Prayers for Newtown, Connecticut

December 14, 2012, a day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it?
How so?
We can be glad that we're free and able to pray to a loving God who will give all who ask, His peace, love, and comfort, under circumstances that are grim. 
We can pray for our "neighbors" even thought they're many states away. We can ask HIM to wash away their tears, hold them, and heal their aching hearts.
This is the season of Miracles. God does have a plan.
During a difficult season of my life I decorated my Christmas tree with cards from friends and family. I also wrote this on a piece of paper and attached it with a twist tie:
Christmas is not in the presents but in HIS presence. 
May the families of Newtown, Connecticut, feel the gift of HIS presence and a nation praying for them in their sorrow. 
Amen

It's not what you know but Who you know...

The pattern for the Season of Living pillow panel has been at a complete standstill for many reasons. The first being our summer was so hot and drought filled which led to many devastating fires.

Smoke has filled the sky while this pivot protects this meadow.

 We're hoping for many wet snows this winter and haven't had much. Of course, we're all dreaming of a white Christmas as well. This is the Season of Miracles, and with God, he can do ANYTHING!

The fire area shortly afterward with deer (haha) sweet snow!

 Back to the Season of Living pillow panel, I didn't keep very good track of how many strips to cut and their dimensions when I made it. I tried to replicate it and was styimied. I asked my friends and family to help me with the necessary math needed to come up with those numbers; and that didn't turn out very well.
At the right time, He sent me someone who helped figure out the checkerboard. After Christmas, I will get that pattern written and on the Web site. What a nice gift to get that little nagging issue finally settled.

Meanwhile, I'm praying that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas, and that we all remember the reason for the season.
The first gifts were gold, and tree sap - frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense and myrrh are fragrances and when burned are incense. According to HowStuffWorks.com they were an important commodity and were used for personal, religious and medicinal use.

Have you heard the saying, "Wise men still seek Him"? Seek Jesus this year with all your heart. He is a wonderful gift to share with those you love - and for those you don't love so well....Jesus would say, "Love thy neighbor as yourself." How's that for a gift? Take that leap of faith! Mend those fences!

Leap at the chance to share His gift of love with your neighbor and yourself.

 It's not always the easiest but the best. Not the shiniest...but the best. Not the most fragrant...but the most medicinal for you and your neighbor.
And the best medicine for our area would be nice, wet, snow so the people here could get on with their Season of Living!

Dear Lord, we thank you so much for the moisture we have gotten already and are thankful for that which is to come.

May you and your deer (haha) family have a very Merry Christmas. 

 May the gift of patterns or a gift made from a pattern from Fear Not Pattern Company bless you and the recipient - a friend or neighbor? Or yourself perhaps?

 Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to the King of Kings!

Season of Living

Do you ever feel as if you're a pawn on some big cosmic checkerboard of life? My life has been so blessed, I can't imagine some of the things families have to go through, including breast cancer. Thankfully, great strides have been made with all the research in detecting, and finding cures for breast cancer.
Northcott Fabrics is donating a portion of the price of their Quest for a Cure fabric line to breast cancer research both in the USA and in Canada.
Using their fabrics, I came up with a new pillow panel called Season of Living...because you just never know where you'll end up.
While the panel is complete, the pattern isn't yet. It's on my list of things to do...
This panel was inspired by my Aunt Jan. She lost her mother to cancer of the tongue...her mother would be my grandmother. We sure miss her, and my Aunt Jan's idea was to have something for the family who would like to remember their loved one.
There are many ways to do this which will be included in the pattern. For now, I've used scripture that should provide encouragement to the breast cancer patient who is undergoing treatment.
I will let you know when the pattern is ready at FearNotPatternCo.com

Here's hoping there will be a generation that will never know cancer! And a huge thank You to my Creator for a very blessed life, along with  prayers for the families whose lives have been afflicted by this disease. May the funds from the purchase of this fabric really make a dent in the quest for a cure!!!
AMEN!

Song of Hope...

The pattern for Song of Hope is nearly done. It's in the proofreading stages right now. I'm so hopeful that this pillow pattern will bless women who have had or will undergo a mastectomy. The pattern will be available at FearNotPatternCo.com very shortly...

There are two other patterns  in the works that will be using Northcott's Quest For A Cure fabric line. My aunt, who lost her mother to cancer, (my grandmother), thought it would be nice to have something In Memory Of....
That design is currently being sewn together, but will have multiple uses but more on that later.

 In my opinion, cancer isn't for pansies. The third will talk about that but will be for someone who just wants to purchase this lovely fabric so they can help with the cause...

And give us all HOPE!

Remember, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Northcott's Quest For A Cure fabric line is already available.

Holly Gerth's Pinterest Challenge

http://squeeinc.com/pinterpretation/
turning God-sized dreams into reality

That's what I'm trying to do with Fear Not Pattern Company...and for inspiration and to get the creative juices flowing, I turn to Pinterest. There are so many creative people out there. Literally, a world full of them!
But what is equally amazing, is God...His color box, the skies, oceans, plant life, the people He made, their cultures, how they move, dance, and the obstacles they overcome.
Do I know what my Pin boards say about me? Even without the Pin-terpretation guide Holly Gerth and her friend created, my Pin boards show that I love the past as well as the future...the clothing that is needed to withstand the elements as well as those wonderfully decorative party dresses I won't likely ever get to wear. But most of all, I think I've learned that my Pin boards reflect my passion for Jesus and His creations.

