Firstly, a BIG thank you to all my blog followers. Just want you to know I really appreciate you and am so happy to be 'growing'. I sincerely hope you visit my blog often. And I hope I will be able to have some interesting posts for you all.
I have read so many great blog posts lately. I literally had tears in my eyes reading one of the sad stories quilters share. I am going to first warn you that I feel I do better at sewing than writing. Oh I received high marks in school and passed grammar, however I feel writing is a gift which I don't have now...perhaps I would sooner to stitching!!!! I also used to love writing poetry, then discovered I now need to be inspired in order to have the words flow. There are many talented quilters who have more than one gift, that is they can write and excel at more than one activity!
Please hop over to read Ann Champion's thought provoking blog post to see her newly completed and awesome String Quilt. Ann, I envy you as you had over 47 comments in response to your story. And you had me in tears also as you shared your story with us. I hope your health issues will soon be remedied.
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Some of you may know I also love using quotations in my blogging. I love this one for today:
"Quilts are memories patched together with love."
Quilters always seem to think alike, and stick together, don't we? When Ann shared her reasons for her passion of quilting, I felt I could relate to her reasons she quilts quite closely. Ann's blog really made me think. I was asking myself many questions, such as:
Q: Why do I love quilting?
Hmm...I find myself responding differently to this topic daily, depending on the way life is going! Sometimes I keep saying, I would sooner be golfing as I always dreamed that I would golf with my husband when I retired. However a health issue has intervened, and I no longer golf. Now I consider golfing is rather an expensive, no productive sport. Most days now I can hardly wait for my hubby to leave on his bike, so I can sew! Alas, he now does not feel up to cycling as regularly as he has a bad knee. I usually love to sit out in the gazebo and stitch however, this summer has not been weather friendly, that is too hot or raining. And it is ever so peaceful having your DH sitting next to you...contently reading his book.
Q: What do you enjoy about your hobby?
Q: Why in the world did I end up doing this?
I stitch and I ponder all these questions that come to mind. I become immersed in my hobby thoroughly. If I am not selecting colors or fabrics, I am tweaking those seams to improve my seam joins! When I am finished a certain project it is so rewarding to be able to see my completed work! (Well sometimes, I feel my work has the "I MADE IT" label, so it is tossed into the G...for garbage file or remember the 'don't give up, try again" phrase ). However, I think about the one Flickr member who shared her work on Flickr...thank you for posting that picture of your awesome work as you sincerely have motivated me to try sewing again!
Q: Do you even have time to perform your hobbies?
Perhaps the majority of you work and have no spare time for such activities. My mom always told me crafts and hobbies were for old women, but I guess I am an almost-old woman. I am so thankful to Mom for encouraging us sisters to attend 4-H when we were only in elementary school. I was raised in the country without home economic classes, therefore learned to sew, knit, crochet etc at 4-H. Thank you mom for all your encouragement along the way as I am able to enjoy doing all these projects today as I grow older and more wrinkly. hey, I wish I could iron out some of my wrinkles as I press out the fabric. Sewing is the only time my iron and ironing board is used! Oh, those four letter words are really abused neglected in my home: IRON, DUST, COOK and WASH!
My quilting also helped survive some family issues this past winter. I really felt I was at one of my lowest points in my life. For days I didn't do anything except sleep and cry so my puppy couldlick my tears, thus making me feel better. When i started to come out of this valley, and actually felt like doing something again, I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't sew!
I love to hand applique and seeing the first A Tisket A Tasket block on Flickr was my source of inspiration. Since I joined that group and completed my quilt top, I feel I have grown so much. My life has been enriched thoroughly with my rejuvenated love for quilting. I could ramble on and on why I love sewing...hmmm that is today's thoughts...tomorrow may be different. I am hoping I can't sleep tonight and wake up at six o'clock instead of sleeping in til eight as I did this morning. I love getting up and having my STASH (Special Treasures All Secretly Hidden) waiting for me!
Hugs to all who have reached this point in my 'ramblings of a quilter'.
...to be continued...
Hugs. Take care.
Cheryl, (c:
PS. I did enjoy stitching this new block:
Tutorial can be found here...
http://www.picklesandbacon.com/
Happy Birthday Greetings