Category: 70273 (Page 5 of 27)

Let’s Welcome The Netherlands

May 5, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

04May18

After agonizing over it a while, The Engineer and I opt to go to lunch together, and sure enough what we feared would happen, did. We get back to the exhibit to find a note in our journal from a woman that I would love to have met. Fortunately (1) we eat fast and (2) she comes back, and now you get to meet her, too. Yvonne promises to galvanize the Netherlands and get them into The 70273 Project in a big way. And one detail I’m not sure she mentions in the video: though they’re not Jewish, she and her husband live in a Jewish cemetery. Every year on Memorial Day, school children come in to help clean the graves, put out flowers, and hear stories from Holocaust survivors.

two women stand beside a multi-colored quilt

At the end of the day as we are leaving, we take the circuitous route (we do every day when entering and leaving) so we can view more of the amazing quilts on display, I hear my name and look around to see Yvonne beckoning me over. She’s won a Teacher’s Award ribbon, and oh my goodness is it an award ever well-earned.

a closeup of small quilts sewn together to make a large quilt

a closeup of the border of a quilt

I couldn’t get a photo of the entire quilt because there were so many people standing around admiring it, but I’ll get one today before the crowds arrive and add it here. It is 225 mini quilts stitched together and surrounded by a spectacular border . . . and it’s all hand pieced and quilted. Yes, really.

You know how you meet someone and feel an instant connection and desire to spend more time with them? Well, Yvonne is on that list with so many other people we’ve met along the way. I sense (well, hope) a visit to the Netherlands in my future, and maybe Yvonne and her husband would like to come spend some time atop a mountain beside a waterfall.

I have so many more stories and photos to tell y’all, but when I sit down at the computer at night, I go to sleep! They’ll come. I promise.

