Quilt Auction Housekeeping

Gee, I wish I could say that I made this stunning, little beauty.  But it was a gift from my sweet friend, Anne.  Isn't it fantastic, and aren't I just the luckiest gal alive to be the recipient?  And if you can believe it, the husband even approved it to be hung on the wall.  A first!  Even he must love it.  Anyhow, just wanted to put that picture up as a teaser to more boring matters at hand...

Quilt Auction.  It's usually this time of year that I am receiving quilts from all over the country, photographing them, and writing up posts to advertise. Unfortunately, while I do love to raise funds toward pediatric brain cancer research, I am unable to do the auction this year.  My day-to-day life finds me super-busy with four little kiddos at home and the homeschooling that they require.  So I have decided to take this year off.

I have been given two quilts, however, that were unsolicited by me but donated by sweet ladies who want to help.  I plan to do a "mini-auction" for these two quilts this spring.  Please contact me ASAP if you have a quilt that you had been planning to donate but haven't yet let me know.  I would be happy to auction a few more quilts in addition to the two that I currently have, but I just cannot swing an auction of 20+ quilts this year.

I hope to be able to do a larger auction again in 2016.  (Oh, it really is so much fun, isn't it?!)  Thank you for your understanding and support of our cause.

Raffle quilt for Allergy Research

*Note: Quilt Raffle has ended.  Julia Jech is the winner. Thank you for all the entries and support!*

It might be hard to believe, but this lovely quilt could be yours by the end of this week!  Ain't nothin' in life free, though, friends, so I'd better give you the details...

Tracy used Allison Harris's "Suburbs" pattern.

One of Charlotte's best friends in all the world is this sweet kid:

Elijah is the son of my friend, Tracy. (And yes, he is every bit as sweet in person as he looks in this photo... and then some!)

Lots of lovely fabric by Bonnie & Camille

Tracy has made quilt after quilt after quilt for my brain tumor auction, and now she's made another one to help raise money for allergy research because her sweet Elijah is living with life-threatening food allergies.

And even some Wee Wander goodness!

Here is what she wrote on her fundraising page:

"Our sweet Elijah's life is affected by food allergies every day.  He is so sweet, strong, and resilient - he constantly amazes us.  Even though he has risen to the challenges before him each day, having to be kept separate from so many things to keep him safe is very, very hard for him.  We pray each day for his allergies to become less sensitive or go away.  We pray for researchers to find ways to help or to find the cause.  We pray that we can keep him safe so the unthinkable never happens.  We educate the people around us to help Elijah have the most normal childhood possible.  FARE supports both research and education.  We ask you to support our team and join us in prayer for a cure.

*Note: Quilt Raffle has ended.  Julia Jech is the winner. Thank you for all the entries and support!*

Look: a little gray house made out of wooden planks!

"We are having a raffle for a large, throw-sized Christmas Quilt to thank our donors.  For every $5 you donate, we will put one ticket in the bucket.  When you donate $20, we will give you a bonus ticket.  Winner will be chosen on the eve of the allergy walk."  (That would be this Friday night!)

You are still welcome to support food allergy research, but...

*Note: Quilt Raffle has ended.  Julia Jech is the winner. Thank you for all the entries and support!*

This kid's gonna be a heartbreaker... so handsome!

Even $5 will get you a ticket into this raffle!  And really, that's nothing when we're talking about keeping our little people safe.  Elijah is one of the nicest boys I know.  Really: he is always looking out for others.  When he comes to play at my home, he sticks close to Charlotte in order to make sure she is doing okay and having fun.  Or, last time he was here, we couldn't find him.  But he was off "babysitting"  my youngest, Marian.  (Which I guess means that we couldn't find her, either - oops!)  Anyhow, we love Elijah so much, so please, be nice like Elijah: donate a few bucks.  And you just might win this very pretty quilt...

*Note: Quilt Raffle has ended.  Julia Jech is the winner. Thank you for all the entries and support!*

The quilt is no longer available, but you are still welcome to...

Click here to donate now and help us say FAREwell to food allergies.

Stacked Coins Quilt

Happy Labor Day! I hope that you are having a wonderful, long weekend.

This is a sweet little baby quilt that I originally intended for our brain tumor quilt auction back in April.  But, it was not finished in time, which was actually perfect!  "How can that be?" you might ask.

     1. I had PLENTY of quilts to photograph and to blog and to link to eBay, etc.  It was very time-consuming (though all for a great cause, of course)!

     2. I found an even more perfect charity for this little, rainbow quilt!

One day when Charlotte and I were at her chemo appointment at Duke, we started chatting with our friend, Miss Mary Margaret.  Mary Margaret runs art programs for the children in the hospital through an organization called Arts for Life.

Mary Margaret knows that I quilt, so she mentioned that her aunt was making a quilt for her to auction off during an upcoming fundraising event.  The event is called "Local Color."  Well, I had just finished making this little quilt, but it was homeless!  (This is a rarity... only the second of its kind in my home.)

Anyhow, when she told me about "Local Color" and I thought of all these colorful coins stacked one on top of the other, well... this just had to go to Mary Margaret's cause!

Of course, I can't be talking about all this sweet charity without giving some other gals some credit.  The "Tones" by Michael Miller charm pack was sent to me by the talented and generous Amy Smart (visit her blog here - especially if you need some great tutorials and patterns).  And the backing and quilting were donated by my sweet friend, Anne, of DS Pickle Dish fame, of course.

Are you local to North Carolina and available this Friday night?  Local Color will be such a fun night!  Grab a date, then book your tickets here.  In addition to your dancing shoes, don't forget to bring some cash or your checkbook for the great items at the auction.

Have a great week!

Quilt Auction Wrap Up

A HUGE "Thank You!" to everyone who participated in our recent quilt auction.  The quilt auction was able to raise $4,610 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.  Whether you made a quilt, purchased one, or simply helped us to get the word out, no action or kindness was too small.  I so appreciate all your help and encouragement in helping raise funds for the research that is critical to helping our kids with brain tumors.  Thank you for your generosity!

Are you one of sweet people who was outbid on their favorite quilt? Oh, but you still want to donate your highest bid to the PBTF?  How kind of you!  You're a dear, now please click here.

I do apologize for taking a week or so to update this space with our results.  I've just been trying to catch my breath and get my house (and kids!) back in order. (You'd be shocked at how much Quilt Auction takes over my life!)

We have a very busy summer ahead of us with moving and with my oldest child starting first grade in the fall.  So I'm going to try to do a bit less quilting and blogging and more loving on my family!  It's just a bit shameful that my computer's photo album is full of nothing but quilts for the last two months.  Oops.  I need to capture more moments like this one that happened a few days ago:

This is Charlotte's sister, Marian.  She's about as sweet as they come.  I know it's just the ol' "rag-on-the-head" stunt, but come on, look at that porcelain mug!

And when she saw me taking her picture, it was all, "Cheese! Cheese!" from there on out.

Again, thank you so much for your support and well wishes.  If you have not yet had a chance to donate to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please click on over before you forget.  

The Cost of Cures (not Quilts)

For two days following Charlotte's chemo infusion, I have to give her a shot.  Two shots each week is not as bad as when she was an infant, and I had to give her two shots each day.  Having a sharps container and eight different medications on top of the dresser doesn't exactly make baby's nursery Pinterest-worthy, if you know what I mean.  But when a cancer diagnosis comes a'knockin', we moms throw aside Pinterest dreams; we buckle down and do the hard work that's necessary just to keep our babies alive.

This is hard to write because it's hard to face and most days I prefer just to live in denial. (And because what's the point of worrying about 100 different future possibilities?)  But the drug that Charlotte received this week is her third chemotherapy.  She's been on it for a year. If this one fails her (like the first two did), there aren't that many more to try.  And because of Charlotte's complicated medical history, she has even fewer to try than the "average" child.

