Chapter 1 : As a young girl (somewhere between 7 and 10 years old), my mom and I took a quilting class at church. I'm pretty sure that it was only a few sessions and all I remember is sharing something special with my mommy & making a pillow.
Chapter 2: After graduating from college, I worked part-time at a fabric and craft store. That was the craftiest season of my life. Somehow, someway I took it upon myself to make a quilt for my mother. I had just purchased my first sewing machine and was raring to go. Picked my pattern and fabric and off I went. What did I get myself into? My greatest memories are that my machine jammed a lot & that I was not exact enough in my cutting. Not very fond memories and I think I swore off quilting. But, my mom was delighted and loved the quilt. It graced the back of her couch (and her lap) for 20 years.
Chapter 3: About five years ago, my mom started quilting. She had wanted to hand quilt for many years, but felt that, with working and caring for my grandmother, she didn't have the time. But she finally resigned herself to the fact that machine quilting was good enough and that she needed to get started. She decided to make quilts for all her grandkids and found a couple quilting groups.
In 2010, Mom presented Lara with the first grandchild quilt.
And while she was visiting, she took Mikayla and Julia to the fabric store to pick fabric for their quilts. However, Mom's health started to deteriorate and she did not have the ability or time to quilt as often as she wanted. Over the next four years, she completed Julia's then Mikayla's quilts.
Chapter 4... February 2014 - One of the hardest months of my life as my parents both passed away just five days apart. Soon after hearing of my mom's death, my thoughts and heart went to the quilts and all the love she put into them. That sad day I wrapped myself up in Mikayla's quilt to feel near to my mommy. And I mourned that two of my girls did not have Grandma quilts.
I started making arrangements for someone to finish Karissa's quilt which my mom had already planned. And I decided to give Alexa the quilt I made for mom years ago.
Chapter 5: God had different plans. I am making Alexa's Grandma Ellie quilt. And renewing my quilting story. All I know of mom's plans was that Alexa's quilt would include fabrics from the other girls' quilts, so I'm going scrappy. It was bittersweet going through my mom's stash and finding pieces of her past projects. I came home with a suitcase full of fabrics she had acquired... and touched...and loved...many she had cut and some she had even sewed.
This story is one about working through my feelings of loss and feeling connected to my mother. My mom has inspired me to try quilting again. I miss her dearly, but knowing that I am carrying on something she started brings me comfort.
And I am genuinely enjoying it. There are so many more tools and techniques since I swore off quilting 20 years ago. I have been longing for a creative outlet and this can be it. I know that this brings Mom joy.
My quilting story continues.
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