How do I contact you to schedule a guest blog post or interview you for a podcast or share an idea?

[bg_faq_start]You can use this form to email me, Jeanne Hewell-Chambers, or you can also send me a friend request on facebook (InJeanneious) and we can talk there. Either way, I look forward to hearing from you![bg_faq_end]

Do I sign my blocks?

[bg_faq_start] Your name will appear on quilt labels, along with a photo of your blocks in the database, in books, articles, and blog posts in which i might be featured. I will give you credit every way I can think of, however,  I ask that Makers not sign their blocks, that Piecers not sign the tops they piece, that Quilters not sign the quilts they complete because I want the focus to be on the two red X’s. I don’t want anything to distract from the power of their impact, from the recognition that each pair of red X’s represent one person who was murdered.[bg_faq_end]

What is a “block”?

[bg_faq_start]A block is a piece that joins with other pieces to make the quilt top. In this case, the block is a rectangular piece of white fabric embellished with two red X’s. We’ll gather the blocks, sew them together, and make quilts from them. For this project, the block you send must be any one of these sizes: 3.5″ x 6.5″ (9 cm x 16.5 cm) or 6.5″ x 9.5″ (16.5 cm x 24.2 cm) or 9.5″ x 12.5″ (24.2 cm x 31.8 cm).[bg_faq_end]

What size do the blocks need to be?

[bg_faq_start]The blocks need to be rectangles of white fabric (white represents the paper of the medical records). The rectangles you send me need to be one of these sizes: 3.5″ x 6.5″ or 6.5″ (9 cm x 16.5 cm) x 9.5″ or 9.5″ (16.5 cm x 24.2 cm)  x 12.5″ (24.2 cm x 31.8 cm). Important note: please leave a margin of 1/4″ – 1/2″ margin on all sides so your red X’s don’t get lost when we’re stitching the blocks together. The red X’s can be made from a variety of red textile-related materials using a variety of techniques. I’ll soon be posting instructional posts and short videos. Stay tuned.[bg_faq_end]

You’ve listed 3 different sizes of blocks. Do you need equal amounts of each size? Will all 3 sizes be incorporated into one quilt top or will quilt tops be made of all the 3 different sized blocks?

[bg_faq_start]While we may make some quilts using blocks that are all the same size, we’ll mostly mix it up and make quilt tops using blocks of all the 3 different sizes.  (So feel free to throw us down a challenge and make some vertical blocks.)[bg_faq_end]

What kind of fabric do you prefer?

[bg_faq_start] Most any kind of fabric is fine, so long as it’s white. (And we’re talking about the block base here.) 100% cotton; cotton/poly blend/ wool, felt – all these are fine. Might want to avoid upholstery fabric because of its weight and density, and while it’s okay to use double knit, I’d prefer you use something else if you have it because of the stretch factor.[bg_faq_end]

How do I send you my block(s)?

[bg_faq_start]Download, print, complete, and use a safety pin to attach the Provenance Form to your block(s) and mail to Jeanne Hewell-Chambers / POB 994 / Cashiers, NC 28717 USA.[bg_faq_end]

What is a quilt?

[bg_faq_start]Although the rules have (thankfully) relaxed somewhat in recent years, a quilt is technically 3 layers: the quilt top, batting, and the fabric backing.[bg_faq_end]

Why quilts?

[bg_faq_start]There are many reasons I chose to use quilts in this project. For one thing, it’s what I do. I write books, take photos of dahlias, and stitch Hymns of Cloth©.

Then there’s my lineage. I come from a long line of women who worked with needle and thread – some took in sewing to put food on the table, others made cloths to save money and keep food on the table. (I have doll clothes made from the scraps of these sewing projects. Ask me how much I cherish them.) My maternal grandmother used her Davis treadle machine to make a quilt for each of her 5 children and 14 grandchildren. I still have that quilt, and let me tell you: I never sleep as good as when I’m tucked up under it.

Plus there’s the fact that historically, quilts and their makers have been overlooked and set aside outside the realm of art. I won’t go all political on that ’cause I’m sure you can see the relation to that and how well it dovetails in with this project.[bg_faq_end]

What if I’m not a quilter – can I still participate?

