GIVING FORWARD-DEBBIE'S HOPE FOUNDATION

It has been a long time since I saw the movie "First You Cry" with Mary Tyler Moore. I didn't remember until I looked it up to make sure who was in it that it was an account of news correspondent, Betty Rollin. I only remember seeing it once [it was made in 1978] but her turmoil stayed with me. That was 12 years before I had breast cancer myself in 1990.

There was so much going on in my life at the time, I couldn't take time to cry or concentrate on my own situation. Because of my faith in God, I had a calm and serenity that everything was going to be fine-and it was. After my outpatient surgery, I went back to taking care of everyone else. My children nor my mother were told because I didn't want to worry them. My doctor told me that my "wayward germ" as I called it, was cancer and not to be taken lightly. In   http://carolynscanvas.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-therapy-my-quiltsel-tigre.html I take you through my way of working through hard times with my faith and crafting as many others do.  

Now, we are dealing with breast cancer again only this time the "wayward germ" has to be taken very seriously. Niece, Debbie, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March but hers was not found as timely and she had to have a double mastectomy in May after much, much testing and all the other preparations that has to be done.

Shortly after Debbie's surgery, I wrote: http://cwainscott.blogspot.com/2011/06/family-being-sisters.html to tell of the great bond between sisters.  This photo of Debbie [left] and Cathy [right]  was taken at a fundraiser for Debbie and her family to help with expenses.

This hard road for Debbie and the whole family continues with a year of chemo and radiation but Debbie is so appreciative of all that is being done for her, she wants to give back. She was given a "cami" by the Cancer Society that held the drainage tubes she had to wear after her surgery. It was such a comfort and help to her, she wanted to learn to make some to donate back for other women. She says she will always keep the one she has, even though it is not the most beautiful thing in the world and instead of reminding her of the traumatic surgery she has gone through, it reminds her of all that has been done for her and her family and that God is with her.

Putting the shirts together was kind of a family affair-my brother, Larry and his wife, Delores, donated shirts. We originally planned to have a "sew-a-thon" all together but circumstances didn't allow that between all of Debbie's after care and chemo treatments for my husband for cancer discovered after Debbie's was diagnosed. My sister, Shirley, Debbie's mother, suggested this post be called "Between Chemos" and would have been rather apropos, don't you think?

The following video was done in our mother's room in the nursing home so she could be part of what we are doing. We hope to encourage others to "give forward" as Debbie is doing. Her sunshiny personality belies all she has been through-she is crocheting to give to others and being a great example for her twins, Summer and Sierra.

Just as Debbie was diagnosed the song, I Will Stand By You, came out and was taken by Cathy as her theme song to Debbie. It was played at a fundraiser and Cathy had a friend help her with the song since she didn't think she could get through it by herself. I thought it fitting to include.

Here is Debbie telling us about that cami that meant so much to her:

Please be in prayer for Debbie and her family and for all breast cancer patients. Let's pray for a cure for this devastating disease. Thank you.

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

MARKING TIME AND SAVING MY SANITY WITH CRAFTING

Crochet is my present mode of marking time and sanity saving. As with a lot of you, crafting has been my therapy whether it was crochet, quilting, sewing, mosaics, beadwork, papier mache or whatever I was involved in at the time. Crafting is my way of keeping busy and working through instead of wringing my hands and pacing. In some instances I would have no skin left on my hands and no floor left under my feet.

  

The impetus to set aside quilting for a while and drag out my hooks and yarn  was fueled a couple of months ago by a young lady named Meghan when I read about her and her friends who were making blankets for underprivileged and sending them with missionaries on the mission field. You can read about  them in "Meghan's Ministry" at wwwTheAlabasterBox.blogspot.com.

Much has been crocheted in the last several weeks that normally would not have been finished because much has occurred-much pain, much waiting, much concern, much prayer. I have actually finished: 2 baby  blankets, 3 little girls' sweaters, 3 matching dresses, 4 hats, 3 granny square purses to complete the sweater/dress ensembles, 2 pairs of knee high foot warmers  and since this post was started a week or so ago, another toddler dress. Under normal circumstances, I would have been hard pressed to have one sweater done. Handwork like this is usually done as my Granny used to say in "snatches and grabs" instead of almost full time as recently.

One of the blankets was done as I sat with my sister-in-law who  was found to have a tumor on her brain and was rushed to have emergency surgery.  She did really well but has to have care 24/7. The squares that were brought out with coordinating yarn after I met Meghan and troop were put to use because they were so handy. These were finished in a granny square. I do a lot of granny square-it is kind of a mindless pattern that I don't have to think much about as I work.

