Herschel is my last child at home. He has been leally blind for several years and due to many unforseen ingorances has had no help untill September of 2007, his senior year. He finally got into the special education program in the school district and his life and world have blossomed.

In January, he started playing goalball (a sport for blind and visually impaired persons) and excelled at it. He went to tryouts for the state men's team, the Utah Explosion, and made it. The practices have been in SLC and Logan (hence the quilt). Goalball has given Hersh many opportunities unavailable to him before and more importantly, a chance to use his talents and enjoy life.

The team will be competing at the Western Regioals this month in Colorado Springs and at the Nationals in June in SLC. Go EXPLOSION!

This will be something Hersh can enjoy for the rest of his life. (He was clocked with throws of 39mph...his olympic teammate throws @45+mph)

Animal Quilt

I have always loved to quilt and recently have expanded my creativity with quilts for my grandchildren ( the kidlets) as well as quilts to help the blind and visually impaired in Utah.



This quilts inspiration came from two of my daughters. Jessica was planning to decorate her nursery with animals/safari theme. Heather who was shopping with me, saw this darling fabric and suggested I use it to make a quilt for Jess. I had recently finished a cute safari quilt I saw in a magazine, but what the heck? "You can never have too many quilts" a favorite saying of mine.

I decided that since Heather was having a boy too, I could make two at the same time. I had a lot of fun and it gave me some hand stitching to do while waiting at goalball practice (another story)


To get the enlarged animals to match the fabric, I enlarged each animal section to 200% on a copier, so that I had a pattern. The animal skin fabrics were remnants from the first quilt. The giraffe ended up being my favorite. I love how his ears are loose and flop around. I love how each animal seems to be peeking through a window. They all have 3-d feature. Mostly the ears.

I have told my girls that all of my quilts are for using and not to hang on a wall. That is what they are for. To use and be enjoyed. A quilt needs be used to be fully enjoyed and cherished. The raggedy quilts have so many stories they could tell. A perfect friend. Always warm available and never revealing your secrets.