Ritzy - send as many as you like to the ill quilter - great executive decision!

My strip sorting day is still over a month away - any suggestions are welcome

Thanks for doing the batik exchange.

Ritzy: man, I had no idea what goes into all of this! God Bless you! Plez send the woman who is so ill as many HSTs as you can! Several from those of us who sent 137 (like me) What else can we do? Wish I was closer.

Ritzy--I am sending a big hug over the airwaves to you! What a task you have taken on and I am so excited to see the triangles I get back in the mail. I think it is a wonderful idea to send triangles to the one who is ill and could not participate.

Ritzy--
Thanks again for taking all of this on. (I have a feeling you didn't quite know what you were in for when you agreed to it!)
Whatever you decide to do with the HST's is fine by me. Looking forward to my package--whenever that may be!! ChrisC

Ritzy,

It sounds like you have everything well in hand. I'm thinking you should seriously consider coming to Katy for our sorting day since you'll have all that good experience ! I love that you are sending HST's to the lady who is so ill. I'll be anxious to hear how everything goes...and, of course, to see pictures.

I too want to send a big thank you and fond appreciation for all your work. Clara

Ritzy. From one Sorting Queen to another. I will be looking for those hints and tips. Our big day is coming soon. Deadline for ours is April 1st and the quilters will be chomping at the bit to get them back. Good luck on your day! Clara

Bless you Ritzy, for taking on this monumental task and thank you for sending a set of HSTs to the ill member. That's the least we can do for her!

Best of luck tomorrow!! We will be thinking of you!!

Hugs.....

Ritzy, you are my hero! Sending the lady with the black mold illness one from each of us is a great idea. Thanks for thinking of it. I know your family will be glad when all of our half squares are on their way home! Again, thank you so much for taking this on. I can't wait to see the pictures of the piles of squares!
Pat

So, here is an update. I have received all but one package for a total of 124. What that means to all of you is--if you sent 137 HSTs you will not necessarily get 137 different ones back. Some people sent 56, some 112. I just don't want anyone to be surprised when you get you HSTs back.

Now to tell you what it has been like around here. Everyday we would go out to see how many packages had arrived. DH would bring them in and then I would start to catalog the packages. That meant opening every package; putting in my database who sent how many HSTs; then I would put all the HSTs in stacks in a small baggie so they would be easier to handle when it came time for sorting; folding back all the ones that had been pressed open; taking them out of numerous small baggies; the envelope, small bag and any extras would be taken care of (in other words--if there were some for New Zealand, Queensland or Hanne-Grete--they were separated). If they were not for other places, I sent an email to the sender to let them know I needed to know what they wanted done with all their extras. This went on everyday until about four days before cut off and I sent out emails to those I had not heard from reminding them that they needed to get them in the mail.

Here we are--tomorrow will be sorting day. Don't get too excited--I am going to wait for that last package before I send the HSTs to their new homes. The reason I am waiting is the person sent her package way before the due date and it apparently is lost so she is going to send more. I want to give her that time since it wasn't because of anything she did (sorry ladies if you are disappointed). One more point I want to make. One of the ladies who was going to participate is very, very ill. She did not send any HSTs but I am going to send her one from each of you anyway. Hope you are all OK with that. She is dealing with illness due to black mold and I just want to bless her. This is my final executive decision.

And last, but not least, I want to thank all of you generous ladies. I have received so many beautiful fat quarters; extra HSTs made for me; encouragement; money to help with expenses; a wonderful recipe and even a gift certificate for Starbucks. To Miss Margo--thank you dear friend--I could NOT have done it without your help.

Well, that gives you an idea of what it is like to get ready for sorting day. I will let you know how sorting day goes and include some pictures. I will try to do some video too--we will see. After I have a chance to recover I will make up a list of things I learned doing this so if someone else wants to do one in the future--they will know what they are getting into.

Absolutely use Synthrapol with color catchers first....then Retayne just to be sure!
A lot of quilt shops are now carrying Synthrapol.

http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/2127-AA.shtml

http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/store/product.php?productid=16187&cat=0&page=1

For regular washing of my quilts, after I'm no longer worried about bleeding I use Orvus Paste. This is a very mild detergent that was developed to use on animals. Think show critters like 4-H groups or dog/cat shows. It is very concentrated so you just need a little bit, and it rinses out easily. I buy mine at the local farmer's co-op. This is the same detergent that is sold in little jars in quilt shops as "Quilt Soap", but the price is considerably more!

http://www.scruggsfarm.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=36660285

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=NOT-0086&Category_Code=NOT

Dwynette - try washing your ruined quilt in Synthrapol - it will often remove dye bleed if you haven't washed the quilt a second time after it bled. A lot of local quilt shops carry it but if you can't find it locally, try Dharma Trading Company mail order. (just google Dharma Trading Company) I use it when I buy fabric and wash it the first time - it removes excess dye from new fabric so that it won't bleed. Great stuff! I'm so sorry you had a ruined quilt - it's so frustrating after all that work.
Pat

You should retain some RETAYN, plus a bunch of Shout "color catchers". Wash again. Have a glass of wine, and really, all should be fine! :shock: - I Never prewash. Life is too full of other fun activities.

Thanks! I'll get some for my next project! That is NOT what I used before, although I did also wash it in Synthrapol which I thought would help.