I am, however, able to upload a few short videos if you’re interested.

~~~~~~~

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Utah Quilting and Sewing Marketplace Exhibit

May 3, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

When Jina and Moana stopped by The 70273 Project Special Exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX last November and invited us to be a Special Exhibit at the Utah Quilting & Sewing Marketplace, it seemed like a l-o-n-g time away. But here we are, and it seems like it was just yesterday we stood talking with Jina and Moana in Houston. Funny, that.

The Engineer and I spent today flying across country to be here, and I thought maybe you’d like to know which quilts will be exhibited and maybe even find some of your own work on display. Feel free to read all the way through this post or enter your name in the search box in the right sidebar and find it that way. And hey, if you’re in the neighborhood or can get here, come on over and be sure to stop by The 70273 Project Special Exhibit and say Hey.

Note: Each quilt will be profiled individually in its own blog post as we go along, and there you’ll find complete info like countries of residence and all dedications along with stories. Oh my goodness, y’all know how I adore and cherish the stories! I need help entering information into a spreadsheet, so if any of you are willing to do that or have a responsible, attention-oriented teenager who would be, let me know. Having that Central Headquarters Spreadsheet will be a tremendous help. (And for the record, it took me forever to type the word “spreadsheet” because just the thought of the word stomps down my creative spirit! I call them Landscape Oriented Tables.)

And now without further ado, if you can’t be in Utah, enjoy the exhibit here. And hey, thank y’all so much for all you do to commemorate these 70,273 souls.

quilt with white base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 1
Pieced by Kitty Sorgen
Quilted and Finished by MJ Kinman
Blocks made by:
Helen Voyles
Robin Hewell
Ada Hewell
MJ Kinman
Kitty Sorgen
Susan Graham
Andy Chambers
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
Deborah Cheek
Glenda Williams
Margaret Williams
Sharleen Jespersen
Kimberly Brock
Pamela Arena
Mari Ann Stefanelli
Samantha Kendig
Julie A. Taylor
Barbara Atwell
Steve Jankousky
Michelle Banton
Lucy Urbach
Jillian Urbach
Little Luna and Her Mom
Lee Durbin
Denniele Bohannen
Debra Steinmann
Robin Woods
Chloe Grice
Linda Smith
Laurie Dunn
Elizabeth (Libby) Cook
Faye Cook
Carol Howard Donati
Susan Jimison
Juline Bajada
Marnie Gloor-Chambers
Alison Chambers
Kipp Chambers
Brenda Shimshick
Angela Canada
Andrew & Nicholas Canada
Jennifer Shimshick

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 3
Pieced and Quilted by Margaret Williams
Blocks made by:
Ada B. Hewell
Alida Palmisano
Andrew Canada
Andy Chambers, for Nancy Chambers
Andy Grimaldi, for my children who HAD the opportunity to live no matter their flaws! (no red X’s for them!)
Angela Canada
Angel Childs, for Phylis Leona Childs
Anonymous
Barbara Attwell, for Joe Conrad, mentally handicapped uncle
Bev Haring (
Bradley L. Pope, for the 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
Brenda Shimshick, for Beverly Thomas
Carolyn Katzoff, for Harry Katzoff
Chloe Grice, for Tula Belle Grice
Christa Joy, for Jimmy Joy
Cindy Hall
Dan Sorgen
Danny Sorgen
Deena Sanders
Denniele Bohannen, for former students
Denise Giardullo, for all the special needs children I taught who would have perished if the Nazis were successful
Elizabeth Belcher, for my father, Leneord White, RAF Pilot, WW2
Elizabeth (Libby) Cooke
Faye Cooke
Gail Black, for Evan Bright
Glenda Williams
Jane Wilson
Janet Eidem
Janet Hartje, for Amanda
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers, for Nancy Chambers
Jerry Hewell
Jillian Urbach
Julie A. Taylor, for Cecilie M. Taylor
Juline Bajada
Kathy Cox, for Nancy Chambers
Kaylee Sorgen
Kevin Barton, for Burt Brooks, WW2 Veteran, purple heart recipient (deceased)
Kitty Sorgen
Laurel Hotchkiss, for all the families who suffered under Hitler
Laurie Dunn
Lee Durbin, for Tim Durbin
Linda Heron, for the 70,273 lost in Nazi Germany and for those I have known, those I know now, and those I”ll never know personally
Linda Smith, for Helen Helms and Geraldine
Little Luna (and Her Mom )
Lucy Urbach
Margaret Williams, for Marie Dreyer
Maria Conway
Maria Sorgen
Marie Z. Johansen, for Women of the French Resistance
Marissa Shenkle
Melody Butler, for all the special children who have come into my life at the kindergarten where I work
Michelle Banton
MJ Kinman, for Bess J. Liversidge and Elizabeth Zelms
Nancy Burch
Nicholas Canada
Pauline
Rebecca O’cannon, for Roxie Anna Duhon
Ross Greene, for Ross W. Perrin
Scott Linville
Steve Jankousky
Steve Ulman
Susan Getchell
Susan Graham, for Carlo
Zachery Freeman

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 5
Pieced, Quilted & Finished by MJ Kinman
Blocks made by:
Students and Staff of the Blanchard Valley Center

white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 10
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Williams
Blocks made by:
Ada Hewell
Adalee Beasley
Andy Grimaldi
Andrew R. Chambers
Anonymous
Barbara Atwell
Bev Wiedeman
Bobbi Penniman
Brenda Shimshick
Caroline Rudisill
Carolyn Katzoff
Chase Hughes
David S Leader
Deborah L. J. MacKinnon
Debra Steinmann
Denniele Bohannen
Elizabeth Belcher
Emily May (Milly) Grice
Faye Cook
Frances Holliday Alford
Glenda Williams
Hylke and Marjolein Lootens
Janet Eidem
Janet Hartje
Janice Foy
Janine Morrell
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
Jennifer Eastment
Jennifer Lario Moya
Jennifer Shimshick
Kimberly Kuhns
Kitty Sorgen
Laurie Dunn
Lee Durbin
Linda Heron
Linda Isaacs
Linda Smith
Lori East
Margaret Williams
Marsha Hardan
Maryellen “Graz” Grysewicz
Michelle Banton
Michelle Hughes
Mildred S (Millie) Long
MJ Kinman
Mona Masters
Patricia Gaska
Pauline
Robin Welsh
Rosemary Claus-Gray
Sarah Noelle Ballantine
Sue Beermann
Susan Getchell
Susan Graham
Susan Guild
Susan Leader
Susie Wheelis

white baby christening gown sewn onto a white quit base, surrounded with pairs of red X's forming teardrops and streams of teardrops

Quilt 14
A Middling made by Jeanne Hewell-Chambers

white quilt base adorned with pairs of large and small red X's

Quilt 15
A Middling made by Jeanne Hewell-Chambers

a white quilt embellished with pairs of red X's

Quilt 22
Pieced and Quilted by Catherine Symchych
Blocks made by Students at Snowy Range Academy Middle School

white quilt embellished with pairs of red X's

Quilt 23
Made by Maité Findeling

white quilt base adorned with pairs of red X's

Quilt 28
Pieced, Quiited, and Finished by Katell Renon and Chantal Bommier
Blocks made by:
Christiane Richard
Paulette Lacroix
Dany Monnier
Angèle Peltot-Leccia
Martine Voutain
Brigitte Janin
Guillemette Marraud
Katell Renon
Anonymes

white quilt base with pairs of red X's forming a heart in the center and pairs of red X's forming a frame around the outer edges Quilt 29
Made by Maité Findeling

white quilt covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 42
Pieced and Quilted by Katell Renon and Kristine Toufflet
Blocks made by:
Helene Berettta
Catherine Moliet
Maité Findeling
Kristine Soufflet
Martine Toutain
Gillette Maraud
Marie Jo Dimas
Evelyne Carrasco
Suzy Bignau
Catherine Floch

white quilt base covered in pairs of red X's, some forming larger red X's

Quilt 44
Pieced and quilted by Annie Pinel
Blocks made by members of the Can’canettes in Castres, France
Claudine Bize
