The thing about being sick for a long time is that when you first get sick, everyone’s like, “Oh no! You’re sick! Can I help?!” but then life continues apace and no one can be faulted for kinda forgetting about sick folks. Not completely, not everyone, but the blush is off the IV tree after awhile. It’s okay. We are all doing our best, usually.
Libby Lehman is a quilt industry visionary who had a massive aneurism last year. She nearly died but did not die, which is to say she barely survived. When she came through her ground zero, her life was altered forever. She’ll probably never make a quilt again, though extraordinary things do happen and when they do, they do because people like Libby do them. Libby is in therapy, she is working on using her hands again and she learning to speak again. She’s gettin’ her sass back, too, from all reports. She needs 24-hour care, though, and there is nothing about that that does not suck.
My mom made a quilt to raise money for the medical bills not covered by Libby’s insurance. Mom used fabric by Moda that was expressly produced to raise money for Libby, too. The quilt is called “LIbby’s Log Cabin” and it’s gorgeous and it’s pictured above; the quilt is 60” x 75”. You can win this quilt by sending a donation of any amount to the address below; Libby’s sister is taking the donations. Mom will draw a name on Friday, February 13th and I promise to announce the winner on Facebook. Moda is also covering this contest, so watch their blog and Twitter and all that, too.
Libby was one of the first quilt industry people who was like, “Can we please stop using slide projectors and get on the whole digital projector thing?” She also pioneered new techniques in thread painting in contemporary quilts. Without innovation, art goes nowhere. Without early adopters, people go nowhere. Libby is as cool now as she has always been, she just can’t walk or talk very well. By helping pay the Man for in-home therapy, medicine, and maybe even a dinner out at some point for her 24-hour caregivers, you’re helping your fellow man, your fellow women, and yourself. Because we are all temporarily-abled, you know.
For your chance to win, send a donation of any amount to:
Libby’s Log Cabin
c/o Cathy Arnold
2220 Stanmore Drive
Houston, TX 77019
Good luck, Lehman.