The foot warmers were crocheted for my 2 oldest grandchildren to keep them from taking my pair that my sister, Jackie, had made for me for my birthday. Both were threatening to take them.  These were also done as I sat with my sister-in-law.

The second blanket was completed a week or so later as we  waited all day for word on grand nephew, Ayden, who is only 9 months old. A brain tumor had been found and he was having a scan and mri. They were expecting to have to do emergency surgery but that was scheduled for a week later. Prayers went into each stitch. I made sure the blanket got to him several days before  his surgery.

The day before Ayden's surgery my son, Jeff, had surgery on his shoulder. One of the sweaters was worked on as I waited during his surgery. The matching pieces were also worked on as I cared for him after his surgery during the waiting week for Ayden's surgery.

In all this,  news came that niece, Debbie, has breast cancer. More intense crocheting, crocheting, crocheting-something to keep busy, something productive to do, something of beauty to create for 4 beautiful little girls.

Having the girls' outfits done,  I had been searching for sweater patterns for my great grandsons so they won't feel left out when their sisters get their new outfits. An email arrived announcing new hard to find crochet patterns for boys from Hooked On Crochet at AllFreeCrochet. I will be using one of the new vest patterns-it is just what I was looking for.

You see, Debbie's surgery won't be for a couple of weeks and I need the calm of handwork. I started one of the boys sweaters earlier today.

Being busy is a blessing, being able to be busy is a blessing.

Below are photos of the 3 sweater outfits and granny square dress that I have been able to make for my great granddaughters-Hannah, Jenna,  Ashlynn and Maizin and the site where I got the inspiration and patterns.  My friend, Valerie, sent me the link that I have looked over almost every day. 

It is a site for all kinds of crafts with patterns and even video tutorials and instructions. If you work with children's groups, there are a lot of crafts for reclyclables and all of this is free. From that site, I have gone to several others that I didn't know about.

I have downloaded enough patterns to keep me busy for the next 200 years even if I work 24/7 and they are all gorgeous. 

The original site Val sent me is: wwwfavecraft.com and from that I have visited:

AllFreeCrochet-Hooked on Crochet

Redheart.com

crochettoday.com

knittingtodaymag.com

LionBrand.com

Caron.com

Annie's Attic
and there are many more

On favcraft, I seem to pick patterns designed by "doublestitch twins" [see photos-sweaters/newsboy hat, below] and Vintage Creations [see photos-dresses, below. There is also a beautiful crochet lacy duster that one day I may get to for myself].  

I so admire the people who have designed the wonderful patterns available. Robin Murphy on the Red Heart site has some of the most beautiful little girls' dresses I have ever seen-they are breathtaking.

For Hannah-size 6, Jenna-size 4-5, Ashlynn-size 2-3
BIG & LITTLE DRESSES by Groovy Crochet

NEWSBOY CAP PATTERN BY "DOUBLESTITCHTWINS"

Flower Child's Sweater by doublestitch twins-FAVECRAFTS

Vintage Rose Pattern-FAVECRAFTS

Granny Square Purse-use any Granny Square pattern to size desired

For Maizin-size 18 months

Granny Square Yoke Dress Pattern by Valerie Moffitt on RedHeart.com

I have really enjoyed working on these outfits for the girls in the light coral, yellow and white. 

Two of each pattern-one for me and one for my sister were printed,  put into page protectors and into notebooks. The extra set made a nice gift for my sister who is an avid crocheter and I keep adding to our collections.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR YOU TO GO TO FAVECRAFTS AND LOOK FOR YOUR FAVORITE CRAFT-I HOPE YOU GET AS MUCH ENJOYMENT AS I DO FROM THE SITE:

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

SENIOR CITIZEN ON STRIKE

I am sitting here chuckling to myself at what I am about to put down for posterity. My husband keeps glancing at me because he evidently knows I am up to something so I am trying to keep from snickering. Even I cannot believe the foolishness I am about to write. It may not get posted when I get through and see how petty this may sound- I am a 71 year old great grandmother- married 54 years. My sister-in-law has cancer, my 9 month old grand nephew is pulling through brain surgery, my son just had shoulder surgery, grandson had knee surgery and now niece, Debbie, has breast cancer and I am aggravated and writing about: CRUMBS ALL OVER THE COUNTERS!

When I go into the kitchen to fix lunch-crumbs. To fix dinner-same thing-crumbs. The kitchen is straight when I fix the coffee pot at night for the next day but when I turn on the light the next morning, there they are-crumbs. They are like rabbits-they seem to multiply.

Now I brought this phenomenon of the mystically appearing crumbs to the attention of the only other person in the household  a few weeks ago and he said, "is it really a big deal?" I said "yes, when you are the one who has been cleaning them up for 54 years". I thought that maybe, just maybe, the crumbs would not appear anymore but lo and behold, there they are. 