So we need more novel therapies.  Drug companies are not going to pay for research, because there's not a market in pediatric brain tumors.  I'm a good capitalist, so there's no bitterness here.  It is what it is.  And the government is interested in using our tax dollars to cure the masses, so very little is set aside for pediatric cancer research (very little = 4% to be precise).  That's why it falls to grassroots fundraising to get support for the necessary research that will bring critical therapies for our children.

At Duke this week, we had a lovely time visiting with Layla and her mom and grandma.  Layla is the child who received this quilt when she was newly diagnosed at only 3-months old.  Just like my Charlotte.  I remember watching her mom and dad carry her infant carrier across the street as they left the hospital from her first chemo infusion.  I wondered then how they put one foot in front of the other just to make it across the street, as their dreams for their firstborn were suddenly, radically altered.  But they did.  And they keep coming to Duke each week to do what's necessary to keep the cancer from spreading, to keep their sweet child on this side of heaven.

Today, 13 more families will get the devastating news that their child has a brain tumor.  Won't you do what's necessary to keep our children alive?  Friends, it's time to up your bids.  This auction isn't about the cost of the quilt. It's about the need for cures.  So please be generous.  Be generous with your pocketbooks.  And if you cannot do that (I understand, I really do), then be generous with your voices.  A HUGE "thank you" to all who have spread the word about this auction via social media.  Only two more days remain. Can we up our bids today?  Can we get the word out even more?

Click here to see all the quilts that are on auction until Saturday, April 5, 2014.

P.S. A note about the closing times: the quilts are set to close at staggering times throughout the day (every half hour) on Saturday, April 5.  This means that if you miss out on your favorite quilt, go ahead and place that high bid on your second or third choice.



"Someone in your life needs a quilt, and someone in mine needs a cure."
  Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure 2014 Quilt Auction to benefit the PBTF

Let the Bidding Begin!

Welcome to the 2014 Quilt Auction to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

There is a quilt for everyone this year!  We have ten baby/toddler quilts and a dozen throw-size (or larger!) quilts.  I'm sure you'll find something you like.

To find a quick list of all the quilts, please click here.

The bidding is being hosted by Ebay this year; you'll be redirected on the individual post of that quilt that you just MUST have!

Remember: this isn't really about quilts.  It's about kids.  One of mine has a brain tumor, along with thousands of other children.  We're working hard to bring them cures, so please bid generously.

Questions?  Leave a comment or email me at charlottesgraceforacure[at]gmail[dot]com.

Little Apples

This quilt is pretty wonderful.  There. I said it.  I did not even know that it existed and would be donated until it was finished and Laurie asked for my address.  Quelle surprise!

As I blog this (two weeks ahead of the auction), I realize that I didn't get many close up pictures of the fabrics.  But I think that's okay.  I'm too short on time to take more pictures, and...



I'm hoping that all I have to say is: "Little Apples by Aneela Hoey" and a bidding war will ensue.  Right?  All for the children's sake, I'm sure.



Or am I the only fan of this designer?  Seriously: look at those sweet kids playing "Ring around the Rosy"!



And in the picture above: turtles!  And one is eating an apple!  It's so cute that it's out of control.



And here we have little outfits all picked out and ready to be put on for school in the morning.  (The little knit cap and scarf are just too sweet!)



This is a generously sized lap quilt.  I love it because, sure, you could give it to a kid.  But it's big enough to keep you warm if you want it.  (Which I'm sure you do.)



Laurie did some wonderful straight-line quilting around the borders, and then stitch-in-the-ditch and some pretty medallions that make for faux cornerstones.  (Please excuse my non-technical quilty lingo.)



And here's the back.  The wind simply would not cooperate for this shot.  Sorry.  (But hey!- you can see Anne's baby bump!)  You can also see that Laurie used up every last scrap she had for that offset strip, and that shade of red is just so warm and cozy.  Really... it's begging you to come snuggle up with it.

Remember: you get a great quilt, and kids get cures.  It's as simple as that.

Click here to bid on this quilt.  *Bidding Closed.

Quilt Stats:
Size: 53 x 60 inches
Made by: Laurie Manske
Fabrics: Little Apples by Aneela Hoey and Kona White


Oh goodness!  Would you look at that?  I just found more photos!  Cute fabric is self-explanatory, so just scroll on through, okay?  Enjoy!




















