Question:  What is Love, Light, and Hope National Day of Yoga & Meditation?

Answer: On November 15, 2023, we are thrilled to bring together a community of friends, supporters, mission partners, and yoga lovers from all over the country for Cancer Hope Network’s Love, Light, and Hope (LLH) National Day of Yoga & Meditation.

We are delighted to be working with our amazing lead yoga instructor, Brittany Torstrup, as well as mindful meditation expert, Claudio Pannunzio, and content partner, yoga4cancer, to provide you with exciting content and access to helpful resources and information on the benefits of yoga and the healing power of hope.

This is more than just a fundraiser; it’s a celebration of connection and the incredible difference we can make by coming together in the spirit of hope.

Get your mats ready. Open your hearts, and join us for a day filled with love, light, and hope!

Question:  When is this event happening?

Answer:  All day Wednesday, November 15, 2023 (see details below re: the LLH experience). While we are encouraging participants to practice at 11 am EST for a unified national experience, you may practice at any point throughout the day.

Question:  How can I participate?

Answer:  There are several ways to participate. 

1. You can make a one-time contribution in whatever amount you wish on the LLH Fundraising page: https://justgiving.com/campaign/lovelighthope
2. Alternatively, you can set up your own fundraising page and have your family, friends, and colleagues join your efforts.
3. And of course, you can share the LLH page and event information with your network!

*Note:  Anyone who contributes to an existing fundraising page will also be able to participate in all the LLH events planned for November 15.

Question:  Once I’ve signed up/contributed, what happens?

Answer:  You will receive confirmation of your contribution via email.  You will subsequently receive a second email closer to the LLH date of November 15 containing links (and respective instructions) to access all of the materials and programs that come with your LLH experience.

Question:  What will be included in my LLH experience?

Answer:  Anyone who signs up via a one-time contribution, creates their own fundraising page, and/or contributes to an existing fundraising page will receive access to the following on-demand, pre-recorded materials:

• Exclusive yoga session by lead instructor Brittany Torstrup
• Guided mediation session by cancer survivor, Cancer Hope Network Peer Mentor Volunteer, and USCC Certified Chaplain, Claudio Pannunzio
• Additional resources and video courtesy of yoga4cancer

*Note: If you wish to purchase LLH merchandise, you can do so separately by visiting our merchandise page.  Please note these items usually take about 10 business days to arrive.

Question:  While I would love to participate in Brittany’s yoga session, (a) I have a conflict at the scheduled time, and/or (b) I have a yoga studio/place where I already enjoy going to practice.  What are my options?

Answer:  Make the day your own!  Many of us are regulars at yoga studios where we love going, or part of groups that get together outside or at friends’ homes to practice – please do that!  We welcome everyone to bring love, light, and hope by practicing however they wish on November 15.  And if you want to do both Brittany’s session and your separate class, the more the merrier!  There are no limits!

All we ask is that you enjoy, celebrate, share your experience on social media (photos/videos of course encouraged when possible), tag us in your post @cancerhopenetwork using the hashtag #LoveLightHope and fill the day with love, light, and hope!

About Cancer Hope Network

Cancer Hope Network provides free and confidential 1:1 peer support for cancer patients, survivors, and those who love them. Our trained survivor and caregiver volunteer mentors provide support from diagnosis, through treatment and into survivorship. They have faced more than 98% of the cancers that will be diagnosed in 2023, speak 15 languages, and are prepared to offer hope and guidance through a wide variety of challenges that accompany a cancer diagnosis.

All volunteer and client matches are overseen and supported from beginning to end by a team of healthcare and social work professionals. For more information about Cancer Hope Network and its mission, please visit https://cancerhopenetwork.org/

The post FAQs: Love Light & Hope National Day of Yoga & Meditation appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

Melanie’s journey began June 2020 when neck pain and unexpected exhaustion turned into “a billion” doctors, sonograms, x-rays, blood tests and “a biopsy, just in case.” An early bright spot was Merlo, the comfort puppy who came into her life the week she was diagnosed. Supported by friends and family, pandemic guidelines meant she faced the majority of her diagnosis and treatment alone, with loved ones providing rides, but sitting in their cars, unable to join her.  

