November/December 2009

OUT WITH THE OLD...

Another year is coming to an end and the Peace By Piece Quilters  hope we have made a positive difference in the lives of children in our community.  2009 found us in our 5th year of making comfort quilts for children and it proved to be another record breaking year for us.  We made a total of 617 quilts this year!  There were 199 Preemies and 418 Child/Teen size.  Our old record was 525 quilts made in 2008.  The Peace By Piece Quilters awesome volunteers continued dedication make our mission a reality.  To date they have made 2367 quilts!  

You are always just one choice away from changing your life.  The choice I made 5 years ago to become more involved in making comfort quilts for children has indeed changed my life.  I can only hope that so far the decision has also changed the lives of 2367  children. 

IN WITH THE NEW !!!

The New Year is already shaping up to be another busy one for the Peace By Piece Quilters.  Our first quilting bee of 2010 is Thursday, January 7.  That's just around the corner!  Please check the 'Calendar' page of this website for all scheduled quilting bee dates in 2010.  All Kit Bee dates will be scheduled as the need arises.

A DISAPPEARING ACT !?!

In October we had a very productive Kit Bee with volunteers making 44 FUN new kits !!!  Well, guess what?  The kit basket is running low again.  We only have 10 kits left!  10 KITS!!!  It won't take us long to sew those up so we need to have another Kit Bee.  Our next Kit Bee will be held on Thursday, January 14.  As always, the kit bee will be held at the PBP Stash Closet (located in my home) starting at 10am. 

STASH CLOSET STATUS !!!

The Peace By Piece stash closet recently received a Holiday gift!  Our Fabric Fairy (that's Heidi Pridemore of The Whimsical Workshop) put on her Santa hat and filled our closet with 32 bolts of fabric !!!!  Some bolts are unopened, still wrapped in plastic.  Even the opened bolts have no less than 4 yards on them.  That's gunna make a whole lotta quilts!

 THOSE DIFFICULT WORDS...

On December 26th our community lost a truly GREAT person.  Ellie Gill lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.  Ellie spent her life improving the lives of children as a well loved teacher and AZB4K volunteer.  Visit her CaringBridge website at www.caringbridge.org/visit/elliegill/journal for information about her upcoming Memorial Service. 

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. ~Pericles~

 NEW VOLUNTEERS ???

As some of you know I recently lost my 'Quilt Tester' and loving pet of twelve years.  Although he could never be replaced, I have found a couple of girls who are willing to train for the 'Quilt Tester' position.  They have already started the training process.  For those of you that may be wondering... I am not taking applicants nor will I be training a new mother and mothers partner that were also recently lost.

BOOK CLUB...

The Peace By Piece Quilters 'It just Kinda Happened Book Club' collection of books seems to be growing. The books will be at the next bee. The more you to take home to read the less I have to bring home to store.

  BEE REPORTS...    

It's been two months since our last Bee Report and there have been a whole lotta quilt making goin' on! 

35th AVE SEW & VAC 

 At the November 35th Ave Sew and Vac bee there were 47 quilts made!  Those were all Child/Teen size quilts, NO Preemies.  WHAT A PILE!  Such a large number was completed Thanks to Linda doing lots of homework.  She arrived at the bee with a huge stack of quilts she had spent many hours getting ready for binding.  The December bee produced 22 quilts.  9 little Preemie blankets and 13 Child/Teen size quilts. 

CUTTING EDGE QUILTWORKS

Volunteers had another productive bee in November at the Cutting Edge.  The total finished quilts for that day was 50!   There were 12 Preemie blankets and 38 Child/Teen size quilts made!  Again this large number was the result of lots of homework being done prior to bee day.  The December bee finished 12 Child/Teen size quilts.

QUOTES & TIDBITS...    

He who would do great things should not attempt them alone.

~Seneca Proverb~

You have been created in order that you might make a difference.

~Andy Andrews~

The number of Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home over the December 23 - January 3 period will rise 3.8% from a year ago, to 87.7 million travelers.

~AAA Travel Group~

AZ BLANKETS 4 KIDS HAPPENINGS...

AZB4K is also getting the New Year off to a busy start.  They have bees scheduled on January 30, February 27, March 12, and April 3.  Check the AZB4K website at www.azblankets4kids.com for information on all of their upcoming event. 

Peace By Piece Quilters

UPCOMING BEE DATES...

The next PBP be at 35th Ave Sew and Vac is scheduled for January 7.  

And we'll be at the Cutting Edge Quiltworks on January 21.

Hope you can join us for the FUN !

~Wanda Dix~