What are your dreams? How does Jesus help you?

Fear Not Pattern Co is live on the Web!

It's taken a while to get the proverbial ducks in a row, but finally, they are...quack! Fear Not Pattern Co now has a Web site where you can purchase these patterns at: www.fearnotpatternco.com.

Because this endeavor is new, kinks may need to be worked out. Please let me know if there are any viewing issues or any other problems you may encounter.  Striving for excellence - NOT perfection, since there is only One Who Is!

I did not get any comments on the previous post about breast cancer awareness or flowers and their meanings. Finally, I thought, "Breast cancer isn't for pansies"! Thus, the pansy was used on the latest pillow pattern, but the pattern will be called Song of Hope. 

Northcott Fabrics sent samples of their new line that will be released in August called Stonehenge - Pink Ribbon, and can be seen at this Web address: http://www.northcott.net/?sid=2&layout=2col&content=fabric_details&colid=525&fabid=1&colorid=885

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this fabric are used in connection to the fighting of breast cancer.

Details need to be added to the project, above, which isn't done yet, but you can see the progress so far. Look for the pattern to be released soon. Goal date is August.

This pattern is specifically made with Sally, Kathy, and Nancy in mind, but is for all the women who have, or have had breast cancer. During the Relay for Life event held in our community, someone wrote that they felt blessed to have had cancer because it made them REALLY understand what was important in their lives.

May we understand, without having cancer, what the truly important things are.

Hope you enjoy the Web site, patterns and please share your comments and ideas!

This is for my mom, dad and their friend Nancy...

...it's also for all the women out there who have or have had, or know women who have or have had cancer.

In the back of my mind, I'm thinking of a pillow panel that would incorporate fun flowers, the pink ribbon and a big heart all created out of varying shades of pink wool applique.

It could be a gift for someone you know. For yourself. How about for someone you don't even know? What a way to brighten up a cancer patient's day?

Should it have an envelope on the front like the panel Seasons of Blessings (in the first post)? I had someone tell me that when they found out they had cancer, it was a blessing, because it made them realize the important things in life. The REALLY, REALLY, important things...family and friends.
Not how clean her home was or wasn't. Not how much money she did or don't have. But that she had her family and friends, and that she'd made new friends and was able to be a blessing to them.

Wow! Courage.

So...I want to know what flowers you think would symbolize courage, hope and strength? I want to hear from women who have had cancer and what would cheer them up.

Please share....you don't know whose life you may bless.

It could be Nancy's.

Life a little Batty?

Sometimes it can seem like one day things are normal, and overnight, your life turns BATTY! 

What do you do?

 Pray! 

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues 

them from all their troubles. 

Psalm 34:17

That's where Prayer Pets come in handy! For those batty days. Or for that matter, those friends whose lives have gone batty....flitting from one stinging problem to another. Bats are great at eating that which bugs them. 

Like those pesky mosquitoes. 

This wool pattern comes complete with a little bit of sonar so that bat can seek out that which is bothersome. And while you're making bat, pray, stitch by stitch for the pesky problems of life to to be "eaten" by Someone much larger than ourselves. Or for your friend for that matter.  

The pattern is $9.00 plus shipping. Contact me by calling 402-376-2719 or e-mailing fearnotpatternco@yahoo.com

Help someone cope with the battiness of their life!!

Harvest Goodness

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

At this time of year, we're out in our yards getting ready for summer with the coolness of spring surrounding us. Maybe you've had rain in your area. Some areas are in HUGE need of rain and are so thankful. And that's what spring is all about anyway...seeds sprouting, wind, uncertain weather, and mud.


But...you can always let the mud dry and vacuum it up, and when it's windy and rainy, what better place to be than inside the house working on a project.


Here's a project called Harvest Goodness that is made from wool and cotton fabrics. All the time in the world goes into the fields, preparing a bounty for fall harvest. So, why not begin a project now that can be complete by harvest?


To order Harvest of Goodness, call me at 402-376-2719 or e-mail me at: fearnotpatternco@yahoo.com
Pattern is $9.00 plus shipping. 
Patterns are made and printed in the U.S.A.

Seasons of Faith

It's been a long while coming, but finally, they're done... Seasons of Faith pillows and pillow panels. We all go through different seasons in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Some are good, some aren't the best, and some are down right sad. 
It's not always easy to give our problems to the Lord, nor is it always easy to remember to pray for our loved ones. 
But Seasons of Faith pillows and panels can help get the job done creatively. Each one has a scripture you can pray for yourself or for a loved one...stitch by stitch. 
There are three different pillow designs - one for the advanced seamstress, one for the intermediate and one who is either a beginner or wants to get it done fast without a bunch of fuss!
Currently, there are four panels: Season of Hope, Season of Peace, Season of Blessing, and Season of Faith. 
The panels come off the pillow and can be changed with the seasons and easily stored so you won't have a lot of holiday pillows to pack away at the end of the season. Simply swap out a panel and you're good to go. 
Maybe making all four at one time is a bit intimidating? Make one every year and give as a gift...remembering to pray for your loved one, or a situation that is going on in your life. 


The patterns are made and printed in the U.S.A. 
Contact fearnotpatternco@yahoo.com or call 402-376-2719 to place an order.
All five patterns are $37.99 plus shipping.