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A Mermaid for a cause….

This year my local quilt chapter, the Coastal Quilters (part of the state guild, the Pine Tree Quilt Guild) decided to change our annual challenge (now in its third year) from 10×10 inches to 12 inches wide by 9 inches tall.  The reason?  So that after the challenge participants can, if they wish, donate their quilt to Ami Simm’s Alzheimer fundraiser.  The donations are auctioned and the proceeds go to benefit Alzheimer’s research.

In past years we were challenged to interpret a photo (Here–scroll about halfway down to see the ropes and buoys quilts and here for my buoys quiltlet) or use a little bit of EVERYthing in a grab bag (Here and here).  This year, we each received a fat quarter of a black and white print:

Obviously, this is AFTER I got to it with the fabric paint and scissors….ahem.

Once the challenge debuts at Maine Quilts (in Augusta, Maine, last weekend in July), I’ll share the others’ pieces, but for now you can see how I painted the fabric (above) and  used it.  My quilt consists of white fabric (painted blues), the challenge fabric (painted blues, green, and blond-brown hair colors), beads and sequins (mermaid’s tail) and yarn (couched to the top to “frame” the piece).  Actually, this piece shows her swimming UP; when our guild president held up the quilts, she held the mermaid with her swimming down (second photo) and I think I actually prefer that way!  What do you think?

And swimming down:

And a close-up of the tail:

It was fun to do.  Although Mama doesn’t have Alzheimer’s (that we know of ), she does have deepening dementia.  She can’t remember how to work the remote for the TV, and sometimes when she can figure out the phone she’ll call and say “Sarah, this is your sister.”  I think I shall donate my mermaid to Ami’s fundraiser…I’ll let you know more when I get it sent off and donated.

7 Responses to “A Mermaid for a cause….”

  1. Barbara Says:

    Love this. I love how you painted and then used the black and white fabric for the waves/ocean. So much movement.

  2. Susann Says:

    I really like your quilt and LOVE the idea of donating them to Ami’s
    fundraiser. I donated one and have another ready to go. My husband has Alzheimer’s and I love the idea of a guild challenge being able to be donated. Great.

  3. Kathleen Murphy Says:

    She is beautiful Sarah, what a great idea to donate them to AAQI!

  4. Debby H. Says:

    This quilt is incredible! So much detail and it’s only 9×12! Wow really nice work! Maybe the owner of the quilt can decide how they want to hang it, but that might mean attaching two sleeves if that’s a requirement.

  5. Debby H. Says:

    This quilt is incredible! So much detail and it’s only 9×12! Wow really nice work! Maybe the owner of the quilt can decide how they want to hang it, but that might mean attaching two sleeves if that’s a requirement.

  6. Maggie Szafranski Says:

    Another awesome quilt! It looks to me as if we are looking down onto the mermaid swimming (like your koi). Great idea to donate to Ami’s cause!

  7. Norma Schlager Says:

    What a wonderful and creative use of the challenge fabric. Your mermaid is delightful! I like her swimming down.