Yesterday I delivered this quilt to a friend of mine. It's a purple Dresden Plate that was pieced, appliqued and partially quilted by Joyce.
I've never met Joyce, she is my friend's mother in law and she passed away last spring.
I know that she was an artist and a quilter. Her husband found this quilt partially finished and wanted someone to finish it. So my friend called me and that's how I came to work on Joyce's quilt. I've spent the last few weeks finishing the hand quilting and adding the binding.
No one in the family knew when Joyce started it or how long she worked on it. They're not sure why she chose purple and so those things will never be known. There isn't a lot of complicated quilting so I continued Joyce's design of simple edge stitching in the borders. It's not a perfect quilt, but then, do any of us make perfect quilts?? In the end, what we want is a finished quilt that someone will love and enjoy.
So Joyce's quilt is done and I hope her husband will use it and enjoy it.
I feel honored and humbled that the family trusted me to finish this. While I was quilting, I had time to think about whether someone I don't know will one day finish one of my quilts (or maybe more than one). I'm so glad this quilt is no longer in a bag in the closet.
May we all keep stitching as long as we have days.
Karen
9 comments:
That's not a sappy story, it is a sweet one! You were able to do for Joyce's sweetheart, and he is blessed by you sharing your talent. And yes, it makes me think of my many unfinished quilts, better do some now ~
:-}pokey
What a gift for the family, and somewhere Joyce is smiling right now. You did a kind and wonderful thing, good job!
That's a lovely thing for you to have done. I bet the family, and specially her husband are thrilled to have it finished.
Not sappy Karen, just the sentiments of a quilter to other quilters, who surely understand. How lovely for both you and your friend's family. Mmmm I had better get on with my ufo's!
How sweet that you were the important ending to a lovely story. No one could have finished this better than you. Good work!
It's wonderful that you were able to do this for the family, Karen. I'm feeling a bit the same way as I'm going to be sorting through the fabrics and projects of a quilting friend that passed away last spring.
I loved the story. Yes, I agree, I hope someone will finish quilts that are unfinished when I die. Maybe they will have to be sold in a garage sale, but they still might get finished by someone.
Great story behind your quilt. Love that you finished it up for them knowing how much they would appreciate the effort.
So good of you to complete the job started by a quilter who has gone to the Great Beyond. And it is in purple which you have been working with a lot this past year.
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