Note: Even if you’re not into beading, please click on the links throughout this post and share their information with others.

I don’t always end up reading the articles in my Bead & Button magazine unless I am working on a project that needs special inspiration, or need instruction on how to make something, etc. I don’t know why, really, because I always love what I read…..I guess I just like picture browsing.

That said, I’m learning that I really should be paying attention to what’s written in it. I’ve had the December issue for a few weeks now and just started to pay attention to the titles of the articles and began reading the stories on my lunch break today. The subject of one article in particular was about a project called Bead It Forward, a bead quilting project that when completed will be donated to Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer for their annual auction. The woman behind this project is not only a very talented beader, but also a very driven and caring human being who should be an inspiration to all. Her name is Jeanette Shanigan, and her website is http://shanigansbeadshenanigans.com/index.html . The bead quilt is not only for a great cause, but it looks a lot of fun to make. The link above provides detailed information on the project, rules, patterns, as well as pictures of submissions for this year’s quilts and the quilts from 2007. People are invited to donated 1 1/2 squares of a beaded quilt piece to go towards the finished quilt. Each donator is asked to submit 1 square and pass three fabric pieces out to 3 other beaders to complete. The deadline this year is April 1st, 2008. Of course more than 1 square is welcome. This year’s quilt theme is “Life is beautiful like the rose, but beware of thorns.” so all the quilt pieces are of roses.

I’ve never done a quilt piece before, and generally I am not fond of bead embroidery, but I’ve done things similar and I’m determined to contribute to this cause. I’ve made projects that seem much more complicated, and they have free patterns available for children, so how hard could it be for me? Right? Right! I really want to have a little craft party with people to make a bunch of these, NOW, haha. Unfortunately, that would be a little hard with the holidays coming right up, my sister’s wedding in December, and my husband and I’s move in January. Maybe I’ll be able to get together with a few people sooner, but I plan to do a big party with all the crafty folk I know once we’re settled in our new home. I’m going to look into the other kinds of bead crafts that can be donated, that way we can have fun creating all types of pieces to share. I also want to make a bunch of beads to donate to Beads of Courage, a program that gives beads to children struggling in the fight against cancer a special bead to track each hardship they have overcome.

This weekend I am going to make a visit to the craft/fabric store in search of the specific fabric that is supposed to be used for the base of the quilt piece, white pellon peltex 70 ultra firm stabilizer. I am already learning things from this project because I had no idea there was a specific type of stuff you were supposed to use for this kind of thing. I used stiff felt for the 3D hummingbird I made my grandmother for her birthday earlier this year (I have to go visit and take a picture so I can post it). I wonder what the difference is. I guess I won’t have to wonder long though since “this weekend” starts tomorrow, hehe!

I will post pictures of the quilt pieces I make as I am working on them, and when they’re completed. That way anyone who’s interested can see what the process looks like. This will be interesting considering they’re roses. I usually get stuck even drawing a rose, so I may need to have someone sketch something for me to work off of.

Wish me luck and Bead It Forward!