It’s been a long week, but I am thankful three fantastic things happened in the last few days:

1. Bruce Springsteen released his latest album, “High Hopes!”

2. Virginia Spiegel demonstrated her fundraising prowess yet again, and with the help of fiber artists, exceeded her goal for Fiberart for a Cause and raised more than $5500!

3. And the best news all week? LIBBY LEHMAN GOT TO GO HOME! Read all about it here!

In celebration of the above events, I thought to do a little Friday giveaway, this time a sampling of Painter’s Palette yarn from Koigu that they generously gave me at TNNA this past weekend. Yarn lovers know these skeins offered in sumptuous colors are fantastic for garments, but they work well for hand stitching, too.

Answer the following in the comments area, and I’ll choose a winner on Tuesday. My question is one you’d expect on a Friday afternoon:  What kind of stitching or surface design trouble do you plan to engage in over the weekend?

Me? I’m leaving on a jet plane in the morning so I am packing a small plastic bag with my English paper-piecing project.

TGIF!

5/23/13/ UPDATE

Libby has been transferred to an acute care facility and you can sign her guest book and learn about her daily progress on this webpage at Caring Bridge.

I hate sharing this kind of thing, but if you have not heard the sad news, Libby Lehman has suffered from a brain aneurysm and is in intensive care in a hospital here in Houston. She remains in critical but stable condition. Having also suffered a stroke, she is in a sedated state, but according to Ricky Tims (who has been in close contact with her husband and subsequently posting timely updates on his Facebook page), the doctors are gradually stopping the sedatives in the hopes she will begin to slowly wake up in the next few days. No one knows exactly what possible damage there may be until Libby wakes up.

The next few days are extremely critical, and Libby could use all of our thoughts, prayers, and positive energy.

Libby and me a few months ago in Cleveland.

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Libby made such an impression on me the first time I met her. About a decade ago I was invited to be a part of the Bernina Artisan program and that year there was a weekend retreat at the OESD headquarters in Oklahoma. That crew was comprised of so many famous and talented quilters, I was totally intimidated…but she was very kind to me, and made sure I felt a part of the group. And when I moved to Houston last year, she was the first one to call my office and leave a welcoming message, asking me to lunch.

All in the quilting world know she is extremely talented, but her kindness and generous spirit have had an equal–if not greater impact–on the quilting community.

According to Ricky, the family asks that no one sends flowers but rather cards–or better yet quilted cards–to:

Libby Lehman
617 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002

Wouldn’t it be fun for her to wake up and get heaps and heaps of cards?

Let’s do this.