Over the weekend I was working on my computer when I realized that I haven't seen any notifications for comments on this blog for quite a while. That struck me as odd, so I went into my dashboard and lo and behold--I had 300 comments waiting to be approved!
I spent the better part of an hour with a smile on my face reading all the comments. There's a glitch I need to sort out on Blogger to 1) notify me of comments and 2) allow me to respond. I keep getting signed out, so I type up a comment and it gets lost in cyberspace. I need to get my tech support guy (aka hubby) to set things straight. In the meantime, thanks to everyone who made my day!
One person commented that she liked how I generally had a person in mind when I made a quilt. That made me laugh a little because while it's true, I had just started the post about this quilt, which is the one glaring exception to the rule.
In June of 2013, my good friend Erin married her husband Bob. Erin is definitely a quilt worthy friend. After my brain injury, with my personality changes and tendency to be anti-social, Erin was one of only a few people who drew closer to me. When she got married, I had only been quilting for four months. I wanted to make her and Bob a quilt, but I wanted to be a little more confident in my skills first.
This quilt came up in my Pinterest feed and I thought it was perfect. I loved how the hearts were little "Ls", like their last name, Lekberg.The photo was posted by Sandy from Piecemeal Quilts. She wrote about a meeting of quilters and someone shared this unnamed quilted.
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| Credit: Sandi from Piecemeal Quilts |
I asked Erin about colors. She said she like purple and Bob liked blue. I figured out how to reverse engineer the pattern and got started. All the while, I thought about Erin and Bob and how ridiculously in love they were.
It went together really quickly, but as I worked I got the niggly feeling that it wasn't really right for them. It didn't feel like "them."
Bob and Erin have such a fun story. Their courtship was a whirlwind, full of fun adventures. To propose, Bob re-enacted scenes from the movie "Up."
In fact, their wedding had an "Up" theme as well. I gave them some "Up" themed gifts with a note that a quilt would be coming.
So as I finished up my purple and blue love chain quilt, I designed an "Up" quilt in my mind and praying about who needed this quilt.
At the same time, my talented and generous friend Rachel mentioned that the foster daughter her family had been parenting for the last six months was leaving their care. My heart hurt for this little girl. I learned that many kids in the foster care system don't have anything of their own, and when they move from home to home, what little they have is put in a black trash bag!
Immediately I knew that this little girl would receive my quilt.
Now that I knew a bit of her story, I also made a pillowcase and drawstring bag for N., so she could keep her things together.
D modeled the bag before we drove over to deliver the gift.
I've wondered about N over the years. I hope that she is with a family who loves her.
As for Erin and Bob, their story was filled with adventure...and tragedy. On September 20, 2014, just 15 months after they were married, Bob died suddenly of a heart attack. I hadn't finished their wedding quilt, but worked non-stop to finish it for Bob's celebration of life service.
It is so much more fun to make baby quilts or friendship quilts, but sometimes life is just really, really hard. I'm grateful that quilts are a way to offer love in tangible form to those who need it.
To end this post on a slightly more positive note, look again at the first photo. N's little fingers are clutching the quilt. Adorable!
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Oh my gosh, what a heart-wrending story. Your friend must cherish her Up quilt so very much. And looking back at those fingertips clutching the quilt - looks like complete ownership of her very own special quilt already internalized there!
ReplyDeleteIt really was meant to be for that little girl. I wonder sometimes where she is now. I hope she is safe and loved.
DeleteThat quilt ended up exactly where it was suppose to, those little fingers on the quilt are so touching. Your story is sad, but also full of love. I can only imagine how much Erin cherishes the quilt you made for her and Bob. Thanks for sharing your story on Main Crush Monday.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your friend. That's tragic to lose your love so quickly after finding it. I know though that your quilt made all the difference. That's a memory to hang on to. And that little quilt for N is so special! No matter where she is now, that quilt is telling her that someone loves her and that's the most wonderful thing in the world. Thanks for sharing this on Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a perfect gift for this little girl. It's sad that the wedding quilt didn't quite meet it's intent, but it's lovely that it became a celebration of life
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