make their bid as Baseball's 2011 World Champions.  Happy Quilting!

Sunday---Precious Promises

I am with you says the Lord.  Haggai 1:13

$805.00 WOW!!!

Linda Woodard of Marion, Illinois, raised $805 for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) with her donated 8.75 inches by 10 inches quilt which sold during the charity's October auction. The AAQI holds online auctions during the first ten days of every month. Woodard's quilt, Making Waves in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s, sets a new AAQI record for Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt sales, surpassing Sue Nickels' quilt, This Bud's For You, which sold for $350 in 2006.

"I am in shock—a good shock. How exciting!" said Woodard after the auction closed." She continued, "I loved making the quilt and grew very attached to it. I know the person who purchased it will love it too. I am so pleased that my quilt raised so much for Alzheimer's research."

Woodard's quilt was created as part of a challenge issued by the Shawnee Quilters of Southern Illinois. The group has supported the AAQI for several years through the AAQI's Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts project. More than 8,500 quilts (none larger than 9" x 12") have been donated by quilt guilds and individual quilters since 2006 as quilters make finding a cure for Alzheimer's a priority in their lives.

The AAQI's November auction (November 1-10) in honor of National Alzheimer's Awareness Month features quilts by Alex Anderson, Hollis Chatelain, John Flynn, Becky Goldsmith, Renae Haddadin, Sue Nickels, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Pat Holly, Libby Lehman, Judy Mathieson, Mary Sorensen, and Ricky Tims as they compete in the "Stanley Cup Quilt-Off."

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (www.alzquilts.org) is a national, grassroots charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. It auctions and sells donated quilts through the Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt project and sponsors a touring exhibit of quilts about Alzheimer's called "Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope." The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative has raised more than $591,000 since January 2006.

Thanks Linda for the wonderful quilt. 

Wordless Wednesday

Virtual Retreat

Last week I participated in a Virtual Quilting Retreat. Members of the Lib-Quilters Group at Yahoo spent four days quilting as if on a retreat via cyberspace.  We had guide lines for this retreat.  Make a miniature quilt, no larger than 20 inches and get our inspiration from an Amish, Gees Bend, or Gwen Marston quilts.  Make it ours with no embellishments, applique, embroidery etc., just a plain mini liberated quilt.  I completed two AAQI size quilts.  I put away all my quilting tools except for scissors, machine and thread.  My first quilt I call Gees Bend Summer.

It measures 7 1/2 x 11 1/4 inches and started with the black and pink stripe fabric.  I then found some corresponding fabrics and just started playing with shapes and stitching.  I used pink thread for the hand quilting and made lines of quilting that corresponded with the quilt.  The second quilt I call Gees Bend Christmas.

This one is 7 1/2 x 8 inches.  My inspiration fabric was the red sparkle fabric that is the center of the Liberated Log Cabin block.  I then added the Christmas color.  As I look at this little quilt I can see a Log Cabin block and a Housetop block.  That's what fun about liberated quilting---you're free to do as you please.  This mini has more hand quilting that follows the individual pieces of this little quilt.  I plan to make more of these little liberated mini quilts.  Try one yourself---it's fun.  Happy Quilting!!

Sunday---Precious Promises

Happy is the person who remains faithful under trials, because when he succeeds in passing such a test, he will receive as his reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12

Not a Mountain Lion

Thanks to Paula in Colorado for correcting my error.  The picture I posted was a Mountain Lion. We do NOT have a Mountain Lion.  Funny thing is that I got the photo from the Missouri Conservation Magazine article on Bobcats????????????   Anyway, this is what we have in the neighborhood.

Thanks Paula!

Talk of the Neighborhood

This morning our neighbor, Ted,  walked out of our woods---dressed in camouflage and caring an impressive looking hunting bow.  It's deer season in our area and since we live in a Missouri woodland, our neighbor usually takes his morning walk in the woods to see if he can find one of our resident deer.  I always stop feeding the deer this time of year----I want them to stay hidden and away from Ted for a month or two.
This morning Ted told us of a new critter in the neighborhood.

Missouri has a Bobcat population, but most of us never see these shy, silent guys.  But, now we have one among us.  It is exciting, for those of us that enjoy the critters of the woods.  We are lucky to have a family of Red Fox, Coyote and of course the Deer and Turkey not to mention the little critters that the Bobcat would enjoy.  I hope I'm lucky enough to see our newest resident.  They like to be out in the early morning and at dusk---I'll be watching.  Maybe he'll earn a spot on the Critter Quilt.    Happy Quilting!