Her last treatment was February 5, 2021. This February, she is marking her cancerversary  by looking back at “the roughest moments of my life” and celebrating how much things have changed. “I have accomplished so much this year. I’m so grateful for my health. I’m so grateful for the things I’ve been able to do in the past year. It’s important to celebrate the anniversaries – because no one knows what you’ve gone through unless they’ve gone through it themselves.” 

Melanie is a longtime volunteer for several mental health organizations and when treatment was complete, jumped at the chance to provide peer support as a Cancer Hope Network volunteer. “I know that the peer to peer aspect is very important. I feel that there’s a huge stigma around mental health – seeking therapy, a counselor or group meetings isn’t spoken about enough. It’s getting there; there’s been a big change since I started volunteering ten years ago, but I want to be sure I’m practicing what I tell others. If I think others need help, I do too.”  

“I wish I’d been paired with someone who would have told me from day one what to expect. The hair loss, how real the side effects the doctor is reading off the sheet will be.”  Melanie brings an optimistic realism to the matches she serves. “Cancer Hope Network is so crucial. Match visits are bittersweet. It’s nice to help someone else and to be able to talk to someone who’s about to go through it. I’m here to answer questions. It’s also heartbreaking to know what they’re about to go through. I feel like the point of these matches is to be honest. I let people know that it’s going to be ok, but it’s going to be challenging. It’s going to be a journey and there are ways to get through it.”  

She encourages the patients and caregivers she’s matched with to ask for help. “There’s no ‘I’ve got it’ in cancer. It’s ok to ask for help and resources. Don’t feel like you’re being a burden. Your family, your friends, your doctors, nurses and support system – they all want to help. It’s a strength in itself that you’re asking for help.” Faced with the exhaustion and side effects of cancer and chemo, she wasn’t able to do much and felt the loss of control acutely. But she reclaimed measure of her control by asking for help.  

People brought her to treatments and dropped off food (“Very helpful, because there was no way I was cooking!”) and family took shifts staying at her house a week at a time after her chemo (“There was someone to help with the day to day of breakfast and making sure I wasn’t a fall case.”). Others, kept away by the pandemic, provided support and help remotely. “They would text or call to ask how I was doing. The first two months of treatment, everyone was asking how I was doing and it felt ok to talk about it because it was so new. Five months in, I worried that people were tired of me talking about my symptoms. The people who still cared enough to check in were so meaningful. I know they worried about being a burden, but it kept me going.”  

In an experience filled with difficult moments – four hours in an infusion chair, administering immunity boosting injections, mouth sores, bone aches and more – she was particularly fond of folks who checked in to share what was happening unrelated to cancer. “I loved hearing about other people’s lives. Tell me what’s going on with you! It took me out of my own life for a moment.”  

She sees her work as a Support Volunteer providing one on one peer support, is the chance to help people not feel like they’re alone. “I can help them feel validated. Cancer patients are wondering if their experience is normal. Caregivers think they’re going crazy because the person they’re trying to support thinks they’re over reacting.” 

Her best advice – “Try to survive today. Don’t think about tomorrow, don’t think about yesterday. Focus on how you will get through this moment, this symptom, this day. Whatever the hardship, try to celebrate the little wins. Enjoy the good days. Because you have both – take advantage of them. And Listen to what YOU want to do and what is best for yourself. People will want to help, but may not know what’s best for you. Be true to yourself.”  

“My work as a volunteer – and now hosting this fundraiser – helps people not feel isolated or lonely. I’m proud to be able to raise money so Cancer Hope Network has the resources to continue to advocate for people facing cancer and matching them with a volunteer who understands.” 