Beatrice Tavirre
Colette Bouisset
Yvette Durans
Anonyme

white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 45
Pieced and quilted by Jo Drouet
Blocks made by Members of the Can’canettes in Castres, France:
Dominique Medard
Jo Drouet
Beatrice Tavirre
Carole Giovanolla
Colette Bouisset
Anonyme
Suzanne Ribera
Annie Pinel
Rachel Durrieu
Maryanne Tailler
Aline Montagne

white and off white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 47
A Middling made by Margaret Williams

white and cream quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 50
A Middling made by Margaret Williams

white and cream quilt base covered with pairs of red X's, some of them arranged in the shape of a heart Quilt 52
A Middling made by Margaret Williams

a white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 54
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Brenda Wartalski
Blocks made by Members of TBLOVERS2
Brenda Wartalski
Victoria Swann
Brenda Lowe
Adva Price
Dianne Llewellyn
Yvonne Walton
Brenda Linkhart
Ella Andrews
Gisele Therezien
Kim Monins
Jane Howie
Neet Davies

white and cream quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 60
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Williams
Blocks made by:
Nancy Fenstermacher & Barbara Churchville
Dawn Dayside
Anonymous
Elaine Erickson
Martine Bronca
Shelly Burge, for Ryan
Gerrie Congdon
Pam Patterson
Debbie Buckner
Betty Hedrick, for Jacquie Moje
Patricia Gaska, for Sandy Wild
Faye Cook
Maria Conway
Debbie Buckner
Janine Morrell
Lee Durbin
Brenda Shimshick
Jennifer Eastment
Jackie Batman
Faye Cook
Rosalie Y. Roberts
Kathy O’Donnell
Betty Hedrick
Trena Johnson
Alida Palmisano
Diane Dresdner
Martine Bronca
Kathleen J. Reck
Anonymous
Susan Utech
Past Brletich, for Robert Rebecca Pohlad
Debbie Burchell
Deborah L. J. MacKinnon
Staff of Holly Spirit College, for all those with different levels of ability
Sharon Berg
Glenda Williams
Barbara Atwell
Michelle Banton
Elizabeth Belcher
Denniele Bohannen
Christina Cromwell
Carolyn Katzoff, for John Wies
Caroline Rudisill
Jennifer Lario Moya
Jerriann Crow
Margaret Williams
Jennifer Eastment

white quilt base embellished with pairs of red X's

Quilt 61
Pieced by Denniele Bohannon
Quilted and Finished by Becky Collis
Blocks made by:
Elaine Erickson
Carolyn Katzoff
Elizabeth Belcher
Anonymous
Dawn Daymude
Christina Cromwell
Deborah L. J. MacKinnon
Faye Cook
Elizabeth (Libby) Cook
Betty Hedrick
Pam Patterson
Debbie Buckner
Linda Kemp
Betty Hedrick
Martine Bronca
Onurai Dchakanis
Denniele Bohannen
Jennifer Lario Moya
Jackie Batman
Maria Conway
Diane Dresdner
Kathleen J. Reck
Jennifer Shimshick
Glenda Williams
Debbie Burchell
Lee Durbin
Brenda Shimshick
Nancy Fenstermacher
Barbara Churchville
Gerrie Congdon
Patsi Brletich
Susan Utech
Caroline Rudisill
Patricia Gaska
Alida Palmisano
Margaret Williams
Faye Cook
Barbara Atwell
Jeanne Huebert
Michelle Banton
Staff of Holy Spirit College
Chloe Grice
Jennifer Eastment

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X'x

Quilt 70
Pieced by Kris Phillips
Quilted by Debra Woods
Blocks made by:
Claudia Cross
Janine Morrell
Elizabeth (Libby) Cook
Faye Cook
Patricia Gaska
Sharleen Jespersen
Nancy Fenstermacher
Barbara Churchville
Lee Durbin
Pam Patterson
Maria Conway
Mary Schuberg
Christina Cromwell
Linda Heron
Debbie Buckner
Brenda Shimshick
Jennifer Eastment
Patsi Brletich
Faye Cook
Rosalie Roberts
Staff of Holy Spirit College
Glenda Williams
John Cheek
Barbara Atwell
Robin Woods
Laurel Hotchkiss
Susan Getchell
Barbara Atwell
Janet Eidem
Michelle Banton
Elizabeth Belcher
Denniele Bohannen
Margaret Williams
Carolyn Katzoff
Jessie Rose Grice
Caroline Rudisill
Jennifer Lario Moya
Barbara Winfield
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
Desiree Habicht
Kris Philips

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 73
Made by the Quilt du club Sur un Air de Patch
Colette de Rosso
Danielle Michon

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 75
Blocks made by:
Pascale Bourdoncie
Nicole Marty
Kristine Soufflet
Colette de Rosso
Suzy Bignau
Yolande Clavel
Catherine Floch
Maté Findeling

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 76
Pieced and Quitled by Katell Renon
Blocks made by:
Nicole Marty
Alice Thomas
Annie Vignals
Yolande Clavel
Pascale Bourdoncie
Colette de Rosso
Suzy Bignau
Catherine Floch
Maité Findeling
Kristine Soufflet
Anonyme

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 78
Pieced and quilted by Evelyne Carrasco
Blocks made by:
Florence Bismuth
Valerie Ramsay
Brigitte Janin
Guillermette Maraud
Catherine Floch
Danielle Laffont

white and cream base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 102
A Middling made by Debra Baker Steinmann

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 111
Made by Catherine Symchych

white quilt base covered with small pairs of red X's

Quilt 112
A Middling made by Katell Renon

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 113
Pieced & Quilted by Brigitte Gaston
Blocks made by Members of Quilt du Club de Balma:
Brigitte Gaston
Betty Pizard
Jacqueline Garrigues
Claire Petitgirard
Françoise Calmttes
Michele Bergon
MichelineGolvano
Anne-marie Bugnot

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 114
Pieced and Tied by Annie Cunnac
Blocks made by Members of Quilt Villeneuve-Tolosane:
Michelle Cortes
Annie Touzet
Isabelle Alzieu
Giselle Boyer
Christiane Tavel
Martine Sessa
Annie Cunnac

white quilt base covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 115
Pieced by Katell Renon
Quilted by Evelyne Carrasco
Blocks made by Members of Les Filles du Vent du Sud:
Helene Vispe
Nelly Riviere
Antoinette Vilo
Primarose Traube
Noelle Ricard-Loubeau
Anonymes

white quilt covered with small pairs of red X's Quilt 150
A Middling made by Margaret Jackson

white quilt covered with los of small pairs of red X's Quilt 152
A Middling made by Chantal Trouillot

two large red X's filled with smaller red X's Quilt 162
A Middling made by Jennifer Broemel

white quilt adorned with pairs of red X's Quilt 164
A Middling made by Patricia Gaska

white quilt with pairs of red Xs Quilt 168
A Middling made by Mary T. Green

white quilt with pairs of red Xs

Quilt 169
A Middling made by Margaret Andrews

white quilt bearing pairs of red X's

Quilt 174
A Middling made by Wendy Reed

white quilt adorned with pairs of red X's Quilt 177
A Middling made by Deirdre McConathy

a white quilt with pairs of red X's Quilt 179
A Middling made by Cindy Cavallo

white and cream quilt base covered with pairs of red X's Quilt 185
Pieced and Quilted by Margaret Williams
Blocks made by:
Gail George
Anonymous
Betty Byford
Cathy Watkins
Tree Kuharich
Faye Cook
Polly M Davis
Diane Dresdner
Mildred (Millie) Long
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
Pam Patterson
Kathy Shaw
Dorothy Gibson
Wendy Canton Reed
Charlotte McAdam
MJ Kinman
Margaret Williams
Carolyn Katzoff
Andrew R Chambers
Jennifer Lario Moya
Lori East
Deborah L. J. MacKinnon
Michelle Banton
Susan Guild
Patricia Gaska
Brenda Shimshick
Staff of Holy Spirit College
Georgeanna Hawley
Margaret Andrews
JanetTobler
Claudia Cross
Debra Steinmann
Frances Holliday Alford
Cheryl Kotechi
Debbie Burchell
Singele Majo
Elaine Smith
Christina Aiton
Nancy Weinmeister
Thomasina S. Miller

white quilt base decorated with balloons created using pairs of red X's and a child's pair of gloves holding onto the strings of the balloons Quilt 555
A Middling made by Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
dedicated to Rue Opal
and all the joy and wonder she will bring
to the lives of all who know and love her

