LiveSlow

Quilt Lessons

Well, we did it - it's done!  Kind of.  We worked hard all week, staying up late - bent over and on our hands and knees.  At 11:30 on Thursday night, it was finally sewn together - all but the stars.  Note:  If you're ever trying to make a project you want to keep, don't use the cheapest fabric.  Our fabric unraveled so fast after washing that I was afraid it would disappear before we could turn it in.  We couldn't even sew the stars on because every time the needle went in, the fabric would fray.  Friday morning had me standing in the middle of Walmart saying, "Please, God, please let there be fabric glue here....YES!  Thank you!".  A while later I was in the school parking lot, hanging out of the back of my truck (in the rain), hand glueing stars on.  Who knew this silly little school project would be full of life lessons!  Here's what I learned:  photo follows - 

1.   Arguing causes delays, wasted time and yields unsatisfactory results.

2.   Counting the cost:  financially, physically (to you and people you'll rely on),  and logistically is key to any successful endeavor.

3.   I will never, never, try to sew stripes again - however, God answers even the most insignificant prayers when you cry out to Him.

4.   God will answer seemingly unrelated prayers through whichever method He chooses - like a school project - and you'll have no idea until He unites them together and blows your mind.

5.   Contempt and compassion are often linked together:  Beware of the things you hold in contempt because they're often linked to people.  Contempt for the thing creates a lack of compassion for the people.

6.   Quilting properly is a slow and therefore, enjoyable process - "Extreme Quilting" is neither!

7.   Sometimes the end result is not what you'd expect......check out our...........

 Flag.   (Over 150 pieces sewn together by people who can't sew - Praise God it's done.)

It turned out to be a flag because when I got past the piecing and read on to the actual quilting part (at least 4 more steps) I cried.  I also thought about finishing it but honestly, I never care if I see it again, I'll just fold it up and save it for Miss Sassy.  I will say however, that it may not end up being the last quilt thing I do, but I don't know for sure. 

 I'm fascinated by the fact that for centuries, women of all kinds, collaborated on these blankets for so many reasons and they did it all by hand.  Quilts were handmade and given as inspiration, gifts of admiration, love, healing, and warmth. It inspires me to throw off some of my modern conveniences for the reward of learning and growing through challenge and the simple joy of sharing.

Pieces

 

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."  1 Cor. 13:12

Making the quilt reinforced what I already know; life's not always bitter and not always sweet, but a mixture of both.  The pieces of fabric lying on my floor are a fragmented picture of the final product and God I hope it looks like a quilt, but only time will tell.  The problem with the project is that we don't know how to quilt and now I see that Miss Sassy thinks it's just a blanket, but it's not.  It's more like sandwich made with 150 parts and it's easier if you know what you're doing.  Since we don't, all we can do is push forward in hope.    

She started this project because last year, a teacher inspired her.  This teacher, Sue, and her class made a quilt but each student made just one block and Sue joined it together.  I admired Miss Sassy's ambition even though I knew she didn't fully understand and I agreed to support her because it was "hard stuff". After several blowouts and delays we finally got a rhythm going and her attitude drastically improved when we decided to work as a team. When a technique was too difficult for her to grasp, she stepped in and took on my work around the house until she could start again. We learned to accept one another's different work styles.  I gave in to her sewing with the Ipod earbuds blasting but not with the phone because you really CANNOT quilt and text at the same time.  She got used to my constant instruction and demand for respect and learned to not bite the hand that fed her.  Our side-by-side conversations were enlightening and we laughed a lot, and together, yelled at our pets.  The dog and cat were quilt captivated and, after repeatedly rolling around on it, almost lost their lives in the process.   

Midway through the endeavor we got a call from my mom who was on her way to my aunt's house.  My 98 year old grandmother lives with her and my mom was going to help care for her over the weekend.  My aunt's brother-in-law had passed away suddenly.  He'd gone swimming at the hotel during a visit to meet his newborn grandchild.  When he didn't come back, his wife went to check on him and found him alone, face down in the pool.  I had to ask my aunt, "Did he get to see the baby?" "Yes, they had a wonderful visit and took tons of pictures with grandpa."    Sweet.

When we were almost finished, I got a message on my phone from a friend.  She was calling to tell me about our friend, and Miss Sassy's teacher, Sue.  She wondered if I'd heard the news. My heart sunk.  Sue's daughter, pregnant with her second child, died during childbirth.  We'd visited Sue just weeks before and she was beaming - waiting to leave to help her daughter with the new baby.  Bitter.  Did the baby survive?  "Yes, the baby is fine." 

Just days before I'd whined and complained about the time I had to spend on the quilt.  My daughter's project, but my precious time. And God reminds me that life unravels in a moment, and any time I can spend with people I love is sweet.