My Passion

Well, besides my family - this has been an important passion in my life lately. A few years ago, I learned about a small humanitarian aid group that meets once a week at the church. I started off sewing things at home and dropping them off there because I was working and couldn't come on the weekday morning. When I quit, I started going over and there found so much enjoyment and so many close friends. There are only about 7 of us that regularly come, but others join in once in a while. When people hear about us, they donate their unwanted fabrics and trims. Our leader, Ann Winward, has a basement full of donations that we just keep working to use. Of course, we all have our own fabrics to choose from and we have done amazing things. I made about 100 quilts (mostly lap or crib size) and almost 100 dresses plus other various things last year.
It is so fun to choose some fabrics that go together and then see what I can come up with. It is like doing puzzles only far more practical and lasting. I try to use every bit of the fabric so I don't have any orphans left over. Making "prairie points" around the edges helps to use up pieces of fabric (4" x 4" folded on the diagonal twice) and seems to tie all the various fabrics together.
On Monday, when I thought I was going to be a little down after my trip, Joyce Smith called and wanted to see if we could get more fabric from Pieceful Heart (a local quilt shop). So we called and they did have some bags to donate. They have been very generous before and we have taken some of the quilts we have made over to show them. We got the bags, dumped them out and sorted the pieces into colors. We found about 3 quilts that were already partly made! Can't imagine who would give away something that was nearly finished. We went upstairs by the machine and laid out some blocks that were already done. After much manuvering, we made a very nice design. Then, I sewed the pieces together as she handed them to me so we didn't get them mixed up. It was my idea of a great afternoon. Now I am getting three quilts finished to take today. I use the pillowcase method (sew around all sides leaving just about 10 inches open). Then we sew the batting on and turn the quilt inside out and it is all finished except sewing that opening and staystitching around the edge. Then the women in our group tie them with colorful yarn and they are ready to go off to Salt Lake City to be distributed all over the world! It makes me very happy to think that some of my "artistry" is being used by someone who needs it and will appreciate it.
One the 26th of April, the stake is having a women's conference and doing a tying project (the quilts that we have made). We are decorating with all sorts of quilts. It should be great. I hope some more women will catch the vision and see what can be done with scraps! Our lives are like a quilt, with each piece representing an experience or trial. The finished product will be a beautiful life tied together and presented as our efforts here on earth.