I Joined!

I am not much of a joiner, I've never particularly liked group activities.  This issue gets in my way a lot, I didn't like sports with the exception of swimming (a singular activity!) and tennis...only one other person involved!  And I don't particularly like to play games, although I'm getting better at this!   I've avoided book clubs all this time, partly because it's a group activity and partly because I don't want to "have" to read something if there's something else I want to read first.

A few months after we moved to our new town, a woman from my church mentioned that she was part of a quilting group.  Now my experience with quilting groups has NOT been positive. The ones I tried in my old town were full of very wealthy women who owned very expensive sewing machines that basically put the quilt together for you.  Not my reality.  For some reason I agreed to go to a meeting with her "just to see".  Well it turns out it was a wonderful group of very down-to-earth women who had "just regular" sewing machines.  Their meetings are a time of sharing what they've been working on and there is  usually a demonstration of some sort about a new block pattern or tips for making all those seams meet up, always a challenge in quilting.  And they usually are individually working on some sort of quilt projects to give away. The last project was making quilts for the local pregnancy and information center and for those in need at the newborn unit of the local hospital.  

The current assignment was to make a quilt using fabrics in red/white/blue to be given to veterans who are in hospice care, the thought being that the veteran could use some cheer and warmth during his/her last days and then it would become a memento for the family left behind. What a great project, I jumped in.

I found great fabric, got it pieced and then was in a quandary.  How would I have it quilted.  In Bellingham I always had  a dear friend who is a wonderful woman as well as an amazing artist do my quilting on her long arm quilting machine.  My friend from the church here who introduced me to the quilting group suggested a friend of hers might do it, but when I called she said she was just learning how to use her long arm and didn't feel comfortable taking on the challenge. The local quilting store recommended a woman, but I emailed her and called her and got no response.  I went back to the quilting store to let them know the woman had not responded and to ask if they could recommend someone else and the woman standing next to me says, "I have a long arm machine."  I asked if she did commission work and she said, " yes".  When I told her what the project was and what it was for she said, "oh, I'll do that for no charge for such a good cause."  Providential or what!  I got the quilt back yesterday and finally got the binding sewn on. 

Drum roll please......here's the finished product which will be turned in on Monday. 

Here's some detail of the quilting pattern, I love the stars and the swirls, a perfect juxtaposition for all those squares!

I love knowing this will go to someone who has sacrificed their own agenda and freedom of choice  to serve us all!