Quilting: A Purpose & Reason Beyond the Warmth

Looking around my house, there is a quilt in every room - hanging on the wall, a basket full of them in our living room, a signature quilt on our bed given as a wedding gift from my mom, on Erin's bed, on Greta's wall, in both their closets waiting for "their own houses", there has even been a handmade quilt on two US submarines, one aircraft carrier and soon to be another aircraft carrier.  (My husband requested "special sizes" just to fit his various bunks over the years...) Looking around the house again, I realize MY FAMILY IS BLESSED by the love of our family's quilting hands, on both sides, but especially my mom's.  I say this because my house is filled with quilts, but I don't quilt. This means every stitch, every piece of fabric, and every knot tied was done by someone else, just for me, or my husband or our girls... that is a special feeling.  It provides more than warmth.

Recently, as some of you may know, my 6 year old niece, Adah, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  My sister and her family live overseas and they were just in the states for a short visit when the diagnosis was made, so their lives have been turned upside down.  One of the first things my mom did after we heard the diagnosis was "whip up" a quilt for Adah to have with her in the hospital and in the ambulance ride while they changed hospitals.  It's just a little piece of "Nani" for Adah to have with her during this time - and it provided her more than warmth as she cuddled underneath it for her ambulance ride.

As I mentioned, I don't quilt, but I attend a church, Hope United Methodist in San Diego, that started the "Prayers & Squares" ministry - and now there are chapters all over the nation! I love this ministry.  It gives me, a non-quilter, the chance to participate in something wonderful by requesting a quilt for those in need.  Shortly after Adah's diagnosis, I requested a "prayer square" for her.  Our church quilters made it with bright colors, full of animals and fun prints.  Our congregation prayed over the "square" (large enough to be a small wall-hanging for her hospital room) during three services and then we tied knots, one by one, saying prayers for Adah.  The day she got it, my sister said she slept with it on her pillow - that night, that little square provided Adah some peace as she slept, and it provided our family in San Diego a feeling of closeness to her.

I also requested a full-sized quilt for my sister, Sara, and her husband, Jason (Adah's parents).  I had a quilt top my mom had given me as a "thank you" to pass on to this ministry for providing her a quilt during her recent health battles.  In perfect timing, it was THAT quilt top the ministry at my church used to make Sara and Jason's quilt - made by our mom many months before, and quilted and tied by my church in California.  When Sara and Jason received the quilt, it immediately replaced what they had been using at the hospital - it provided thoughts of love and prayers for their whole family as they faced this diagnosis together, and it provided a connection for our family from Texas to California and back to Texas again!

The Austin Area Quilt Guild is having their upcoming Show & Sale (more info here in our ezine), which is why I am writing this blog.  Writing about that upcoming event made me think about the quilts in my life and how important they are to me, to my family, to my friends...  Quilts are for everyone, for any time, and any place.  Their purpose and reason for being created is different for everyone - for joy, in celebration, in memory, for decoration, for warmth, for fun, taught in a class, passed down by generations, for prayers and love, as a gift and the list can go on and on and on....  The point is they have a purpose and I hope to encourage you that they can have a purpose and a place in your life, too!

If you live in Austin, or anywhere near Austin, be sure to attend the AAQG's upcoming show, "Changing Gears", but if you live in San Diego, or anywhere near San Diego, then attend the San Diego Quilt Show (same weekend - different cities!).  I will be at the one in San Diego, and Anne Marie will be at the one in Austin (and she is teaching a class!!)

Experience what quilting is today and what it can be in your life!

XO,
allison

P.S.  If you found this blog post via our ezine, and clicked on the ezine link, then you are in the drawing for two free tickets for the AAQG show!  If you found this blog post another way (facebook, twitter, web, etc...) and you want to be in the drawing, leave a comment and your name will be entered as well.  Deadline to click & enter or comment & enter is 12midnight Monday Sept. 13th!