To be matched with a volunteer, call 877.467.3638 (877-HOPENET) or click HERE.  

LINKS:  
Donate to Melanie’s One Year Cancer Free Fundraiser 

Request a Quotes for Hope

The post Wigs be gone! Hodgkin’s survivor Melanie celebrates her cancerversary as Cancer Hope Network volunteer appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

If 2020 was “less than ideal,” 2021 has been a roller coaster that would give pause to the most dedicated thrill-seeker. But in the words of the old song here at Cancer Hope Network, the good days have definitely outweighed the bad days.

This year, we celebrated our 40^th anniversary, marking the occasion with a Virtual Volunteer Celebration in spring and honoring our co-founders, Diane Paul and Kris Luka at our Chrysalis Gala this fall. (Read a bit more of our history HERE or check out the article published by Strategies Magazine.)

When Covid-19 safety concerns made early-in-the-year fundraisers and gatherings impossible, our communities responded by hosting our first-ever online Poker Tournament, Paint Party and a coast-to-coast virtual 5k.

We’ve remained committed to collaboration – working with hospitals, cancer centers and nonprofits across the nation to provide hope and support for cancer patients and the people who love them. This spring, we were proud to be a Community Partner at Cancer + Careers 10^th Annual National Conference and delighted to present at the Community Healthworks of Georgia’s Cancer Symposium. Our summertime fun included co-hosting a Wellness Wednesday Stress Reduction workshop with our friends at Moving for Life and Neighborhood SHOPP. This fall, we launched a pilot program with Stanford Health Care, providing one-on-one peer support for cancer patients in the East Bay area.

We’ve completed our first year of Volunteer Roundtables, with robust discussions and expert guests covering topics including survivorship, crisis management, caring for the caregiver and living with uncertainty.

Our ability to help grew – as we added nearly 40 survivors and caregivers to our dedicated group of Support Volunteers. That help was needed, as requests for service continued to grow. To date, we’ve increased the number of clients served by more than 20% over last year.

All of these good days, the hills climbed and the weary days made a little easier, are made possible by our incredible communities of support.

As we enter the bustle of the holiday season – and the roller coaster of emotions and challenges it’s sure to bring – we say thank you. Because of you, hope is finding a way.

The post Because of you: Our good days outweigh our bad days appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

Put one foot in front of the other. It’s advice for patients facing cancer treatment – and for marathon runners.  

Beth Blakey, Cancer Hope Network’s Associate Director of Development, recently completed her first-ever marathon. But the challenges she faced weren’t just physical. Halfway through her training, her chosen marathon was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns.  

She continued to put one foot in front of the other – deciding to put the months of training she’d already endured to good use. Her Chasing Hope fundraiser was born.  

“Running a marathon has been a goal of mine for many years. So, I decided to sign up for my first 26.2 mile race this year (yikes!). I had already been training for several months when my race was cancelled due to COVID. Training was so hard, both physically and mentally. This cancellation was soul crushing news—but it was nothing compared to receiving a cancer diagnosis. My mom is a two-time cancer survivor, and I’ve seen first-hand the fear, devastation, and isolation of cancer. So, instead of throwing myself a pity party and throwing away months of hard work, I decided to focus on the fact that I had an extraordinary opportunity to make achieving my goal mean something to more than just me.”  

Beth’s tenacity paid off – as she and friend Jennifer Bauscher completed their 26.2 mile trek through the drizzly North Jersey countryside on Sunday, October 10, cheered on by family and friends. 

“Move for Hope is more than a fundraising campaign at Cancer Hope Network,” said Executive Director Cynthia Gutierrez Bernstein. “It’s about shining a light on exercise as an important tool for improving our physical and mental health. Another tool is 1-1 peer support. The efforts of people – including dear colleagues like Beth – help raise awareness of our services while also making them possible through their fundraising. We are incredibly thankful to Beth and all who supported her run. Together, we will ensure that no one faces cancer alone.” 