~~~~~~~

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Durham Cathedral Quilts Added to the Count

April 28, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

an ancient cathedral made of brown bricks

The Coxhoe Quilters who hail from Durham, U.K. have been commemorating people through The 70273 Project from the get-go. Their first quilt is #33 – that should tell you something. Many of the quilts made by the Coxhoe Quilters were displayed in Durham Cathedral in January 2018 as part of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Some of the quilts made by the Coxhoe Quilters have already been added to the block count, and as you can tell, it’s taken me a while to find the time to sift my way through the records to pull out what’s already been counted so there’s no duplication that leaves us short of our goal.

Here are the quilts made by the tireless and talented Coxhoe Quilters. Some have already been profiled in a blog post, all will be eventually.

9 women hold a quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 33
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
Anne Barre
Christine FitzGerald (dedicated to Elizabeth FitzGerald)
Ann Hewitt
Margaret Jackson
Dawn Kirk Walton
Karen Mitchell
Anonymous
Norma Corner
Patricia Harvey
Lesley Shell
Janice Tilbury
Alison Wilson

a white quilt covered in pairs of red X's

Quilt 39
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of Coxhoe Quilters (U.K.)

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 71
Pieced and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Quilted by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of Brighter Skies Group:
Elizabeth Budgeon
Savvy Christophides
Jane Coulter
Joyce Duncan
Chrissy FitzGerald
Margaret Grieves
Helen Grindley
Margaret jackson
C. Knight
Mary Turner
Shirley Oliver
V. Pearson
Linda Smalley
Ellen Smith
Anonymous

a large white quilt covered with pairs of red X's covers a sofa

Quilt 72
Pieced and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Quilted by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of the Brighter Skies/Leisure Time Crafting
Jacqueline Ellis
A. Turner
Ann Hewitt
V. Pearson
Mary Turner
Jean Rees
Ellen Smith
Carol Chisholm
Brian Clarke
Margaret jackson
Margaret Grieves
Jane Coulter
Kieran Ryan
Emmajayne Sanders
Jan Tilbury
Joyce Duncan
Ellis Rowe
M. Burns
N. Collins
Heather Ryan
C. Knight
W. Crac
R. Mindiff
Lesley Snell
Savvy Christophides
Anonymous

a large white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 79
Pieced and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Quilted by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
Ann Hewitt
Barbara Harland
Chrissy FitzGerald
Ellen Smith
Emmajayne Sanders
Glenda Connor
Jan Tilbury
Jane Coulter
Janet Emery
Jane Hedley
Katie Wilson-Clement
Lesley Snell
Lorna Presly
Margaret Jackson
Marjorie Powell
Mary Turner
Pamela McRobert-Watkins
Pat Wiffin
S. Barker
Shirley Oliver
Suzanne Hopper
V. Pearson
Wendy Gibson

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 122
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson, (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
Students at Deaf Hill Primary School
Assisted by Janet Watson of Age
Volunteers with the Intergenerational Project (U.K.)

