LoriLB wrote:

Wow, spoken from the heart! My feelings too! I am looking sew forward to getting mine! I keep looking in the mail box each day in anticipation. . . Is that a Shih Tzu puppy in your icon? He is sew cute!! I use to have one, I miss him a lot. They are sew sweet. Those that have gotten theirs, please feel free to post photos. It would be fun to see them!!

Barbara from Bluffton, SC

As I was pressing my HSTs open this weekend, I was suddenly overwhelmed. The realization of the number of souls involved in this and the enormity of what we have done with the help of our sorters consumed me. Our lives so different but all united in this simple way... "thanks" seems totally inadequate but the only thing to give. Thanks

Lori

I realized that I have not written bio yet, so here are few words:
My name is Satu, and I live in southern Finland. I lived all my childhood up in the north, so sometimes I miss landscapes and fresh air of Lapland. I live with my husband and two children. My daughter is 8 years and my son 6 years. I have been at home with kids and have been teaching some crafts (quilting among them) in the evenings, and been quite happy with the situation. My son starts preschool next autumn, so changes are on their way. I have degree on handcrafts, my main studies were textile design and weaving. I think it was about 1995 when I started quilt making. Maybe first quilt was before that. I made it of old bead sheets I dyed. I learnt quilting from Finnish translation of Quilts!Quilts!!Quilts!!! by Diana McClun and Laura Nownes. There were not many quiltshops here, (or internet) when I started quilting, so I had to use what was available. I did not know much about battings at that time, so I went to regular fabric shop to ask for cotton batting, because I read that it is better than polyester. Shop owner rolled her eyes and laughed at me: No no girl, there is not such thing as cotton batting, here is polyester for you. So I learned to use polyester batting and got so used to it, that I have just recently tried cotton, although quilting shops are now here and have different battings. I am a big fan of Jinny Beyer and have made couple of quilts following her guidelines on design and colour. I also admire Alex Anderson, because she is great teacher. I have only had opportunity to see her via web, but she explains everything so clearly. (And I am leftie too!) I love to try out different techniques, so TQS has been wonderful resource. I am multi-crafter: Besides quilting, I make jewelry (beading mostly), I knit, and I sew bags and sometimes clothing. Right now I am sewing summer dress for my daughter.

I have attached a picture of all the HST's I received in the mail. I put them on my design wall. I love everyone of them and know have to pick the center block color.
Any Ideas ? Can't wait to see everyone's.

i hate to say something negative but my worst errand is when I have to go to the post office. My PO personnel have the worst attitudes. They have no desire to be helpful and are very surley. They fit the stereotypic image of the angry postal worker. I wonder what the culture is like at the POs, it seems this attitude is very prevalent. I work in an industry that has a rep for poor labor relations too so I recognize it when I see it. Anyway I find mail in the mud too. But anyway Debbie I get it now that the HSTs were hard to handle and all the extra miles you went through above and beyond the call of duty was evident to me in a new light last night when sorting thru my precious stash. The squares were stiffer when I made them but going through many steps and rough rides to your house and the sorting place, they became softer and harder to handle quickly. Props to you all, it was an amazing feat! I'm overwhelmed at your rising to this tremendous challenge.