I hate arguing, so, offbeat as it may sound for someone who has cleaned up 1000's of crumbs among other things behind many people, I am on strike. Oh, the laundry is getting done, dishes, cleaning, sewing, quilting, cooking, etc. but the crumbs are piling up [see photos below]. The cooking, however, is subject to join the way of the crumbs very soon, then the kitchen completely.

A strike, you see, has been the only way in the past to get my point across. Over 40 years ago it took a couple of times of running out of socks and underwear to get husband dear to dig them out from under the bed and all over the bedroom floor where he had thrown them and into the laundry room to be washed. Something I had been doing til I decided enough was enough-if clothes are not by the washer, they don't get washed.   The most recent point was made a few months ago. Papers stopped being piled on the floor beside a certain recliner when the vacuum was parked with the papers in front of the chair. No amount of telling not to put them there worked until he had to finish vacuuming a few times.

I am biting my tongue to keep from saying anything to see how long it will take and my tongue is just about chewed off. I am still chuckling at myself and to myself that a 71 year old, gray haired, supposedly mature, great grandmother would just not go ahead and take a couple of minutes to wipe the counters. This may be Custer's last stand. I have my yardstick ready to measure how high they may get. I don't know if Ripley's Believe It Or Not has a crumb pile category but if it does, we may just win.

So far, two days and counting.

I am honoring the handsome gentlemen at the bottom of the page who are family members that have served and are serving in our armed forces.

My brother, Jim, was in the Air Force

Nephew, Brian, is in the Marines.

Grandson, Joey, was in the Navy

Son, Jeff, also in the Navy

Nephew, Aaron, was in the Marines
Brother-in-law, Jerry, served in the Army

                    

MY THERAPY-MY QUILTS~EL TIGRE

Marie Osmond showed her solace room today on Oprah as she told the heartbreaking story of her son's death. The room, she said, is where she goes for comfort and peace, to read and do her crafts. The walls are covered with memorabilia she has saved and made. There were quilts all around.

My quilts and other crafts have been my therapy and expression through the years in many situations. Creating has been a retreat that has smoothed the coiled nerves in my shoulders, decreased the knot in my stomach, help me even for a moment lessen the ache in my heart or forget the raging headache.

My 1990 physical showed nothing but my gynecologist insisted on me getting a mammogram. Suspicious spots came to light in the test and I was scheduled for surgery. A spot that could not be detected by the gynecologist a month or so earlier now could be felt by the surgeon and it was near my lymph nodes.

Not knowing how invasive the surgery would be, how long the recuperation or if follow up therapy would be required called for preparing some handwork I could do in that time. Just sitting, doing nothing drives me crazy.

"The Project" book came out. Now, "The Project" book had pages of ideas for quilts along with drawings, clippings, cutouts, pictures or anything else that would help get the idea to reality and there was the perfect "cancer" project. If everything were to be prepared so that I could sit and quilt, this is the one. This is the one that had been on the back burner because it would require so much sit down time and here was the opportunity.

So, "El Tigre" walked off the pages onto my fabrics to become a queen size quilt. I had imagined walking through a steamy jungle, pushing aside foliage to see a stalking tiger. At some point, the stalking tiger drawings gave way to a resting, peaceful one in a clearing as I became at peace with having cancer and leaving the outcome in God's hands.

A lot of preparation had to be done before surgery on "El Tigre". The back of the quilt was to be a tiger stripe so it was tie dyed orange and black to coordinate with the front. Each piece of foliage, tree trunk, flower had to be cut and ready for applique. The large foliage foregound was to be three dimensional to give the effect of peaking through it. The tiger, herself, was prepared to be reverse appliqued. I needed to get as much done as possible.

The surgery went well. The surgeon told my husband he was sure that he had gotten all the cancer.

A few days after going home, I was back at work on my cancer quilt. A month later my oncologist sent me back to surgery to have more tissue removed. She felt this would keep me from having to go through further treatment. The quilt was no where near being done so now I would have more down time. A few days after the second surgery, quilting continued and continued and continued.

I usually have to have a deadline in order to get a project finished so "El Tigre" was entered into a quilt show to make myself complete it. My husband worked nights so most nights were spent quilting til 3 or 4 in the morning, then catch a few hours sleep and back up to quilt some more. The cancer was forgotten and this is the only quilt that I have completely hand quilted.

I thank God that I have been cancer free for almost 20 years now. There have been other quilts-other situations, other inspirations. That big tiger on the center of the quilt, I have come to realize is me, peaceful, knowing that God is in control.

EL TIGRE

El Tigre has been called a piece of soft sculpture and has received honorable mention for its quilting and coordinating back.

PSALM 91:4

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.