And all that sweat and effort that you perform makes amazing things for yourself or others to lay under. It's a little bit of heaven surrounded by love. Quilting.
I completed my first quilt under the watchful eye of a very experience and wonderful teacher. I wish I could express to her my unbounded appreciation for bringing this into my life. Keep in mind I already suffered from an obsession with blankets. I have never been able to "have enough" to suit me, collecting them whenever or where ever I could. Quilting was a natural extension to my need to envelope and comfort myself.
I remember the struggle to cut the fabric straight and true, any variance I later learned will mess you up. The excitement of how those pieces came together and how fresh and bright they looked after I ironed them down. The monotony of repeating the same steps so you can put it all together. Then looking at an amazing top, but this was not the end, there was still a ways to go. Batting, backing, quilting. Quilting...I thought I was quilting...two activities meaning separate acts. To this day, it doesn't really make sense to me.
Then about 6 or so years ago, I decided to start taking pictures of the quilts I made...novel idea. I still can't remember how many I have made over the years, most have been given away to friends, family and few to Project Linus. I like having a piece of me out there in the world, my efforts, my sweat, my blood in someone else's life. To me blankets & quilts represent love, protection, warmth and security and those are great attributes to pass onto someone else.
My Quilting Quotes:
*Every stitch is a prayer.
*Once a quilt is given as a gift, a wish is made on the first night it is slept under.
*It's good luck to donate blood to a quilt.
*Always buy more fabric than you THINK you need, because it will be short and you won't be able to find it again.
*You never have enough fabric.
*Always measure twice and then check again, because once it's cut, it's cut.
*Fabric is forgivable, I wish people were like that.
*No matter how much fabric you have, there is ALWAYS more out there that you haven't seen.
*When planning a project, you will always need to go get something more to make it happen.
*Always take a picture of the quilts you've made, you will forget them and how much work they were without that reminder.
*There is always another quilt to be made.
*There is always someone who wants a quilt.
*Those who don't quilt, don't realize the time, money and effort it takes to make one.
*What I have spend on fabric for quilting, I could probably put my kids through college.
