Communication Revival?

Communication Revival? ~ I guess you could call it that. I have returned often to read the quilt board through the last few years and on occasion I would leave a post. Since I was doing little in the way of quilting for myself, I had little to show or talk about.

About what I have been doing: ~ As stated, I burned out with quilting. It became a push to get it done and although I take a lot of patience and pride in my work, it started to feel like a chore. When something you love begins to feel that way, it’s time to back off or end up with a disaster. In the mean time I was finally able to teach myself to knit; something I had tried a few times throughout the years, but it had never clicked. This time it did and I have been knitting ever since.

During my quilting campaign I made several quilt tops that I sold on eBay. This allowed me to meet, via internet, two sisters. They in turn bought several of my tops. One of them is an expert at embroidery. She does beautiful redwork (sometimes other colors). They like to make blocks, but not make them into finished tops. They will send me finished blocks along with fabrics for the borders, sashing, and any alternating blocks I might make to finish it all into a top ready for quilting. This has kept my foot in the quilting arena during my personal hiatus from quilting for my own pleasure. It has also provided extra money.

Finally, having finished this last smaller quilt I believe I am ready to start quilting again. I don’t expect to ever be as aggressive as I was before, because being realistic, how many quilts to two people need anyway?

Those of you from the earlier days may remember that our only son was killed in Iraq back in 2005. Several of you were so kind and loving to make and send us blocks for a block shower. I made the first memorial quilt and posted pictures here and in our online album. I bought batting last Saturday for the second one and plan to start the hand quilting on it soon. I had asked that everyone send a 3” signed white square along with the block. Some also signed their blocks. I wish now that I had asked that the blocks be signed as well. It blest our hearts so much to receive these in the mail during the days leading up to his burial (12 days after his death) and some came later.

Making the first quilt was therapeutic for me. It helped me so much to be able to think, touch, and pray about everything and everyone involved in its’ completion. Afterwards, though when a little time had passed I did not want to work on the second one. It was like pulling the Band-Aid off of a wound and having to start the healing process again. But, it’s time now to get it finished. Our son left behind two sons (ages 2 and 1 month at the time). Finishing this quilt will allow each of them to have one later in life.

When I have the time, I’ll post the names of the ones whose blocks are in each quilt. In the mean time you may go to my online album and look through the pictures of the memorial quilt plus the other quilts that are uploaded. The link should take you there. At the bottom of the page are small pictures which will take you to my other quilt pages.

YEAH! I finally figured out how to make it place spaces, which is silly, because you would think that the program would post it just as you typed it to start with.

Quilt in Progress
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/467867781IUFWKZ

Finished Quilt
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/548963957YkfzDm

I'm still trying to find a way to make it post the links so you don't have to copy & paste. If you click on the pictures once you get there, they will enlarge. At the bottom of the page you should see pictures of my other albums. They are open to the public if you wish to view them also.

Sandra from SC