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 123
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by students of Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College (U.K.)

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 124
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by students at King James College (U.K.)

a long white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 125
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by three generations of Margaret Jackson’s family:
Steven Wiley
Sharmai Wiley
Cnheylee Wiley
Demi-lea Wiley
Alisha Wiley
Margaret Jackson

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 126
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by students at Hermitage Academy (U.K.)

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 148
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by Members of Coxhoe Beaver Scout Group

a white quilt with pairs of red X's

Quilt 149
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by Eva Jackson of Coxhoe Durham, U.K.

a small white quilt covered with many pairs of red X's

Quilt 150
Made by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)

Quilt 163
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of the Thames Valley Contemporary Textiles (U.K.)

a small white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 170
a Middling made by Ann Hewitt

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 171
Pieced by Ann Hewitt (U.K.)
Quilted by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Finished by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by Members of The Art Group (UK):
Michelle Taylor
Michelle F. Taylor
Anonymous
B. Dyer
M. Simpson
S. Barker
Julie
Audrey Gillet
Gwyneth Halliburton
Noreen Freeman
Dorothy Sheroot
Mary Turner
Jean Lister
Lynda Elston
Debbie Duncan

a group of women hold a large white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 173
Pieced, Tied, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
Members of Leisure Time Crafting and Brighter Skies ,
a Fundraising Group of Spennymore, Durham, U.K.

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 240
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of the Durham Embroiderers Guild (U.K.)
Rita Bell
Eileen Hunter
Sarah McGeorge
Lesley Wood
Alisa Dredge
Rona Bruce, dedicated to Lynne Herkes 30Dec58 – 31Dec58
Lesley Hagan, dedicated to Sarah and Stephen Hagan Hord

a large white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 241
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
People from Coxhoe
Members of Painting for Pleasure Art Group
People in various villages in Durham, England, U.K.

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 242
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by:
Ann Hewitt
Wendy Gibson
Pat Harvey
Isla Green (5 years old)
Mary Woodward
Amanda Coltas
Alison Wilson
Lesley Snell
Karen Mitchell
Chrissy FitzGerald
Margaret Jackson
E. Budgeon
Anonymous

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 243
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by students at Hermitage Academy (U.K.)

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 244
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of Coxhoe Quilters (U.K.)
Chrissy FitzGerald
Eva Jackson
Margaret Jackson
Mary Turner

a white quilt covered wit pairs of red X's

Quilt 256
Pieced, Quilten, and Finished by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by members of Thornily Library Age Concern Craft Group (U.K.)
Celia Turnbull
L. Watson
Elizabeth Ann Smith
Marlene Jones
Ethel Howarth
Margaret A. Ollett
Florence Ann Richardson

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 257
Pieced and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Quilted by Mary Turner (U.K.)
Blocks made by citizens of Durham, U.K.
M. Jackson
Lorn Presley
Melanie Tolson
S. Barker
Janet Emery
Brenda Press
Edna Oswald
Ann Hewitt
Suzanne Hopper
V. Pearson
J. Stephenson
P. Harvey
Lesley Snell
Samantha Sproates
Carol Chisholm
Emmajayne Saunders
Shirley Oliver
Anonymous

a white quilt covered with pairs of red X's

Quilt 258
Pieced, Quilted, and Finished by Margaret Jackson (U.K.)
Blocks made by people from Dean Bank Crafters, FerryhillDurham, England U.K.

When I add the Durham/Coxhoe Quilters blocks that haven’t been counted to the block count, i brings our new total of commemorations to 37,754. Now I finish sifting and tallying block snd quilts from the Channel Islands. Stay tuned for a new block count soon.

To Margaret Jackson, Chrissy FitzGerald, Mary Turner, their husbands John, Steve, and John, the other members of the Coxhoe Quilters, to Charlotte, and to all the citizens of Durham – A great big Thank you. Your dedication to commemorating and your hospitality when The Engineer and I were there in January will be long remembered and always appreciated.

Margaret Jackson took all the photos except the first one of Durham Cathedral. I took that one. It’s majestic, isn’t it? She doesn’t take a bad picture, that Durham Cathedral. I have more I’ll share with you soon.

Choices

April 20, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

World War II veteran

Woman in 1940s attire shows the quilt block she made, a pair of red X's on a white base

A mother and her 3 children smile after they've made blocks for The 70273 Project

woman with long brown hair wearing a red shirt makes a quilt block of 2 red X's on a white base

a man wearing a blue shirt with yellow stripes cuts paper
It is her pocketbook that first catches my eye. I like ’em big, self reliant (willing and able to stand on their own when put down), and open at the top so I can reach and retrieve efficiently. Hers meets all my criteria, and I don’t mind telling you that I covet it.

“Is that your grandson?” she asks, stopping about 8′ away from us where The Engineer stands holding our grandson, Calder Ray.

I nod.

“He’s adorable,” she says.

“I know,” I tell her. “And if I didn’t say that, I’d have to turn in my grandparents’ card. Do you have grandchildren?”

“Not yet,” she says then asks, “but would you like to see what I’m doing for my future grandchildren?”

I follow her to a nearby bench and sit beside her. From her magic bag, she pulls out a large sketchbook. It’s the sixth one she’s created for her future grandchild, each filled with stories sketched around a central theme. This book is a treasure hunt to all her favorite places on Hilton Head Island where she lives. She shows me the sketch she’s working on now, a map to the place she goes to see the best sunsets on the island. (A place I’ve never heard of. A place we will visit the following night.)

