Firehouse Angel Status

Janet did a gorgeous job on the face and neck, but it should be noted that the hands remain to be done (over one, I would suppose).

Elizabeth

OOOPS -- my mistake. I thought she had also done the hands. Sorry :-)!

Gee, I hadn't seen any rumbles about your handling of things. I thought you were doing just fine. Have I missed something?

I never said I "spoke" with anyone. :-) Whatever I said, I *meant* that I *remember* there were others who had volunteered who hadn't yet stitched on her. I was one of them. But at the time it was passed to Meredith, it was decided Meredith would finish.

Now, obviously, that's not the case. :-) So, we need more volunteers? (grin so that nobody can misinterpret my words - I'm smiling here)

I was keeping a list of all the volunteers at the beginning and that's how the list was compiled. Since it's difficult to know for sure whether one gets all the posts on any given newsfeed day, your list may vary from mine, if you were keeping one. I haven't kept track of much else since the very beginning.

I don't feel anyone need to be "considered", I'm just pointing out that there appears to be considerable stitching yet to be accomplished and we can ask for more volunteers.

The list of volunteers on the web site will change to those who have actually worked on her (in one capacity or another) once the project has been completed. That will include those who have donated monies toward her completion. I'm not sure I have a list of those, but if I did, they'd be included.

You're doing fine. I've relied on you to keep lists so none of us forgot who gets who, when, why, where. :-)

Janet's name is here:

when the project is *finished*, I'll update all the information. She isn't being forgotten. She simply wasn't on the very first "list" when the web site went up. That list hasn't changed since that first day. The only changes I've made have been to the other "history" pages to add last initials and city/state. I'm sure enough not upset with you. Dianne

Dianne wrote "......I never said I "spoke" with anyone. :-) Whatever I said, I

*meant* that I *remember* there were others who had volunteered who hadn't yet stitched on her. ......... I was keeping a list of all the volunteers at the beginning and that's how the list was compiled. Since it's difficult to know for sure whether one gets all the posts on any given newsfeed day, your list may vary from mine, if you were keeping one. I haven't kept track of much else since the very beginning. ...... And when the project is *finished*, I'll update all the information. She isn't being forgotten. She simply wasn't on the very first "list" when the web site went up. That list hasn't changed since that first day. The only changes I've made have been to the other "history" pages to add last initials and city/state. ......"

The whole reason I put quotes around the word *spoken* was to signify that the word wasn't necessarily accurate but simply signified some form of communication between you and those persons listed. Regardless of who said what to whom, those four names have NEVER been on my list -- the one that I have kept from the very first day. I am sure that those people DID volunteer at some point in time. My point is that I was supposed to be the "official" volunteer list keeper so that there would be only ONE list and there wouldn't be any problems with who was and was not on the list. I was asked to keep an "official" list so that we could try to be as fair as possible with allocating the stitching. At the beginning, a date was set (probably by Victoria) for when we would close the list. I posted and asked that the volunteers E-MAIL me prior to that date. I specified e-mail so as to be sure not to miss anyone by possibly missing a post to the group. Those four people had not sent me a volunteer e-mail at that time or they would have been on my list. I DO remember Anne T. volunteering at a later date. She was having computer problems when the list was being compiled and missed out on several weeks (if not months) of newsgroup posts. I am sure that the others have volunteered or their names wouldn't be on the list of volunteers at the website. I know that I posted several times that the list was closed and that, as the end neared, if more stitchers were needed, we would open up the list for those interested. I also said that I would NOT put anyone's name on a "waiting list" of volunteers as that was not the way the group agreed to. Since we had NO idea how long this was going to take, I didn't feel it was fair to keeps a list of people who could quite likely change their minds. So, now we need more stitchers -- at least one of whom must be EXPERIENCED in and willing to stitch 1 over 1. I am now in the extremely unenviable position of either disappointing these four stitchers who have felt they were next in line OR going against the guidelines that the original group agreed to use. I have told a LOT of other potential volunteers that I would not take their names until it came time that we needed to ask for more stitchers -- hence the four names on Dianne's list are NOT on my list. ONLY those who sent me an e-mail and volunteered to stitch before that original deadline are on my list. I'm not really sure how to go about solving this dilemma. From what Elizabeth says, there is enough stitching to keep four people busy -- as long as one of them CAN stitch 1 over 1. But what do I do if there are four or six or eight more who want to be on the list and there's not THAT much stitching left to be done. Sure, we could tell each person they can stitch 1 square inch of the piece and then pass it on but I don't think that's such a great idea!!! OH -- one other thing that has to be considered. Word came back to me some time ago that the piece needs some serious Q.C. to check for "wonkiness". I'll be happy to do that when the piece comes back to MOI for the Wisper. I will ask that those who are going to do the rest of the stitching be on the lookout for possible stitching errors. If you see something that is glaring, would you please mark the area with a large stitch done in some obnoxious shade of sewing thread. Checking a piece like this for problems could potentially be a full time job -- LOL! Not that the stitchers so far have not been good stitchers but we all make mistakes and trying to find them on a piece this large is NOT going to be easy!! So -- the way I think this should be handled is to ask ***anyone interested in stitching on the piece to PLEASE send me an E-MAIL*** asking to be put on my list. I will add names on a first come basis using date and time for determination. Remember that this piece is being stitched on even weave so you MUST be experienced in stitching on this type of fabric. I'll take as many names as there are e-mails and we'll just keep sending the piece around until it is finished. I KNOW I am being rather dictatorial about this but I really see no other way of handling the problem! If the four people on Dianne's list still want to stitch (and if there are no objections from the group at large) then those four can go to the top of the list. Any of you four will need to PLEASE send me an e-mail telling me you are still interested, OK? If there is no one who is **experienced**, willing and comfortable stitching the hands 1 over 1, I will do it. I have already had my "go" at stitching (and gridding -- YUCK) and I already am scheduled to have another "go" at her when I do the Wisper so I certainly don't feel an overwhelming need to do more stitching -- LOL! I WILL ask Elizabeth to post to the group and tell us what exactly is left to be stitched -- besides the hands :-). I'm not sure how much Meredith managed to stitch before she sent the piece on to you. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

