While a lot of folks turn to big box retailers like Amazon for gift-giving around the holidays, some like to go all-out on handmade items for their loved ones. What could be more special? Just ask Connie Biegel, who works at the University of Notre Dame and serves as the Coordinating Editor for ACS Energy […]

While a lot of folks turn to big box retailers like Amazon for gift-giving around the holidays, some like to go all-out on handmade items for their loved ones. What could be more special? Just ask Connie Biegel, who works at the University of Notre Dame and serves as the Coordinating Editor for ACS Energy Letters. Biegel is a longtime quilter and is particularly fond of making quilts made of old t-shirts for the perfect blend of cozy nostalgia. She began her hobby by making a t-shirt quilt for her nephew, and this year she wanted to give Editor-in-Chief Prashant Kamat something truly unique and special. So she gathered a collection of t-shirts from the journals Professor Kamat has served as an editor for and got to work. The results speak for themselves:

“It’s really amazing what he has achieved in such a short time,” says Biegel. “I thought what better way to showcase the three ACS journals he’s been a part of than by making him a journal t-shirt.” Prior to the introduction of ACS Energy Letters in 2016, Professor Kamat served as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. His contributions to ACS Publications over the years have led to quite the collection of journal-themed apparel!

Want to replicate this marvel of chemistry craftsmanship? It’s easier than you think, at least according to this tutorial from the National Quilters Circle. All you need is a reliable sewing machine, a pile of t-shirts, and a steady hand. Not the crafting type? You can send a selection of old shirts to an Etsy user like this one, and they’ll quilt it to your specifications.

Speaking of blankets and chemistry, did you know that ACS offers current members a special periodic table throw when they recruit a new paid member? Nominate a colleague today and stay cozy all winter. Not yet a member of the ACS? Join today using this URL and take 50% off membership dues through December 31, 2017.

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