After asking if I can copy her idea that, as a personal and family historian, I am now totally smitten with and committed to despite my woeful lack of drawing skills, I ask about the theme of the other 5 journals. She tells me that the first one was about her family history. She tells me about how during World War II her ancestors did what so many families in Holland did at that time: delivered their young boys to a cruise ship and left them there, knowing that their sons would be fed, clothed, and trained for a career. Her uncle spent the rest of his life with that cruise line.

“I didn’t know how much to write about that particular period of time,” she confesses, “because while I want to tell the truth, I don’t want these books to be dark. My family hid in the attic of their house and slaughtered goats up there for food. It was not an easy or pretty life back then.”

“So true. Would you like to hear what I’m working on?” I ask, then I tell her the thumbnail version of The 70273 Project. She listens intently then asks, “What would you do if I told you that Nazis are live and well today – even right here on Hilton Head Island?”

“I don’t know exactly what I’d do,” I answer, “but I’d do something.”

I regret my answer the second the period at the end of the sentence falls out of my mouth, and I tell her so. “You ask a very good question, and it begs a better, more thoughtful answer – especially since one of the 3 purposes of The 70273 Project is to educate all who will listen not just about the atrocity, but about things like respecting differences, protecting those who can’t protect themselves, and about taking a stand against bullying. Thank you for the good question. You’ve given me something to think about, sort out, and articulate.”

She tells me that Nazis are alive and well today, and that some are stalking and persecuting her because she calls them out publicly. Some, she assures me, are well-placed elected officials. She encourages me to go to the local courthouse and pay them $10 for a cd version of the transcript of her latest trip to court that happened just the week before. She tells me more about what’s happening in her life and who these well-placed people are, and when I notice the family looking at me and tapping their watches, I tell her it’s time for me to go. “Remember to get that transcript if you have time,” she implores me, “and at the very least, remember that they still exist.”

Though she cautions me to ponder all she told me for three days before telling my family and friends, I start telling the minute the last car door closes. Most of my family thinks she’s probably lined her walls with aluminum foil, too, and maybe they’re right. But I wonder . . . could that kind of ostrich thinking – that head-in-the-sand mode – have propelled the Nazis forward through their agenda? Did people back in 1940 think the rumors they were hearing were too outlandish, too awful, too extreme to be true? Was it too inconceivable that people were being murdered because of disabilities, so folks continued with life as usual, swatting such a notion away as though it were a fly?

At the very least, it is a good question – a very good question that all of us involved in The 70273 Project should be asking ourselves.

This weekend (Saturday, 4/21/18 and Sunday, 4/22/18), a mere 30-minute drive from where I will be attending the World War II Heritage Days in Peachtree City, GA, spreading news of The 70273 Project and thanking World War II veterans for their service, a Neo-Nazi rally will be taking place.

Think about that: only about 20 miles separates World War II veterans from people who follow the ideology they fought.

What to do?
Do I wrap myself in quilts of The 70273 Project and stand on the sidelines of their rally as a way of saying, “Oh no you don’t. We remember and will not let it happen again on our watch.”?
or
Do I attend World War II Heritage Days as planned and thank the veterans for their service and tell others about the atrocity known as Aktion T4?

I want to do both of the above.

If we attend – even in silent, peaceful protest – will this fuel their fires?
If we attend with placards of protest, will that fuel their fires?
If we stay home and say/do nothing, will they misread that as something akin to implied consent?

Am I making too much of this? Am I making assumptions and falling prey to stereotypical thinking because the word “Nazi” is a word that triggers me into visions of unspeakable acts of oppression, physical altercations, and slurs of every kind imaginable towards those who are different? Are they even really Nazis, or is that the term being used because, let’s face it: it is the insult of choice used by many to label those who think differently. If so, aren’t I guilty of putting negative energy into the world?

So many questions.

Conventional mother wisdom would urge me not to stoop to their levels, to not become what they are, to not give them the attention they want. Were he here, my daddy would tell me that when you wrestle with pigs, you both get muddy and the pig likes it. Y’all, I just don’t know. I feel like such a simpleton when I tell you that for the life of me, I cannot understand why each breathing person doesn’t focus on being the best person they can be and leave the rest of us to do the same; why people set about to feel better about themselves or more powerful or who knows what by diminishing or eliminating those who differ from them in any way. It baffles me.

One thing I am absolutely sure of falls out of the mouth of my son: “You gain nothing when you fight hate with hate.” (Who is this young man, and how did he get to be so wise?)

While the questions swirl, a thought rises to the surface: what if we, each one of us, wherever we are in the world, practice the power of the needle and send a message by stitching blocks, by commemorating people the Nazis of the 1940s murdered, and posting photos in social media using #70273standsforpeace or #70273neveragain or #70273practicescompassion. (If you have a better one, use it.)