Hi,

I am the Cheryl M. on the original list. I was even sent the pattern and instructions way back when. However, I was never put into the "rotation" and when I inquired about it I was told that my stitching services were no longer needed.

I am willing and able to do any stitching that needs to be done. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help get this angel finished.

Tia Mary - you may remember me from several years ago. I moved from Atlanta to Phoenix and we "spoke" several times about stitching shops in each of our areas.

If you want to look at any of my previous stitching, please go to:

Dianne wrote

Hi,

I am the Cheryl M. on the original list. I was even sent the pattern and instructions way back when. However, I was never put into the "rotation" and when I inquired about it I was told that my stitching services were no longer needed.

I am willing and able to do any stitching that needs to be done. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help get this angel finished.

Tia Mary - you may remember me from several years ago. I moved from Atlanta to Phoenix and we "spoke" several times about stitching shops in each of our areas.

If you want to look at any of my previous stitching, please go to:

Dianne wrote

I see no obvious errors nor wonkiness on this piece. I suppose one could sit with the chart and go over her stitch by stitch, but what is the point of that? If she looks good and the errors aren't glaring, why not just leave her be? Perhaps she won't be exactly what MLI designed, but she will be ours. I think she's gorgeous.

Just a very small bit of one of the wings. So the upper neck of the dress, the hands, the wings, the detail on the sleeves all remain to be done (the detail is metallic and I can do that if no one else wants to) as well as my beading.

I will send you a picture, Tia Mary.

Elizabeth

-- > I am the Cheryl M. on the original list. I was even sent the pattern > and instructions way back when. However, I was never put into the > "rotation" and when I inquired about it I was told that my stitching > services were no longer needed. ..........."

Hi Cheryl, OOO -- I hope I am not the one who told you that -- at least not in those words!!!! YEP -- I remember you AND your stitching services are needed. PLEASE SEND ME AN E-MAIL ABOUT THIS, OK? Since I posted that volunteers need to send me an e-mail (I could miss a post to the group) I want to keep things fair for everyone. I'm not sure if Elizabeth sent the photo to Dianne -- I sure hope so. The Angel is absolutely breathtaking and I am glad to hear that Elizabeth feels there are no obvious wonky parts! I am not sure how many additional stitchers will be needed but at least four I should think, assuming one of those four wants to do the hands -- the remaining over 1 part. ELIZABETH -- what's the status of the chart copy(ies)? Is it still usable or can copies be made of the portions that still need to be stitched? CHERYL -- you are the first one to volunteer again -- are you able to start stitching now? Since Elizabeth is going to do the beading and any remaining metallic areas once all of the regular stitching is finished, she should send all the stuff to you **IF** you are able to start stitching soon. Please let me know and if you are ready, contact Elizabeth with your mailing addy so she can send the Angel on to you.

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

I sent you an email a couple of hours ago...did you get it?

I think Victoria wanted to do the over 1 at the beginning of all of this, isn't that correct? Maybe we should contact her and ask her if she'd still like to do that. I know she had problems awhile back and couldn't stitch on her at *that* time but maybe she'd be ready for it now.

And don't worry, Tia Mary, you're doing an ABSOLUTELY, BANG-UP, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, EFFICIENT job at keeping track of all of this!!!!! :))))) Maybe the rest of us haven't been doing *our* part in thanking you for your efforts, so:

THANK YOU!

And to Dianne, another THANK YOU! for hosting the site for this project. I'm sure you'll let us know when you've gotten the newest picture of her up on your site! :)

Joan

Well, as I mentioned, things could have gone awry - posts missed, emails missed, things crossed over the Internet. My list on the Website was never an "official" one. I let you be the keeper/minder of that. It was what I had at a single moment in time. Don't even ask me how I came up with it. Been too long a time span.

As long as you have kept a list, that's fine by me. I wouldn't know who some of these people even are!! :-)

Well, ya should have emailed me about my list on the website so that it mirrored yours. :-)

It's no big deal. I defer to you. Not a problem. But I'm not going to change the list on the website until we're all finished, then it will contain those who contributed and no one elses name.

