Pieces of me...

Tonight

I am putting the finishing touches on a lap quilt.

It is not my finest work but it is made with love and care.

This quilt is destined  for the assisted living facility 

where our fiber art group meets to thank them 

for allowing us to use one of their rooms...

It is made with charm packs that once upon a time tickled my fancy

but now I am happy to part with them.

I even tried a new free motion quilting motif...

but as I hand stitch the binding to the backing

it gives me pause.

Once upon a time, 23 years ago, 

I took an introductory quilting course at a local community college.

It gave me enough skills to make this quilt...

my first quilt. 

 I giggle a bit now to see where I started...

Many of us begin quilting so that we can shower our future children

with quilts. 

But this quilting...

it has become so much more...

Out of that 'hobby-turned-art form-turned- I don't know what'...

come gifts...

come friends...

come experiments...

come prizes...

come comfort...

come fun...

come mistakes...

come memories...

As I look back on the photos of my quilts...

many which I will never see again...

I remember them fondly...

the inspiration that brought many to fruition...

the joy and frustration I felt 

trying to make my vision come to life...

the joy that others showed when they 

saw them, received them...

Each quilt...

no matter how big..

or small...

has a story...

some seem obvious...

others less so...

many stories I will never share..

But each quilt has pieces of me...

stitches of 

my love...

my hope...

my humor...

my dreams...

my sorrows...

my anguish...

 some even have parts of me!

Those who have made quilts

likely know what I mean...

many who have received my quilts really do not know 

what I mean..

 but they will all have pieces of me....