So I have written myself into a decision: I will go to World War II Heritage Days and shake the hand of every veteran and their family members in attendance, look them in the eye, and thank them for putting their lives on the line to keep people around the world safe. I will tell every person who pauses at our table about what we’re doing, how we commemorate these 70,273 people who were murdered for the crime of being born with different abilities. It is not be the decision I will make every time I am confronted with such a choice, but for today, for this weekend, this is the choice I make.

a pile of quilt blocks, pairs of red x's sewn to a white base

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Quilts Made and Exhibited in Dachau, Germany

April 12, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Woman standing in front of a quilt made of pairs of red X's on a white background

On Thursday, April 5, 2018, German Ambassador for The 70273 Project Uta Lenk made her way to Dachau where the local quilting group displayed the seven quilts they made for The 70273 Project commemorating over 200 people. The quilts – quilted by Renate Poignee, Heike Rosenbaum and Uta – were deliberately made in memory of the people who were taken out and murdered in the years of the T4 program of the National Socialists from the Franciscan Schönbrunn.

women stand in front of 3 quilts made with pairs of red X's on a white background

women admire quilts made of pairs of red X's on a white background

“It was interesting to hear from the members of the group how much the participation in this memorial moved people,” writes Uta on her blog “That was similar to me, if I had the blocks on the stand sewed, there is still a lot in Germany that has not been addressed sufficiently,” . (Translation provided by Google Translate.)

two nuns and two other women chat about the quilts made for The 70273 Project

A nun in attendance is head of the institution from which 207 people were taken during the reign of Aktion T4.

four quilts of The 70273 Project made in Dachau, Germany. White quilts covered with pairs of red X's.

In the next few weeks, the finished quilts can be viewed in the classroom of arttextil in Dachau, where they will hang over several weeks before coming to the United States (HeartQuarters of The 70273 Project) by fall of 2018 to join and be exhibited with the other quilts of The 70273 Project.

Many thanks to Uta for the countless hours she devotes to making the world a better place. I’m so grateful The 70273 Project is on her list of worthwhile projects. And thanks to all who made blocks; to Renate, Heike, and Uta for quilting these beautiful commemorations; and to all the other folks in Germany (and beyond) who vow to help commemorate every single one of the 70,273 people who deserved to live.

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70273 Quilts on Exhibit at Marbridge

April 11, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

On December 7, 2017, I told you about Lynn Woll, Founder of Create Whimsy, and her sisters Bobbie Gideon and Janet. Right in the thick of the holiday season, Lynn worked with Janet and 11 of Janet’s friends, helping each one create a Middling for The 70273 Project. Today, Marbridge posted this touching (warning: tissue alert) video about those quilts and their Makers, and be sure to check out the 6th annual CoAct Project being hosted by Marbridge Foundation in Austin Texas on April 18-20, 2018. The CoAct Project is a national executive symposium to discuss best care practices, industry challenges, and build better relationships to better care for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including Autism, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, seizure disorder, and traumatic brain injury.

The photos in this slide show were taken at the Artists’ Reception at Marbridge where the twelve quilts were on display, each photographed with its Maker. The quilts will also be on display in the lobby of the Omni Hotel during the CoAct Project Symposium.

Thank you Lynn and Bobbie for taking The 70273 Project to Marbridge and sharing Marbridge with The 70273 Project. Thank you Marbridge for doing the good work and hosting what sounds like a wonderful symposium. And last but definitely not least, thank you to Janet, Bennett, Leslie, Julie, Jack, Max, Rick, Thomas, Lizzie, Scott, Megan, and Betsy for making these beautiful quilts.

(Did you know that there’s a You Tube channel for The 70273 Project?)

Just What You’ve Been Waiting For

April 4, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

a bag filled with mail - some boxes some large envelopes

In the past several weeks, I’ve received blocks from these good people:

BLOCKS

Margaret Allen (US)
Edna Jamandre (US)
Susan Blexrud (US) (We’re gonna’ meet live and in person sometime this year.)
Iris Harris (US – and from my hometown Fayetteville, GA!)
Patricia Costantini (US) dedicated to the 70,273 innocent souls
Pepe Bowman (US)
Anonymous
Irmgard Römer (Germany)
Sandra Engstrand (US)
Bill Croft (US)
Stephanie DeAbreu (US)
Lis Binns (US)
Theresa Vaarga (US)
Shannon Timberlakd (US) dedicated to Emma Leah Timberlake
Chrissy Cozzi (US) dedicated to her daddy: Wm. L. Ellis, Jr., Nazi POW
Kathy Westmoreland (US) dedicated to her daddy: Wm. L. Ellis, Jr., a Nazi POW
Nancy O’Donnell Glosup (US) dedicated to Maeve Watson T1D
Sieg Leland (US)
Roland Bostick (US)
Sherry Searcy (US)
Cissa Kamakura (US)
Susan Melton (US)
Joan E. Beier (US)
Stephanie Bowen (US) dedicated to Nancy Chambers and Jeanne Hewell-Chambers (Thank you.)
Katharine Wall (US)
Nancy Erisman (US) dedicated to Laila and many, many, many others
Sharleen Jespersen

These students in the KMS Gifted and Talented Program in Kennett, MO also sent blocks:

Ethan Davis
Sophie Boone
Saraity Morris
Destiny Lloyd
Delaying Dalton
Jordan Crawford
Craig Noblin
Macy Bazzell
Camden Moore
Cody Holden
Taylor Isenhour
Alec Holden
Lani Heeb
Camille Thomas
Conner Thomas
David VanDyke
and their teacher, Cindy Thomas

QUILTS

#549, a Long Skinny made by Grace Ann Cannon (US) dedicated to Aubrey Hendley
#552, a Middling made by Maria Conway (Argentina)
#550, a Mini made by Jan Snell (CAN) dedicated to Spruce, Melissa, & former students
#553 Bev Haring, a Long Skinny

Our last block count update found us with 33,491 commemorations in hand. When we add these in, we have commemorated 36,647 people.