“Working at CHN, I’ve also seen the power of hope inspired by personal, 1-1 connection with someone who’s been through a shared lived experience and truly understands what you are going through when facing cancer,” concluded Beth. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Beth for the many ways she makes our lives – personally and professionally – better. Her tenacity, strength and commitment to ensuring support and hope for cancer patients and the people who love them is deeply appreciated.  

For more information about Beth’s run – or to learn more about how you can host a Move for Hope fundraiser of your own (dancing! Walking! Yoga sessions!), please contact Randibeth Gallant, Director of Events and Fundraising Campaigns – rgallant@cancerhopenetwork.org

The post Move for Hope: Beth Blakey completes marathon, raises more than $4K in support of cancer patients. appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

And just like that, Fall is back, and Gala season is here!  Which means it’s time to get into holiday spirit – whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, or one of the many December holidays we enjoy!
I thought for this project we’d prioritize two things that make lives easier during holiday craziness:  1) a quick project – one you can do in 1-2 hours; and 2) a project that uses scraps or reasonably modest-sized pieces of fabric.  Throw in a third bonus:  3) a project that makes for an insanely popular gift –HOLIDAY STOCKINGS!

Before we start, I want to make sure anyone out there reading this who does not celebrate Christmas knows that there are so many variations you can do for this project.  For example, if you want to do a non-denominational version, you can cut/quilt/piece this into the shape of a snowman or snowflake.  Additionally, with Halloween approaching, you could design a pumpkin-shaped project, cut/quilt/piece the same way as I will show you below, and then fill the thing up with candy!  So many options – I am just happening to do a stocking shape for this!  So let’s get started.

Here’s what you will need:

• Fabric (outer fabric, inner fabric, “cuff” fabric, and “hook” fabric”)
  • My stocking is about 18 inches top to bottom and I’d recommend giving yourself 12-inches in width so you have plenty of room to cut your width from heel to toe.
• Quilt batting (same 18×12 measurements for each of your two pieces)
• A 1.5 inch D-ring hook (you can find these at any craft store)
• Thick brown wrapping paper (or something similar to trace out your stocking shape)
• Sewing machine with both a regular and quilting foot
• Thread (ideally that matches/works well with your outer fabric)
• Scissors (Fabric and Regular)
• Fabric Pencil
• Ruler
• Rotary Cutter
• Iron/Ironing Board
• Cutting mat

It also might be helpful to understand what you are ultimately piecing together.  The stocking is comprised of TWO identically shaped quilted pieces that get sewn “right sides” together:  1) the front piece (outer fabric, batting, and inner fabric); and 2) the back piece (same three pieces).  Once they are sewn together and turned right sides out, the only other two things to do are 1) cut and sew a “cuff” piece onto the top; and 2) cut and sew a “hook”/D-Ring to the top of the stocking so you can hang it.  That’s it – FOUR total pieces.

Part One:  Draw and Cut
THIS will be the most complicated part of the project, as it involves some drawing skills.  Or at least that is my opinion, as my drawing skills are terrible.   If you can find a template online to draw your ideal stocking shape, then great.  Otherwise, do your best to draw a stocking onto the thick brown paper, as this will be your guide to ensure that all of the stocking shapes you cut will be identical.  You will cut SIX of these pieces in total – three front (outer, batting, and inner fabrics) and three back (outer, batting, and inner fabrics).

*TIP:  when you draw your stocking, however wide you draw your top opening (I like to do somewhere between 7 and 8 inches) – keep that width the same from the top of the stocking to about three inches down.  In other words, let the top of your stocking look like a rectangle before it starts angling inwards.  This will make installing your cuff a LOT easier.  Like this (see the rectangle I’ve drawn with a Sharpie on top?).

Once you’ve drawn/cut your stocking shape, use that to trace/cut your six pieces.

