 Aspirations
2008 Bead-It-Forward Breast Cancer Quilt Project by Jeanette Shanigan
Two years ago via my monthly article in BeadBugle.Com, I announced a world-wide (via the internet) project to raise funds for breast cancer research. I asked folks to contribute small beaded squares which I would sew into beaded quilts. In turn these quilts would be donated and auctioned at the annual Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer event at the Bead & Button Show. That first project of butterfly quilts was successful, but that success pales when compared to the overwhelming response this year. This time I received 960 beaded rose squares, which I sewed into 20 beaded quilts! See all of them here: http://shanigansbeadshenanigans.com/BCQuilts08.html
The statistics for the quilts are amazing, too. 366 people contributed 960 squares; 133 people contributed more than one square. Contributors reside in 36 states, Puerto Rico and 9 foreign countries (Sweden, Germany, Ireland, England, France, Austria, Malta, Japan and Canada). The age range for contributors is 6 to 80-something; seven children, ages 6-15, contributed 11 squares. Most of the squares were done by females, but eight males contributed 13 squares. 
Contributors range from total beginners to the “names,” including Ann Dee Allen, Marcia Balonis, Kate Boyan, Pam Brown, Doris Coghill, Phyllis Dintenfass, Diane Fitzgerald, Julia Gerlach, Barbara Grainger, Alice Korach, Tina Koyama, Heidi Kummli, Carol Perrenoud, and Lynne Soto. Pam Brown organized a group of “Beadfreaks” in Woodinville, Washington who contributed 58 squares. The Houston Bead Society nearly matched them with 56 squares. A bead society in North Carolina, the Capital Area Bead Organization, contributed 21 squares. The rose square was the February project for the Indiana Bead Society and they donated 18 squares. Likewise, the Loveland, Colorado Beading Hearts Club and the Bead Society of New Hampshire created squares as a group project. Two members of the Orange County Bead Society contributed 6 squares. The Sarasota Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America sent 8 squares. Two groups from Arizona, the Phoenix East Valley Beaders and a group from Yuma, contributed squares. Two college teachers, Judy Cowdrick of Arizona Western College and Cheryl Maeda of Maui Community College, taught their students how to bead first in order to contribute their rose squares.
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Just as the contributors are diverse, so are the techniques. Many folks used the expected bead embroidery to create a rose, but others used peyote, brick, herringbone, square, loom, cross-stitch, quilting, or netting to create their roses. There are French-beaded roses, ribbon roses, silk roses, aluminum roses, polymer clay roses, enameled roses, crocheted roses and even bobbin-lace and tatted roses. Some created a plain background of beads, needle-felting, wet-felting or fabric and embellished with rose charms, buttons, appliqués, rose-shaped beads or Swarovski crystals. Some used rose cameos and did cab-work.
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The interpretation of the rose theme is wonderfully creative and diverse, too. There are rosebuds, roses in full bloom, side views of roses, half views, bits of thorns and leaves, and even a bed of roses done by Lisa Rauch. Some are 3-D, some are flat. A number of the squares are the “stock” patterns provided by me or other designers, in the beader’s own choice of colors. A number of folks used the color pink or the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon in their squares.
Some folks used the squares to express current cancer concerns in their lives. Some memorialized cancer victims who had passed on. For example, Pat Wiley wrote: “I beaded it in memory of a friend who died from cancer this past year. The pearl on the rose is from a necklace she purchased on a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday. It would be her last. Her husband gave me the pearl to put on this  piece. I planned to start this square in January, but I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer….So you see this square is quite meaningful to me. I put a lot of positive, loving thoughts into it.” Others thought of family and friends who are survivors. Angela Mitchell from Ireland wrote: “I did four squares. Each one is for someone I know or knew with breast cancer: Eileen Deane (deceased) and Ger Daly, Grainne Henchy, Gillian McConnell, all undergoing treatment.” In my own case, some of my squares were based on memories of my mom Glenna, including one with a heart-shaped locket with her picture inside.
Jeanette’s locket for her mother
Regardless of skill level, technique or interpretation, the bead quilts represent a united stand against breast cancer. For the most part, the squares were sewn together in the order in which they arrived. All twenty quilts consist of 48 beaded squares. On average the quilts weigh about 10 ounces for a total of about 12.5 pounds or about 5.68 kilos. Considering that 2,000 size 11 seed beads weigh about 18 grams or .64 ounces, I would “guestimate” that at least 625,000 beads were used to create the quilts. Actually, this may be a bit misleading as some folks used the lighter delicas or size 14/15’s for their work. On the other hand, some folks used heavier glass or metal roses and flower beads for accent.
I would also “guestimate” that each square represents at least 3 hours worth of beadwork time. That means that at least 2,880 hours or about 72 forty-hour work weeks were needed to create the squares. In addition, each quilt required about 22 hours of my time for collecting, advertising, assembling, mounting and framing; though friends offered to help, I was determined to do all the work in my mom’s memory. My hubby Gordon did dismantle each shadow-box, so I could attach the quilts to the mounting boards. All in all, the twenty quilts represent at least 166 hours of work each, a total of 3,320 hours or around 139 days. Truly a Herculean effort!
If you were part of this Herculean effort and donated one or more squares, please print yourself an appreciation/participation certificate and accept this thank-you gift: http://shanigansbeadshenanigans.com/thanks.html None of this would have been possible without your support!
Also heartfelt thanks go to the Portland Bead Society, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Alaska Bead Company, and the Bead Society of New Hampshire who all recognized the importance of the cause and provided funding to facilitate the 2008 rose bead quilt project.
But our work is not done, folks! The other half of the project is yet to be completed. The goal is to raise mega-bucks for breast cancer research. These 20 framed bead quilts will be auctioned at the “Bead Social and Auction Night” at the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee on June 7, 2008. Don’t despair if you are unable to attend the show. Please contact Tonette  at Tonette@BeadBabe.com or 916-344-2323 with your contact info, credit card number, and bidding wishes. She will proxy bid for you.
Come on, folks! Let's raise some serious cash for breast cancer research!
The amount of time and effort put into this project is considerable. Jeanette effort and time, I am sure is not included in the statistics about. I know that she spends her entire year either thinking about this project or working on the quilts. We all give her our heartfelt thanks.
I was recently on a trip and visited Fire Mountain Gems, I was amazed to see several of these quilts hanging in their corporate offices. What a beautiful wall hanging they made. If you work for a corporation, encourage them to bid on one of the quilts and let them show their visitors and guests that they are a part of the fight against breast Cancer.
This Jeanette’s last column for BeadBabe.Com for a while. She and her husband are spending their summer on a cruise ship being Alaskan Guides, plus Jeanette will be teaching crafting class aboard The Ryndam, Holland America Line ship cruising out of Vancouver. What a great way to spend the summer. ~ Tonette and Bill
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