A Gift from Pam

After I wrote about joining my church's quilt ministry, Pam of Hip to Be a Square Podcast thoughtfully sent us a quilt top all ready to tie for the next person in need.

Put a dog on it!  Daisy approves.

It was especially nice because we are always short of quilts in colors and patterns suitable for men.  Pam used these great fall colors to make a generously sized top, just perfect for someone who will be resting up for awhile.

Thanks so much, Pam! 



Tweet

Snips and Snails for Matthew

My cousin's wife had their baby, Matthew, a bit early as predicted.  Luckily Mom is a fast quilter, so all we had to do was add a label and pop it in the mail.

This was such an easy quilt that turned out so cute.  It is a double disappearing nine patch, and I got the idea from Christina at A Few Scraps.

Of course, Mom's dragonflies and buzzy trails in this gorgeous variegated heavyweight quilting thread make all the difference, don't you agree?

I pieced the back with all of the wonderful leftovers. This fabric just makes me smile!





Tweet

In Your Words

Share.

That's my word for 2013, my mantra, if you will.  (I explained why over here.)

When I read about this challenge, I wanted my word to be somewhere I would see it regularly, where it would have the possibility to imprint on my subconscious even if I weren't deliberately thinking about it.

And that's when this idea popped into my head!

I have often bemoaned the idea that I quilt in fits and starts - churning out a quilt in a day or going whole months without touching my machine at all.  I've figured out that inertia is my friend or enemy.  When I am actually quilting, I can hardly think of anything else and hate to stop; however, once stopped, I find it overwhelming to start again.

True confession:  I'm also not the world's best housekeeper.  Not even close.  So frequently, after one of these bouts of not quilting, I have to get out the vacuum and dust my machine.  Not because of the lint or the loose threads, but because of actual dust.

So what could be a more perfect project?  I made a dust cover for my machine that has my word of the year on it!

I've been meaning to make one of these covers for years, although I wondered if covering the thing up would make it even less likely for me to get started.  I'm hoping, though, that the word on the outside will be a reminder to uncover it and rediscover that feeling.  I'm also hoping that I will be more likely to get sewing if I know I don't have to dust first!

For the background I used one of my all time favorite fabrics with words on it.  It was hard to cut into what little I have left, but I'm glad it will be so visible.

And for those days when I'm feeling a little more sassy, I lined it with this fun fabric that I've never been quite sure what to do with.  Kind of like a mood ring for my sewing room!

It's the last day of the hop, so be sure to visit the other bloggers hopping today here:

Quiltin' Jenny  (Jenny- that's me!)

My Collection of Things  (Jeni K.)

Shade Tree Quilting (Judy C.)

(Rosemary B.) at “that other blog”

Pat Sloan, The Voice of Quilting (Pat. S.)

Dachsies With Moxie  (Agnes B.)

Sew Many Yarns (Lyndsey M.)

Tomorrows Treasures Today  (Denise D.)

The German Mom  (Tina S.)

Christa Quilts (Christa W.)

Read, Quilt, Cook, Pray (Aletta D.)

Sew We Quilt  (Mdm. Samm)

Thanks to Madame Samm and to Linda from Buzzing and Bumbling for being our awesome cheerleader and keeping us all organized. 



Tweet

The Love Stays

As I've mentioned once or twice, we did not take the easiest path to parenthood.  It's hard to believe now, twenty years later.  It's amazing how little anyone remembers or considers what was possibly the most life altering thing to ever happen to me.

But it's true.  It's been twenty years since that newlywed couple was thrust into parenthood sooner than planned, only to have it ripped away in a matter of weeks.  It's been twenty years since the first well-meaning person told me, "It's okay.  You're young.  You can have another one."  It's been twenty years since everything I thought I knew was turned upside down. 

Last November I read about The Shine Project over on Kelle Hampton's blog.  Kelle used a picture of this bracelet, which jumped right out at me since Grace share's Kelle's love for this particular quote.

I immediately ordered one for Grace for Christmas, and hesitated only a moment before ordering a second one that says "the love stays", a phrase made near and dear to my heart by Marcia McGinnis, the founder of SHARE Atlanta and the woman who saved me when I was in the depths of despair.

If I've learned anything in 20 years it's that the love does stay.  The pain fades into the background with each new lesson learned and hardship faced.  It becomes less tender with the celebrations and the joys of new life.  But not a day goes by when I have not been touched by those precious little souls; not a moment passes when I have not been changed. 

The lessons I learned from my babies, and from so many others whose lives I got to know sitting in the SHARE group and listening to their parents, are life changing and long lasting. 

Lessons like:

• You never know what someone else is going through.  Give them the benefit of the doubt.
• Fancy letters after someone's name are no equal for the friend who's been down the same road.
• Closure doesn't mean you stop remembering.  Or loving.

Happy birthday to my first baby, Jesse David!  You are forever with me.  I love you!




Tweet

Prayer Quilt Ministry

Our church started a new ministry a few years ago to make quilts for people on the prayer list.  These are simple lap sized quilts that are tied.  Some of the members make tops to bring; sometimes the group works on a top together.  At the meetings, the quilts are basted and tied while praying for the recipient.  We leave the ties long so that others can add a knot and a prayer later.

I've been meaning to join these ladies for awhile, but only recently made it to a meeting.  No sooner had I attended one workday and the Christmas lunch than we found out that one of the members was leaving for an adventure - she and her husband have sold their house and are preparing to hike the Appalachian trail!

Of course we needed to make her a quilt, but we didn't have much time.  We each made a Bear's Paw block, and I transferred our group picture onto the center of one of the blocks.  We had a secret work day last week to put the top and back together, and then I brought it home to quilt.

Since I was short on time I just did a simple meander, but I'm so happy with how it turned out!

My goal for sharing with this group will be to make one top per month out of my stash.  I hope this will bless many people, including myself! 



Tweet