Thursday, May 21, 2015

May 20, 2015

She May Not Quilt,
But She Sure Can Iron!
May 20, 2015



All of us seem to know that children who grow up together don't necessarily have the same interests, abilities, and talents.  Each child is unique and precious just the way God created them.  They do not all fit into the same mold.  But we all know families that share musical talent, cooking expertise, or almost super natural athletic ability.  In my family, we are each alike in some ways, while in others we are as different as night and day.  It could have been very boring if we had all been the same.

Having said all of that, I am not against each of us sharing our talents and strengths with each other.  Sometimes that means teaching the others something you are good at doing.  Other times it means "sharing" as in "doing it for them, or with them."  Doing it with them is what my sister and I did tonight.

Several years ago I made a quilt for my sister Janet that had fabrics with cats on them.  Each piece of fabric was different and unique.  Janet loves cats.  I like cats, but not in my house.  Janet's children grew up with cats; the best known was Simon.  If she didn't tell you they had a cat, you would never know because Simon didn't like social activities.  He would hide.  After I made the cat quilt for Janet, her son fell in love with it and frequently let her know he wished he had one of his own.  Finally after he began telling that to every family member who owned a sewing machine, I told Janet I would help her make one for her son (a young adult).

Step one was to select and cut out the fabric squares.  I told her she could go through my collection of cat fabrics and with only a few exceptions, she could cut squares from any of them.  Several months ago we started on the project.  I cut a few with my rotary cutter and showed her how to do it and left her at my house one day while I was at work, to continue cutting and selecting.

She quickly learned that although she had taught pre-schoolers how to cut with small scissors, rotary cutting is totally different.  So I came to the rescue and cut some of the fabrics she selected.  Then I had a different quilt to make with cats on it, so while I cut the squares for mine, I cut more squares for hers.  Lately her trips to visit had been short and packed with activities involving Mom.  This trip she has more time so we have been working on the quilt for her son.
Deciding on the layout for the quilt
Janet and Mom came over just after I got home from work and she laid out the squares on the design wall.  She had been working on the arrangement at Mom's house. Mom and I commented on the layout and we all rearranged fabrics for the next hour or two.

Once we were all happy with the arrangement, 
we got supper on the table.  
Spaghetti, a lovely salad made by Janet, and garlic bread
After supper we started putting it together.  Janet was content with me sewing and her ironing.  We worked quickly and efficiently and in two and a half hours had the 96 squares all put together!  It was fun and so helpful to have someone doing the ironing and bringing me the next row.  I think her son is going to love the quilt once it is finished.  The top is now finished, but next comes the job of putting the layers together to make it a Quilt.

Janet and Mom left about 11:30 and then I talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico for a bit.  It had been a good, productive day.  Things at the office had been slow so I did a lot of reading in an excellent book Protected, by Vannetta Chapman.  It is hard to put down.  On the way home from the office I had gone to the bank and was the only car there for a change!  I got in and out of the drive-up area quickly.
Me with the finished quilt top


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