[bg_faq_start]Oh heck yeah! I don’t care if the only time you’ve ever worked with a piece of fabric is to button or zip it up, you can do this – I guarantee it. Keep checking back ’cause I’ll be posting written instructions as well as short videos to show you ways you can put two red x’s on a piece of white fabric. (But till then, be adventurous. Cut your white fabric, thread a needle with red thread, and have at it. You can mark your X’s with a pencil and stitch over those. You can stitch down some red ribbon. Or red buttons. Or paint your X’s using paint that’s safe for use on fabric (and being sure to follow the instructions because some paints have to be heat set.)[bg_faq_end]

Why can’t I put my name on the front of my block?

[bg_faq_start]This project is about commemorating the lives of 70,273 people who were unceremoniously murdered, and I want the focus to remain there. I promise to give each collaborator as much exposure as possible, but the quilts are about the victims.[bg_faq_end]

How much fabric is it gonna’ take to make these quilts?

[bg_faq_start]It makes my  heart hurt to think about that, so I’m playing Miz Scarlett and choosing to think about that tomorrow. Or the next day.[bg_faq_end]

How many quilts do you think you’ll have when finished?

[bg_faq_start]I have no idea at this point because the block we receive will be of different sizes, plus I want to make some that are single blocks stitched one right on top of another. The quilts will be configured in many different ways, making many different sizes, so it’s just hard to guesstimate at this point. We did guesstimate about the fabric needed, but we are quite aware that we could be way low or have some left over.[bg_faq_end]

What will you do with the quilts when finished?

[bg_faq_start]The quilts will leave the nest and go out into the world, being exhibited wherever space and opportunity permits. If you know of a place, holler at me.[bg_faq_end]

Can I remain anonymous and still participate?

[bg_faq_start]Of course you can. You’ll still need to send me the Provenance Form – just tick the note on the form to tell me you want to remain anonymous . If you make a monetary donation (thank you), be sure you include a note saying you want to remain anonymous. [bg_faq_end]

Will you need help doing the actual quilting?

[bg_faq_start]Oh good lord YES! If you belong to a quilt guild that might be interested in an outreach project, or if you’re volunteering yourself, or if you have an idea of how else I might get help with the actual quilting, I’m all ears. (Which loosely translated means, use this form to let me know.)[bg_faq_end]

Can I help in more ways than one?

[bg_faq_start]Oh, twist my arm. Of course you can! I welcome all the help I can get. Maybe you want to peruse this page for idea kindling, and if you hatch another way that hasn’t yet been thought of, please let me know. And hey, however you choose to get involved, thank you.[bg_faq_end]

How much money do you think you’ll need?

[bg_faq_start]Thank you for asking! We’re estimating we’ll need around $20,000.00 just for fabric for the backs of the quilts, for the bindings (the edges) of the quilts, for the batting (the middle layer of a quilt), thread, wood and pvc we’ll use to hang the quilts, stabilizers for the bottoms of the quilts, materials to make the label for each quilt and the cards that accompany each quilt. That’s really as far as we’ve gotten, but I know there’ll be other expenses – like shipping, postage, insurance, to name a few – once we’ve moved from the block gathering and quilting phases and are getting this finished project out into the world. If you’d like to donate or know somebody who would like to donate, we’d sure appreciate it. You can find a donate button in the right sidebar of the front page of my blog.[bg_faq_end]

Are you accepting sponsors?

[bg_faq_start]Yes! I haven’t yet put together a sponsorship package (it’s on The List), but I’d most surely welcome sponsors. And hey, if you’re interested, don’t wait on me to get in touch with you, be proactive. Raise your hand and let me know you’re interested.[bg_faq_end]

What’s the name of that documentary you were watching when the idea for 70273 came and lit on your shoulder?

[bg_faq_start]It’s a well-done, comprehensive, multi-part documentary called Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution. The few sentences about this atrocity appears about 2/3 of the way through the first episode of the first season. (They don’t mention the number 70,273. That came from my subsequent research.)[bg_faq_end]

Where will the quilts go once they’re all made?

[bg_faq_start]They will go into the far corners of the world and everywhere in between. They will be exhibited in museums and anywhere else that will have us. If you have a place in mind, please let me know. [bg_faq_end]