One More Just For Fun

 

This was easy and fun. One day, a friend and I wandered through the really cheap fabric souks in Doha, and there discovered these panels, many different kinds, for the equivalent of around $3/each. They are Indonesian, highly patterned and colorful, tightly woven. I’ve used several as backings for larger quilts. Really nice quality. Each panel is about 6 feet by 4.5 feet. All I had to do was to sandwich and quilt. I love the dragons, and I have set this quilt aside because I know that the right occasion will come along when this quilt (finished!) will be just the right gift.

Christmas Inspiration

We are just back from a long gratifying trip, and I have a million things to do. Of course, this is when inspiration will strike.

I have learned that when inspiration strikes, you have to go with it. If you fight it, you will miss a grand opportunity. If you ignore it, inspiration moves on, and doesn’t come on as strong when you’re hoping for it.

I was studying for a class I mentor, and found I had to work out the pattern. It was fairly quick; doing the math for the pieces was a little more challenging.

I did the quilt in sections. An hour here for the gathering the fabrics. An hour another time for cutting the center squares. Grab an hour after lunch, before the grandchildren arrive, and stitch those center squares together. Of course, I have a hidden agenda; I want my little 6 year old granddaughter to see how work progresses.

All I have left to do is to stitch down the binding. I love the fabrics, I love the drama, and I love having a new Christmas quilt to hang in our large hallway.

Charity Quilts 2019

I had an obligation to provide some quilts for our small group charity, and I wanted to finish up some of my fabric stash. What came of it is fairly unimaginative. I loved putting the colors together, and the blocks went together quickly. The quilting was easy, and great practice.

As I look at the quilts, I am bored, and I know they reflect the joylessness of doing something you should do for love, but you’re doing it for duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are all approximately 40″ by 56″- big enough to snuggle under while reading.

Education for Ministry Quilt

I have a special mentor who led me through four years of theological discussions as part of a University of the South (Sewanee) School of Theology program. No, I am not a priest. This is ministry, as in how we live our faith, and . . . do we understand what we believe? Do we believe what we say we believe?

As you can imagine, this is exhausting and sometimes distressing. My mentor is a wise and humorous woman who led our groups fearlessly. Although I am still a part of the program now, in another capacity, I wanted to tell this mentor in a significant way what her mentoring and her fine example means to me.

I had a lot of fun with this quilt. I found a fabulous metallic batik, which had several different colors, so when I cut it into a kaleidoscope. I could make entire squares of different colors.

As usual with my kaleidoscopes, color placement was everything. I wanted the center cross to be the most important part of the quilt. I hand appliquéd the two circles, padding the outermost with two layers of batting and hand embroidering the EfM on the cross, using an EfM lapel pin. Rarely have I been so happy with the entire process.

Except that I was terrified I would ruin it by quilting it. I have a friend with sterling instincts for quilting and she quilted it for me, using some metallic threads and enhancing the cross with radiating lines so the quilt almost vibrates with energy. 🙂 🙂

 

Here you can see some of the metallics and some of my friend’s fabulous quilting:

 

Now it gets even cooler. I had ALMOST enough blocks left over (I always make extra blocks because I am really picky about placement) but I had some fabrics that would fill in and I could make another, smaller quilt for another EfM mentor who had encouraged me through some of the rougher parts and who had generously admired the first quilt. It thrilled me to be able to thank her, too, for her part in leading our group through the heavy weather of theology.

 

I wish you could see these quilts in person. I don’t usually brag, but these thrill my heart.