***Important:  If you are using a SOLID color for your outer/inner pieces, it does not matter how you trace/cut the pieces.  You can trace/cut side by side pieces and they will line up inverted just fine.  Same for your batting pieces.  However, if you are cutting a patterned fabric (like we are here), you need to make sure that you cut them so that the “right sides” face compatible directions when you are ready to piece them.

My suggestion is fold the fabric in half right sides together, trace, and cut two boots at the same time.  Like this (this is my “inner” fabric):


To explain it a different way, after you cut your pieces, you must be able to face both pieces “right side” up, toes together – like they’re “pigeon-toed.”  You shouldn’t have the equivalent of “two left feet” or “two right feet.”  See this picture of my “outer” fabric?  This is what you want.

Now you have six pieces (two “outers,” two “inners,” and two “battings,”) to quilt/piece.

Part Two:  Quilt and Piece
Make your two quilt sandwiches (outer, batting, inner fabrics), pick your thread, and quilt these feet however you like.  And when you finish both, admire them!

Piece them right sides together and sew around the entire stocking with about a ¼ to a half inch seam allowance – except, of course, for the top!  Don’t sew your stocking shut like I did the first time I made one.

*TWO TIPS: 
First, you may want to secure the stitching at the top left and right of the stocking top with some extra backstitching when you start/finish.  This will prevent unraveling down the road.

Second, before turning the stocking right side out, you can also use fabric scissors (with a scalloped edge) to cut the raw edges around your finished seam.  Be careful not to cut the seam itself.  It makes for a much nicer finish on the inside (and gives you less bulk).  Like so…

Now comes the most fun part:  turn your stocking right side out!!!  How cool is that?

Part Three:  The Cuff
Because we have to put something on the rough edge of the stocking top to make it nice.

Create Your Cuff

2. Measure the width of the top of your stocking. You want your cuff fabric to measure TWICE that width plus another inch (for seam allowance).  The width of my stocking is 7 inches.  Doubling that = 14 inches, and then my extra inch seam allowance calls for a 15-inch-wide cuff piece.  For length (top to bottom), I like to give myself between 7 and 8 inches for my cuff – so let’s go 7.5 inches for this one.  So I’m cutting a 15 x 7.5 inch piece.
3. Take your piece and fold it in half the 7.5 inch way (so it’s still 15 inches wide). Take the folded piece to your ironing board and iron it in half so you have a visible crease.  Unfold it.

3. Now fold the cuff the 15 inch way right sides together – you’re going to sew this using a seam allowance that gives you a cuff to match the width of the top of your stocking.

Remember how the width of your stocking is 7 inches?  Mark whichever spot you plan to sew your seam that will make your cuff that same 7 inches.  Like this.

4. Sew that seam. Make sure to secure both ends by backstitching a bit when you start/stop.

5. Now (here’s a slightly tricky part), you are going to unfold your cuff right sides out, but only halfway. If you do this correctly, the bottom of the cuff will look like the cuff on a pant leg, and the top part will be four separate pieces of fabric all lined up.

And this is what the cuff looks like next to the top of the stocking.

Install Your Cuff

1. Slide the cuff “right sides out” and “cuffed pant leg side” down into your stocking. The four “loose” pieces of fabric I mentioned before should be lined up with the top of the stocking.  When you clip/pin the cuff to the stocking top for sewing purposes, these four pieces should be split “two and two” per side leaving a natural hole, so you don’t end up sewing your stocking closed by accident.  You will also want to line up the seam of the cuff with the side seam of the stocking.  Like this…

2. Take it to the sewing machine and set your foot/needle up to sew your cuff to the inner stocking with about a ½ inch seam allowance. Sew around the whole inner top to secure.  As I mentioned before, when you finish sewing your cuff the whole way around, you should still be looking down a hole towards the bottom of your stocking.

3. Fold the now attached cuff up over the top and around the sides. You’ll have to do some finger pressing to get it fully situated, but be gentle and you will get there…see?

