Many years ago (when I still lived in northern Maine), I was a quilting fiend! There was little to do during the winter months except hole up with a good book or an even better quilting pattern; and always a cup of warm tea. And that's what I did... no husband... no kiddo... just me & my cat & my girlfriends. Those were the days when I quilted a lot.
My mother recently moved~ this being her first Christmas in the new place~ sent me a photo text message this morning of an old quilt I made & gave to her many years ago. Not quite sure what it is with cats always needing to be in/on the project... mine does it & so does hers!!! I hadn't seen this quilt since I mailed it to her as an early Christmas present all those years ago. Wanted to share.
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| Rufus & the Christmas Quilt |
Like every good quilt... there's a story behind their creation. Several of my co-workers up North got together this one holiday season at a local church & decided to all make a Christmas quilt-- it was a Log Cabin wreath quilt. Some of us were advanced quilters and others had never picked up a rotary cutter in their lives before! But all of us were friends & it was a hoot putting them together...much laughter & definitely language that shouldn't have been used in a church was prevalent. Long story short, one day after our quilting "bee" started, on my desk at school, was a photocopied quilt pattern. A Log Cabin Christmas tree (see finished product above!). No note as to who had placed it there~ it randomly appeared!!! I must have spend days trying to figure out who put it there... it couldn't have been someone I worked with; we all had the same hours & nobody fessed up. It wasn't a student; they didn't have access to a photocopier & this was in the days before the all-in-1-do-it-all-at-home-printers. Our janitor had put it there~ she had heard all about the quilting "bee" (and was unable to attend due to having the night shift)... and had heard about my newfound appreciation/love of all things Log Cabin... I still have that same photocopied pattern. It's a bit yellowed these days, but still very readable. People who take the time to do good & share with others really stand out to me~ those are the types of people I like to be around & share my time with. Thank you, Jeanie... I'm sure you have no idea of the impact that photocopy had...
Times change~ people move on... she was sent over to the Elementary school (I was Middle at the time)... and then I left the state altogether. But there are certain bonds that will always remain~ love & friendship. This photo brought back those memories... and they're always wonderful ones to re-visit.
On this rainy Sunday, my boys are asleep... and I'm off to decorate the Christmas tree... bake up a storm in the kitchen... and then find some time for my beloved quilting...
May your heart be full today & always!
Happy Quilting!!! :o)