(Want to see more?  Click here to see all the quilts that are on auction until Saturday, April 5, 2014.)


"Someone in your life needs a quilt, and someone in mine needs a cure."
  Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure 2014 Quilt Auction to benefit the PBTF

Dolce Quilt

I should probably just let this quilt speak for itself.  It is such a beauty.



Anne used Tanya Whelan's "Dolce" line of fabric for this.  Isn't it gorgeous?



Uh-oh... I think I photographed the birds upside down.  Sorry, Anne.  Anyhow, I just love the colors in these fabrics.  They are so feminine without being too "girly," if you know what I mean.



I also love the play of florals and birds right alongside the modern geometric shapes and scallops.  So hip!



The color gradient is so nice, too.  I just love how Anne lined up those rows and set them on point!



Here are some more close up pictures of the lovely fabric.



Anne used this gray solid for the binding.  It worked out so nicely.



For the quilting, Anne did an edge-to-edge meander, which you can see in the above picture.



It's almost a twin-size quilt.  Just a tad short on the length.  Maybe it'd be great for, say, a daybed?  ;)



And here is the back of the quilt.  Perfection.

Trust me: everyone who sees this quilt, loves it.  I don't think I have to beg you to bid on it.  It's a goner.  So without further ado, please give generously to help cure the kids.

Click here to bid on this quilt.  *Bidding Closed.

Quilt Stats:
Size: 60 x 77 inches
Made by: Anne Reinhart
Fabrics: "Dolce" by Tanya Whelan

(Want to see more?  Click here to see all the quilts that are on auction until Saturday, April 5, 2014.)


"Someone in your life needs a quilt, and someone in mine needs a cure."
  Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure 2014 Quilt Auction to benefit the PBTF

Chocolate Cherries Quilt

Oh. my. goodness.  Do you see this quilt?  Do you see those blocks with all that piecing?  This quilt is sooooo beautiful.



Really.  This is the type of quilt that I receive where I am nervous to touch it and think: "I'd better step up my quilting game."



Honest to goodness, I'm not sure there's a mistake in this quilt.  Anywhere.  Maybe Laurie herself could find one, but as for me, the block are all just meticulously pieced.  This ain't no second-rate quilt donation, friends!  Laurie sent us her best.



These blocks are all so wonderful.  There are so many different fabrics tucked into this quilt.  All shades of rosy pinks, chocolate browns, and creamy creams.  (Is "creamy creams" a color.  Yup - I thought I made it up.)  Laurie named this quilt "Chocolate Cherries."  I think that's just perfect!



Along with her daughter, Logan, Laurie runs the business Chocolate Dipped Quilts.  Laurie started quilting eight years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She "used it as a relaxing hobby while going through chemo and radiation treatments, [but she] soon became addicted!"



I am so glad that Laurie is doing so well now and is in full remission.



These blocks are all just so wonderful because of how they look so different depending on where Laurie placed the higher and lower volume prints.  I just love this block!  It's an Ohio Star, but with a four-patch in the corner.  Plus sashing and cornerstones.  (Meaning: I don't really know what it's called.  :)  )



And here is a picture of the back.  (Sorry for the shadow.)  You can see in the picture below that the fabric is just the teeniest gingham you've ever seen!  And of course there's the quilting, too: an edge-to-edge meander.



How can you turn this one down?!  Seriously - it's GORGEOUS!  Get it for the beloved quilter in your life.  Really - quilters love quilts!  Even the ones they don't make.  This one will be loved and children will be helped.

Click here to bid on this quilt.  *Bidding Closed.

Quilt Stats:
Size: 60 x 72 inches
Made by: Laurie Suzanne of Chocolate Dipped Quilts
Fabrics: various premium quilting fabrics



(Want to see more?  Click here to see all the quilts that are on auction until Saturday, April 5, 2014.)


"Someone in your life needs a quilt, and someone in mine needs a cure."
  Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure 2014 Quilt Auction to benefit the PBTF