There is no sense getting in a dander about this. I have been most pleased as punch that someone else was handling paperwork, as if it would have been left up to me, I surely would have lost it by now. :-) Dianne

Thank goodness you persevered. :-)

Good to hear from you!! I'm sure Mary will put you on the list pronto! And if needed, I'd gladly stitch on her. I also was sent the pattern, but I did say put me on the last of the list. There were plenty who volunteered. :-)

Dianne

lizard-gumbo wrote:>

Yes, I did and you are on my list. For anyone interested, this Elizabeth (Elizabeth B. for the list) has volunteered to do the 1 over 1 part so that's off the list :-)))! Thanks bunches Elizabeth. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

There are two fairly tattered and marked copies in the package. Somewhere around here, I have a clean copy as well, although it sounds like Cheryl does too. The big issue is that some symbols look alike on the black and white copies (the metallics, for example, are both indicated with a star, but I assume they are different colored stars), so it's important that we find or replace the original chart.

I did send pictures to Dianne. That's actually how I had them to send to you. I took them for Dianne. *grin*

Elizabeth (epc123 at mindspring dot com)

Let me ask around and I'll see if I can track down an original. The original IS printed in red and black symbols so as to foil those bent on copyright theft! CHERYL -- if you want to be next in the stitching rotation, you will need to send me an e-mail with your snail mail addy so that an original of the chart can be sent to you. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

Nothing to do with the FA but to tack on to a subject you brought up in this post .. when you brought up how this chart was printed - red and black - it reminded me how much I *hate* those charts .. anyone can still copy them on a colour copier, as I do whenever I need a working copy. I always make a working copy of any chart I use - usually enlarge it too .. but then it goes in the garbage when I'm done. I much prefer the good old black and white charts or the coloured ones - to me they are much easier to follow.

Shar> > There are two fairly tattered and marked copies in the package.

Hi Guys, OK, we have gotten three volunteers: Linda T., Cheryl M., and Elizabeth B. who was kind enough to volunteer to stitch the over 1 parts. I am trying to put together an e-mail list of all the people who have worked on the Angel and can only fin e-mails for those three and for Janet, George, Dr. Brat and Meredith. Will any of you who worked on the piece AND who want to be on the e-mail list please E-MAIL MOI so that I have your e-mail? Mostly I just want to be able to contact all of you when there is something I think we need to discuss as a group. Linda T. is next on the rotation so I will ask Dr. Brat to mail all of the stuff to her. Then the piece will go to Cheryl M. and then to Elizabeth B. For you three who are new, I am going to be sending you all an e-mail. Also, if you haven't checked the site that Dianne is hosting, please do so as she has a page that lists the stitching guidelines. Thanks bunches & CiaoMeow >^;;^<

When she's ready to be finished, regardless of the finishing employed, please let us know if some $$ will be needed and to whom it should be sent.

anne wrote:

You can bet that I WILL post and let everyone know we are taking donations. Several people have already sent me $$ and it is greatly appreciated. I know some of you likely won't agree, but I am fully prepared to have to spend $500.00 to get her framed properly. Especially if we do double or triple mat the Angel and do something with cut outs on the top mat. Also, I want to go on record right now about timing for the piece. I will have to agree with Victoria -- two years to be working on this piece is simply ridiculous. Time limits should have been set from the very beginning but that's not the way Victoria wanted it. I KNOW that I asked (it's in Dianne's list of guidelines) that if a stitcher found that s/he was going to be delayed in stitching, then the piece should be passed to the next person so that work could be ongoing. Several times life got in the way and the people (one of whom was Victoria) posted and said they couldn't stitch at that time and the Angel went to the next person in line. So, I am going to ask the three new volunteers that you do your level best to work on the Angel ASAP after you receive her. I would love to see her finished by the end of October and then spend a few weeks at the framers and be ready to go to FDNY HQ just after Turkey Day so that she could be on display for the Holiday season. I'm not sure that can be done so I am not holding my breath but since there is NO WAY we could present her by the anniversary of 9/11, I really think the Chanukkah - Christmas season would be the most meaningful time to present her. The work left to be done -- excluding the beads -- includes both wings, the over 1 hands and about half of the bodice. That's not an inordinate amount of work assuming the three new volunteers actually have the time to spend. I know that Linda T who will be getting the Angel from Elizabeth C. (that's Dr. Brat) has time to spare for stitching. I'm not sure what Cheryl M's. schedule is like and Elizabeth B. will be doing the hands over 1. I ask that you wonderful ladies do your best and if the Angel isn't finished then that's not the way it was meant to be. IF the powers that be want this piece finished and delivered by the HOliday Season, then that will happen. All we as mere mortals can do is give it a try. Thanks again for volunteering ladies and to the rest of you -- the list isn't closed yet. I do think I will quit taking names on Tuesday

16 August. If it looks like we won't get the Angel finished in time for the Holiday season and IF we need more volunteers, then I will post. OH

-- I have had another offer from Jenn and Janet to have another go at stitching if need be. Gluttons for punishment aren't they -- LOLOL! Thanks ladies and know that I WILL use you if need be. CiaoMeow >^;;^<