Part Four:  Hook and FINISH!
Honestly, this is the least important part of the stocking, since everyone’s home/hanging setup is going to be different.  But here’s how I generally do it.

I take a piece of fabric that matches my cuff (I start with a piece that’s about 8 inches x 6 inches), and I fold/iron it down (outsides into middle, then fold in half again) into about a 1 inch rectangle.  I sew an “inner rectangle” on the piece, and then I cut it with my scalloped scissors to a length that allows me to do three things:  1) slide on my D-ring hook; 2) fold/iron down half inch pieces on both ends; and 3) let me maneuver it into my sewing machine in a way that is workable and doesn’t force any “pulling” or stress when I sew/attach the hook piece.

Take the hook fabric, slide your D-ring over one end until it’s centered, and fold the fabric in half so that the ironed half-inch creases (a/k/a the “legs”) are pressed “right sides together” (to be clear, if you look at the above picture, the “right side” is the side facing the camera – the “legs” are pointing down).

Take that to your sewing machine, then center the piece over the inner back seam of the stocking – making sure that the “legs” remain pressed “right sides together.”  Sew the piece to the stocking, a) making sure your seam secures the legs down, and b) you may also want to backstitch the seam an extra time for extra fastening.  PS:  this may be a bit bulky, so just be careful with your needle.

And there you have it!

Again, you can design any shape or symbol you want for the next three months of the holiday season.  Just have fun, pick some crazy colorful fabrics, and give them to someone who will love them (or keep them for yourself if you love them more).

Thanks again for staying creative with me, and I hope to see you at the Gala on Saturday November 2 at the Westminster Hotel in Livingston, NJ, where a lucky silent auction winner will get to take home this set of four holiday stockings I have made!

Lindsay xoxo

The post Quilting Hope: HOLIDAY ROAD! appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

“It was a really scary part of life – I had these two little kids and had just lost my dad. I was matched with a woman who was also a mother and had beat Hodgkins. It made me feel so much better. My family had just gone through losing my dad. Speaking to her meant I wasn’t adding another burden on them.”

Chances are, you or somebody you know faced cancer. This year, more than 1.6 million people and their families will receive that terrible, life-changing news. Some are just beginning the fight; others are going another round with a familiar foe.

Your generosity helps them not face it alone. For every patient like Cyndie, navigating cancer treatment while managing their life and learning a “new normal,” there is someone who has been there. And thanks to Cancer Hope Network, every family caregiver searching for respite after another draining night of giving hope and comfort has someone to turn to for understanding.

You can give patients and their loved ones empowerment through hearing a survivor say, “I got through it. I am here for you.” Please give as generously as you can so that we may continue to match patients, survivors and their loved ones with someone whose experience closely mirrors their own.
Cancer is devastating, but it needn’t be desolate.

Every gift to Cancer Hope Network helps our Support Volunteers assist patients and their loved ones in the fight from diagnosis through treatment and into survivorship.
Visit cancerhopenetwork.org/give to give your gift today.

Thank you.

The post Taking the “scary” out of cancer… appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

• Cut your binding strips. Pick a color/fabric that works with your quilt – in my case, I just used the fabric that remained when I downsized my backsheet to fit the surface area of the quilt.
• Width rule: You can cut your binding strips as widely or narrowly as you like.  Many quilters cut 2 to 2.5 inches wide.  I like my strips a little wider (4 inches) so that I don’t feel like I have to pull/yank on my binding when I “bring it around to the front” of the quilt to sew it down (this will make sense later).
• Length rule. Measure the diameter of your quilt:  (Length x 2) + (Width x 2) = Diameter, and then give yourself another 10-20 extra inches of binding, just to be safe.  You do NOT want to run out of binding (it is not by any means the end of the world, but it is neither a pleasant nor fun experience).  So for example, here my quilt length was 75 inches and my width was 62 inches.  That gives me a diameter of 274 inches + 20 extra inches.  Which means I need 294 inches of binding.
• What does that mean in terms cutting my fabric to make the strips? Measure the length of that fabric you are using to make your strips.  Let’s say it is 80 inches long.  Divide your total “length of necessary binding” (294 inches) by the length of the “binding strip fabric” (80 inches).  You get 3.675.  Round that up to 4.  That means you should cut FOUR binding strips, each 80 inches long, to be sure that you have enough.

