As many of you may already know, Karen (our Queen of Squishies) has turned over the duty of Keeper of the Hug List to me earlier this month. I hope I can keep things as coordinated as she did for so very long!
And now, just a little update for our newbires (and in invitation at the very end)....
*******************************************************************What is a HUG?
Although HUG-quilts are USUALLY because someone's having a hard time of it, one way or another (and each HUG is different, and for different reasons) (and after all, that's when HUGs are perhaps most important), there have been some just-for-fun ones, too.
The following comes from our own, dear Ms Sairey... (I hope she doesn't mind my sharing)
"A HUG is bits of fabric put together with love and understanding -- and sometimes, a serious case of stitching-out-the-pain, for some of us who cannot BE there to administer the real, personal HUGs. A HUG is one way (sometimes the only way we have, in this chunk of cyber-space, this big quilting bee many of us have depended on in ways we can never fully explain) to put our arms around someone (and each other); to reach out and say "I wish I could be there with/for you, in person, but I can't, and this will just have to do, at least for now."
A HUG wraps the absolute Caring that goes on in this newsgroup into a tangible package for someone to touch, and feel, and cuddle down into when times are tough. Sometimes, a HUG is all we have, when words aren't enough. Now, don't think for an instant that HUGs are ALL sadness and tragedy. Not by a long shot, they aren't. There's almost always a lot of LAUGHTER stitched into each HUG, and a lot of shared good-times. Lots of puns get worked into many of the HUG-blocks, and lots of the things we've just LEARNED about each other, from time to time. Lots of rainbows and butterfly wings and sunshine and flowers and just downright-silly-giggles, too.
There is an astonishing amount of POWER in a HUG, folks. Lightning and thunder and some really sharp edges and planes. Anger, sometimes, in a HUG. A good, clean kind of anger.
A HUG is for Friendship and Family. A HUG helps with fear and pain. A HUG is for Laughter and good times and spinning around the room in a happy-dance. A HUG is all the things quilters do, for all the reasons they do the things they do. But because mostly, quilters do what they do because they CARE so very deeply, and simply understand the perfect beauty of a HUG, the quilters here on RCTQ just HUG, from time to time."
What wonderful words... and how perfectly said.
You can view many (but not all) of the HUGS generated by the wonderful members of our commuinty here:
Would you like to be a member of the HUG list? Being a member of the list ensures that you will be notified when a HUG is underway. You will receive all the necessary details via email. The list is anonymous (if I can do it right!!!). You may choose to participate in whichever requests you wish. There is no "tracking list" as to who sent a block to who ... when.... Participate when you can. If you can't help with a pieced block... send a FQ or a few $$$ to help with batting and/or backing. There are lots of ways to help if you choose to. But you are NEVER obligated to participate.
So if you are NOT currently a member of the HUG list and would like to be, please email me OFF THE GROUP (despam my email addy). PUT HUG LIST in the subject line so it doesn't end up in my spam file. The only information I need from you is your name and your email address. It's that easy. Then whenever someone is in need of a HUG, you will get a message inviting you to help. That's it!
Thanks...
And again... special THANKS and lots of KUDOS to Karen for her work as Keeper of the HUGS for so very long!