Now I’ve been sifting, sorting, wading, and winding my way through the blocks and quilts from Durham and Channel Islands to make sure I don’t duplicate or leave out anything. You see, those two have been making blocks and quilts since the double digit quilt numbers, and back then . . . well, I’ll explain it all later. Just come back around soon because my plan is to add the blocks from Durham, Channel Islands, and Rochester over the next week.

Shelf-ish Pursuits: April

April 2, 2018 / Stephanie Brown Bowen / 0 Comments

A day late and a dollar short. Story of my life. 🙄

Anyhoo, April’s Shelf-ish Pursuits book selection is “The Boys in the Bunkhouse” by Dan Berry.

I’m roughly halfway through this one already. Yes, I may have cheated a smidge and jumped into this book just as soon as I’d finished last month’s, but with no one paying me nary a bit of attention, who’s to know? I am loving this book and hope y’all will too.

From the very start of our book club, I had it in mind to alternate between fiction and nonfiction. I even had the entire year’s selections picked out and in a stack all their own. But things happen and new titles catch my eye and…squirrel! You get the idea. For the most part, I’ll try to stick with my plan so there’s no burnout. Variety, after all, is the spice of life.

Toward the middle of the month, I’ll announce May’s book 📚 and post in EVENTS our next discussion.

Please keep your book suggestions coming! I promise I really am keeping a list and will choose a book from it on occasion for everyone to enjoy.

Happy reading! 👓 ☕ 📖

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Wanna’ See Some 70273 Project Quilts?

March 31, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Do you love road trips? We now have an Events Calendar, thanks to the generosity of The Events Calendar folks, so now it’s easier than ever to find where 70273 quilts will be near you, pack a bag, and head on out.

If you’ll look at the the top row on the menu bar at the top of this page, you’ll see “Home” then just to the right “Events”. Click on Events, and you’ll be whisked to The 70273 Project Events Calendar. I am waiting for information on some exhibits. I’ve requested it and will add it to the cavendar when I receive it. Promise me faithfully that when you can, you’ll go see the quilts and support the show organizers.

On the Events page, you can search for specific events by date, keyword, or location. Or you can click on an event in the date box of the monthly calendar and be whisked to specific information – including a map, admission fees, hours, and more – about that exhibit. If you’ll note the Categories, you’ll be able to tell whether it’s a single quilt in a quilt show, a Special Exhibit in a quilt show, or a Featured Exhibit. You’ll also be able to tell which events I will be attending by looking in the Category section, so you can come by and say Hey and let me call you Sugar to your face.

Please help people know about scheduled exhibits by sending messages and links out in social media, being sure to use #the70273project on Twitter or Instagram, linking to the Facebook page or the Facebook group so they can obtain more information about the entire project as well as a specific exhibit, And please tag me, too (@whollyjeanne on Twiter and Instagram and @Jeanne Hewell-Chambers on Facebook) so that I can retweet and repost your posts and save them for the scrapbook I keep for The 70273 Project. The more we post about an exhibit, the more exposure and attendance the exhibit will enjoy!

Would you like to host an exhibit? Do you know an organization that might like to exhibit some of the quilts? Help us grow! Because The 70273 Project is growing in all directions and because there is so much going on, please contact me and let’s talk about it before you make plans and commit quilts. To reach me, click the envelope icon in the upper righthand corner of this page and like magic, a ready-to-use email form will present itself. Or send me a private message on Facebook or Instagram – whichever is most convenient for you. I’ll need this information:
~ dates of the exhibit
~ location of the exhibit (city/state/country/facility)
~ organizer of the exhibit
~ contact information (url, email, phone)
~ # of quilts you’d like to exhibit or submit to the exhibit

On we grow, y’all.

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All Good Things Must Come to an End

March 14, 2018 / jeanne / 0 Comments

The 70273 Project quilts that have been on display in Rochester Cathedral since 23 Jan 18 came down today, and how very appropriate that as they made their exit they were serenaded by the King’s School Choir rehearsing for their spring concert.

Thank you, Rochester Cathedral for hosting the exhibit.
Thank you, Wendy Daws, Edina, Veronica, Bev, and hundreds of others (whose names I will add here when I wake up at 3 a.m. thinking of them and their smiling faces)) who worked tirelessly to make these books and quilts.
Thank you, Lucy Horner, for being The Woman Who Led the Way and for sharing this afternoon with us through your amazing videos. You can see more of Lucy’s moving videos on The 70273 Project You Tube Channel. Be sure to subscribe to our chance because I’ll be uploading them over the next few days.

To see more of the quilts as they hung in Rochester Cathedral, click here and here and here.

Now I know you’re wondering, Dear Readers, how many people we have commemorated, and I promise to tell you soon. I’m sorting things out because I had already counted some of the beautiful commemorations made in the Channel Islands and Durham, so I’m meticulously going through every block and quilt and email to make sure I don’t over or under count. Soon, Dear Readers, soon. If you want to subscribe to the blog to make sure you don’t miss anything, click right this way to stay updated about everything to do with The 70273 Project – things like bock counts updates and where some of these quilts are needed next.