This month I’m sharing a quilt made by my students, a lively group of senior ladies who have lived very interesting lives. Team effort resulted in a beautiful work of art that is filled with many stories. When examining the quilt blocks, you will find fabric pieces which shed light on their individual lives. There’s the minister who also runs a small gift basket business, the singer who has traveled many parts of the world, and the poet who has served as a committee person. Also, there’s the U.S. Veteran who has traveled extensively and has made as many quilts as I have, inspiring me with her own storied quilts. I draw inspiration from the talented lady who is studying art and is no stranger to hand and machine stitching. And I can’t forget the retired library assistant who is passionate about history, books, and poetry, always armed with newspaper articles to share with the group. Then there are those who retired from the following jobs: dressmaker, factory worker, classroom assistant, and Home & School advocate. There are those who sewed for a living and those who scrubbed for a living, and of course there are those who like so many of previous generations, were Stay at Home Moms. The hands that put together this quilt nurtured children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, husbands, parents and others who had special needs or those who just needed mentoring. They have cooked, cleaned, baked, sewed, and in many cases have used those same hands for artistic expression such as painting, knitting, quilting, embroidering, gardening, and crocheting. One creative lady is known for her penchant for designing her signature hats and another for making jewelry and embellishing footwear and other items with her trusty hot glue gun. (She wowed me when she added bling to her quilt block.) I’ve heard their stories about love and loss and the strength that they mustered through heartache and pain. Sharing of themselves was a sidebar benefit of working on this long-term project. The overriding characteristic apparent in all of these incredible ladies is that they are faith-filled individuals who are grateful for every single day. They have talents and skills and they enjoy getting out and meeting interesting people, and sharing their stories with others. But most of all, they look forward to being around other seniors who encourage them in some way and who also have a passion for trying and creating new things.
On this Mother’s Day I hope everyone finds some way to pay tribute to mothers.
Happy Mother’s Day!!!
Artfully yours,
Chris