Here’s a fun shot of my binding strips.  They’re very exciting to look at, aren’t they?

Full disclosure:  at this point, I am going to refer you to the web or a class to really learn how to create your “attached set of binding strips” and sew them onto your quilt.  Two reasons.
First, because there are several different ways to do this (front to back, back to front, etc.), and it takes several quilts experimenting with your options to figure out one that works best for you.  I personally like to do “back to front.”  This means I sew my binding strip around the edges of the back diameter of my quilt, fold them over, and sew them down around the entire front diameter.  Like this:
 

Second, learning how to bind a quilt (and absorbing all the steps) is something you really need to see happening in front of you to appreciate fully.  My recommendation is go on YouTube and Google “binding a quilt” or variations of same.  There are hundreds of great videos that will show you all of your options.
Just keep this in mind:

• Every time you bind a quilt, you will get better. I promise.
• Yes, this is yet another opportunity to be creative, especially if you are binding your quilt from back to front. Why?  Because if you are binding with your sewing machine, the machines today come with fancy stitch designs that you can use to make your quilt diameter even more beautiful.
• After you finish your binding, you may need to do some touching up around the edges – mainly on the corners and possibly on the inner surface area of your quilt. That is 100% normal.
• Check the entire surface area of your quilt to make sure you don’t have loose threads hanging.

And finally, spread out your quilt and start taking pictures.

Better yet, find some tall people to hold it up for you and photograph the quilt that way.  Much easier, and much better photos!

Thank you all for joining me on this journey.  Hope to see everyone at the Gala on November 4^th.  And Happy Quilting (or whatever it is you enjoy doing that keeps your creative/inspirational side alive and well)!

The post Quilting Hope: episode three appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

First thing’s first:  what does the “quilting” process mean?  It means this:

As I explained in my last post, there are three layers of a quilt:  the top (with your beautiful design), the batting (center) and the “backsheet” (bottom) (remember in my last post I referred to a quilt as a “sandwich”).  Something needs to secure all three of those layers together – you can’t just sew it all around the diameter and hope for the best.  The fabric/layers would inevitably bunch up, get crooked, shift around, etc.

In order to secure the layers, you “quilt” them – which means sewing the three layers together over the entire surface area of the project.  This can be done any way you like.  You can do straight lines (which is currently my preference), or you can do a free form design/pattern.  In other words:  you get to be creative TWICE when making a quilt – first when you design the top layer with all the fabrics, and second when you choose the design/thread colors to “quilt” your layers together.

Quilting can be done by hand (a method chosen by very brave, talented, and patient people) or via a special “quilting foot” that attaches to your machine.  For my straight-lined quilt, I just use the regular foot that came with the machine (only because the fabric/batting/backing are thin enough to allow for this.  You just want to be careful that you don’t damage your machine by shoving too much under a “foot” that cannot accommodate the bulk – I learned this the hard way when I made my first quilt out of flannel.

As you will see on the left hand side of the photo above (next to the pink ribbon), there are three evenly spaced straight pink seamlines.  Those are the “quilting” lines that I am using over the surface area to secure my three layers together.  Here’s a better view of a fully “quilted” square:

And so on and so forth.  Just a couple tips I’ve learned after several quilts:

• “Quilt” in quadrants (from your quilt’s center to the outside corners). In other words, divide your quilt into four parts and “quilt” one quarter of it at a time from the innermost part to the outermost edge.  This will prevent “bunching” because you will be able to keep your layers flat/smooth in smaller pieces – rather than “quilt” a line down or across the entire quilt at once.  “Inside to the Out” makes it easier to maintain an ongoing “smoothing” process that you’ll want to have.
• Use quilt rings to make the process less cumbersome. The bigger the quilt, the heavier it becomes (you’d be surprised how heavy they can be), and be careful not to let the weight of the quilt pull at your needle (that could break it or damage your machine).  The rings (as pictured above) will hold large portions of “rolled up” quilt in place and out of your way (including on the tray of your sewing machine).
• Make sure you overbuy on your thread, so you never have to worry that you won’t have enough. And you will use a LOT of thread to make a quilt.
• Take your time. If you’re getting tired and/or distracted, stop and pick up later or tomorrow.  Tired + distracted =  mistakes. However…
• Mistakes are OKAY. They happen.  Quilts are pieces art made by people.   I promise you there is not a single quilt in the history of the world that is 100% perfect (or at least I’m pretty sure of this).  You’ll get a little bunch in your fabric (either on the front or back), you’ll need to sew up a tiny seam that came loose (thus adding some extra stitches), and not every line will be exactly equidistant or perfectly straight.  But you have my word that your quilt will still be beautiful.
• Have fun. Take breaks.  Play music.  Take pictures.  Show people.  And don’t set deadlines for yourself – as I said before, it will get finished and be beautiful!

Stay tuned for one more post next week:  Binding your quilt, and THE FINAL PRODUCT!!!

The post Quilting Hope – Episode Two appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

This year, a lucky auction winner at the Chrysalis Gala will take home a Hope Quilt made from this beautiful blue, pink, and white fabric.  For anyone who has never quilted before (which, as of a year ago, included me), it is one of the most rewarding, relaxing ways to be creative and, more importantly, give something incredibly special to a person who needs it.

Making this quilt, especially for an organization that means so much to my family and me, reminded me why Cancer Hope Network’s mission to provide hope and support is such an important one.  Having spent time with our amazing volunteers and staff over the years, these are people who inspire others every day – mainly by telling them they, too, will get through this, and providing advice and similar experiences.  And I hope that sharing this quilting process will provide some similar, even if small pieces of inspiration for anyone who needs it!

The Planning Process

Yes, there is a lot of planning.  You absolutely without a doubt have to plan for your quilt.  How big/small (in feet/inches), how much fabric you will need, and how involved the design will be.

Take your time.  It is okay to go slowly.  Draw lots of different designs.  Use different colors.  Have fun.  And you don’t have to set it all up in the same day.  Take breaks.  Talk to people and see what they like.  It will all get finished – don’t rush.  But you do need to draw out your map and your measurements, because without a gameplan, you won’t have a foundation to come back to when it’s time to cut and put all your pieces together.  And there will be a lot of pieces.  See?

The Layout Process

Enjoy your layout process.  It’s okay to treat your quilt like a big, fun puzzle.  It may be that you envision one way of setting up the pieces, but after a few “layouts” you want to go with a different one.  That is 100% more than okay – laid out plans don’t always go as you expected.  Roll with it.  Because is there is no “wrong” design for your quilt.  It’s yours.

And yes, it is always okay when no one is looking to stand on your dining room table to take the final picture of your layout.

The Pinning Process

This is actually my least favorite part of quilting.  But then again, there will always be those “least favorite” or even downright lousy days.  And you get through them.

This is quilt “batting,” by the way.

If you think of a quilt like a sandwich, the batting is the middle layer that goes between your designed beautiful top and the bottom layer (which is usually a bedsheet).  For my bottom layer, I generally find a nice queen-sized sheet and cut to fit accordingly.

And even if you don’t like the pinning process, there’s always a silver lining – like when you have the opportunity to take a photo that looks like this:

And here it is:  the pieced together, laid out, pinned quilt, ready for the fun part.

Stay tuned for Part II  – when we reveal the “quilting” process (you didn’t think we were going to give away the surprise all at once, did you?).

The post Quilting for Hope – A CHN board member gets creative appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.