Recovered! Breast Cancer Ribbons

Debbie Rolek created this Breast CancerRibbons quilt and donated it to the Quilt for the Cure Breast Cancer Auction. The quilt was auctioned on Ebay and Debbie bought it back on December 15, 2004 to give to her mother for a Christmas present. The quilt was made in memory of Debbie's grandmother, Adeline Gutenkauf, who was a survivor. It was sent to her (to her business's name, Real-Quilts) by Silent Partners, Inc. in Calabasas, California, but Debbie never received it.

Debbie sent out pleas to about eight quilt lists that she belonged to and that is how it was found. Six weeks later, one alert quilter spotted the quilt on Ebay She remembered the picture and the website, found her name, and contacted her. Debbie contacted the seller and in less than a week she reported back, "Sucess!!! Yes, It has finally arrived... Thanks to many angels who helped look for and pray for, you don't know how much it means to me. I am crying with happiness because of people like you... Tonight, I will sleep with it and smile at all the angels among us." Debbie plans on giving this to her mother for Valentine's Day.

This terrific story was also reported on in Debbie's local newspaper, http://community.webshots.com/album/123100836ySxdMQ.

The ribbon blocks were paper pieced using pattern by Carol Doak. Blocks were contributed from all over the United States as well as other countries. Then Debbie positioned the ribbon blocks to create one large ribbon. The ribbons are pink and the border is purple with pink mottling. One of the quilting motifs used is shown to the right. The quilt has a label hand appliqued to the back on the right side which documents why the quilt was made and the awards it won. In Spring 2004 this quilt received a Purple Ribbon in the Dallas County, Iowa Fair for exceptional recognition.

Debbie writes, "I have been hesitant about mailing quilts for several years and refused to send my stepson his two irreplaceable, cherished quilts I made for him as I heard about this site, and didn't want to risk it. I took a chance and had the Breast Cancer quilt mailed to me. If I had put a huge insurance amount, maybe then it would have been handled differently, and had a tracking number. I do quilts for other people, and warn them I am gun shy about mailing quilts and this is why. I have asked for people to be on the look out for the quilt on the different Longarm and quilting list I belong to and have told people to check this site out to help others too."

Additional close-up details of this quilt can be seen at http://community.webshots.com/user/debbierealquilts in the "Charity 04" folder.

Please contact Debbie through the Lost Quilt Come Home Page.

Originally posted January 26, 2005. Updated February 4, 2005.