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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

"Be Grateful & Thankful"

I enjoyed giving my presentation, Stitched in Time, yesterday at the AGAPE Senior Center in Goessel, Kansas. Unfortunately, I forgot to take the very first quilt I was planning to share! Can you believe that? I'm just about to the point where I'm going to have to pin a note to my clothes so I know what I'm supposed to do when!

This wool wallhanging hangs above the fireplace in our house and I'd planned to take it down on Tuesday morning to add to my quilt stack. Tuesday morning, I packed the car and left without it. Most of the morning I felt like something was wrong and only an hour before the presentation, I realized I'd forgotten the wallhanging. Since I was 50 miles away from home, it wasn't possible for me to run home to get it. The presentation went on without it.

I'm not going to have much time to quilt for a little while so I'd like to share some of my presentation with you every now and then. It was all about life's lessons I am learning (and relearning) through quilting. So, here is what should have been my first quilt of the presentation!

I named this wallhanging, "Now Thank We All Our God", for His abundant harvest and the family and home life he's given me. My life is far from being perfect just as this wallhanging isn't perfect.

I think the pattern was actually called "Abundant Harvest" and was a BOM in the Quiltmaker magazine several years ago. I tried to talk myself out of making it several times and finally a year after the last part of the pattern was published, I gave in and decided to make it! Have you ever had a project that you can't get out of your mind? This was one of those.

Wool projects are not popular in this area so I had to really search for colors in the local quilt shops. When I couldn't find the right colors of wool, I went to thrift stores, purchased wool garments in the colors I needed and felted them in my washing machine. For the philodendron block (lower right), I had to dye wool to get the different shades of green.

This project reminds me to be grateful and thankful for all of God's blessings in my life even when I take them for granted or don't see them in a positive way!

The ladies at the Senior Center gave me this cute little quilt stand and quilt yesterday. I know there are a few ladies from Goessel who read my blog, thank you so much to you all!

5 comments:

Marie said...

How beautiful. I wish I had been there to see and hear your presentation. I know you did a lovely job even without your intro quilt.

You are indeed blessed.

Hugs - Marie

Heather said...

A-MAZE-ING! I'm absolutely in love with your wool wallhanging! Great job! The colours are fabulous! And holy moly what a treasure is that little tiny wedding ring quilt! I have been tempted many times to make a mini wedding ring, but now I just might have to do it for sure! I have to finish Judy Niemeyer's Bali Wedding Start quilt first (it's on my table right now).

Sue-Anne said...

I am pleased your presentation went well, even with the little hiccup.
Your wool quilt is stunning. You have done a wonderful job and I love the little story that goes with it.

Karen said...

I started making a wool quilt like you made. It was my first attempt at using the wool and it did not go well. I gave away the center block and donated the rest of the block parts to a thrift store. Now I have done a lot with wool and wish I had waited to start a most ambitious project. I did not keep the patterns.

Valentina said...

Oh, Mayleen, what a gorgeous quilt, fantastic story and wonderful lesson to be learned... a true inspiration.
And for me a very happy occasion to have met you!
:)