Time Travel Tuesday

This quilt was made as a signature quilt to comfort the family of a dear online friend who lost her battle with cancer.  The list was formed way back in the summer of 1996 when a bunch of ladies were expecting babies the following April.  We shared all those stories about our pregnancies that would have bored our other friends and family members.  Then, we stayed together while we had babies, then toddlers ... because we still had to share about all those cute little things they say and do.  We even have our own acronyms for the message subject : CTTS - for Cute Things They Say.

A quilt for Cindy's family

Over the years, our sharing has broadened to include topics about our other (non-April) babes and our marriages and family struggles.  It's been almost 16 years since we first formed the group.  I love that I get to understand how others think and feel about things.  Differing political or religious views, differing ideas on raising their children, differing regional culture... just about everything.  Since we're moms first, and have long time friendships, it really helps to have that foundation in understanding an idea completely opposite of my own.

As Cindy shared about her battle with cancer, we cheered her own.  Many of us prayed for her health and we often asked her how her treatment was going.  Her husband was amazing.  He supported her and showed his love to her very last breath.  When she couldn't post any more, he would give us updates and we'd return well wishes and words of encouragement.  Upon her death, we all wanted to do something to comfort her husband and children.

My first attempt at continuous curves quilting

 
Although most of the April moms are non quilters, they could share a photo or come up with words and a design on the computer.  Most of them emailed me their artwork, which was printed on to fabric.  A few did embroidery onto their fabric square and mailed it to me.    The blocks were arranged and rearranged until this layout came together.  I really like the Mariner's Compass blocks mixed in.

I had a few empty blocks to make the layout work.  So the quilt was mailed in December 2008 with permanent pigma pens to invite her family to add to the love expressed in this quilt.

Her husband, Jay, sent back a story of how Cindy had made quilts to comfort others.  He told me that if she had picked out the fabrics for this one, she would have selected from the same blues and teals that we used here.  He ended up helping her make a few and knew well the time involved and of rotary cutters and chain piecing.  Wow! In the midst of his grief, his expression of thankfulness was an encouragement to all in our moms group. 

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars