Letting Go

Just over a year ago, I met Aretha. I was familiar with the program she had started because the Women's Fund gave her a grant. My group of women (the Sophias because we are all wise women) was especially taken with Aretha's program, The Djembe Project. Her plan was to get a group of up to 18 at-risk girls together on Saturday mornings and teach them to respect themselves and others, teach them about responsibility and community service, teach them that there is more to the world than what is happening in their neighborhood and that they have options.

So this beautiful woman, who has in her own life faced adversity and risen above it, who has and is making things happen, inspired me to do a crazy thing. When asked what could we do for these girls to commemorate their success in the program - well, we'll make them all quilts. Of course we will. I do it every day.

But 14? In a year? On top of everything else?

Sure.

This is where my friends come in and rescue me from myself.

Mrs. Goodneedle and Quiltkeemosabe helped me cut out all the symbols.

Then a whole slew of quilters helped applique the symbols to the blocks and assemble the tops.

Bonnie quilted them all.

Women at the fall retreat sewed sleeves on the backs.

They've been done since November but between the weather, the holidays, crazy schedules and so forth, we weren't able to get together...until this afternoon.

David and I met Aretha and some of the girls to give them their quilts. Not all the girls were there but I gave all the quilts to Aretha to pass on to them. I have to let it go.

Were the girls appropriately astounded and appreciative?

No. Not really. They are 11 - 14 year old girls. I expected no real appreciation.

I have to let it go.

Am I disappointed?

Absolutely not. One day, one (or maybe more) of those girls will look at that quilt and remember and realize what she was given by strangers.

Absolutely not. I learned that no matter what crazy idea I have, my friends rally around me and will pull me out of the hole I've dug.

Abolutely not. It was a challenge and it was fun and they are beautiful.

But I have to let it go.

Do I have to do it again?

Absolutely not.

In a Nutshell

Been busy.

Been without a computer at home.

Lots been happening.

The nutshell... in no particular order...

We have no heat in the house. Hopefully the part will come in today and we can get it fixed since it's supposed to be 18 degrees tonight. We're toughing it out and Shelby is just thrilled with her fleece sweatshirt. Can't you tell?

Yesterday, I took off for Chatham County to see my friend Sam and his new house.

He designed it himself. I told him he missed his calling and should have been an architect instead of a globe-trotting attorney...then he'd be as poor as the rest of us.

Friday night, my mom and I continued the Old Salem Candle Tea tradition with my nephews. Can you tell that little one is a wild man?

This past weekend, Lynda and I ran/walked the Mistletoe 5k. Tory surprised us and ran/walked with us. Next year, we'll run the whole thing...maybe.

A couple of hours after crossing the finish line, it started showing. We got about 1.5" and I smiled about it all day.

Thanksgiving started off with walking in the Turkey Strut 5k and ended with this. I should have done the half marathon.

With the ALOT of help from my friends, I got the Djembe quilts done...all 14.

Here's a quilt I finished and forgot to photograph.

I finally got this top together and quilted for the shop.

One day a week or so ago, I was meeting kb for lunch and ended up driving her home since her car decided it wanted a little vacation. We got behind this car on the way home and it was one of those weird moments that made me laugh hysterically . Someone in Kville bagged a deer. Why so funny? No idea.

I got to spend two wonderful days in Quiltville with Bonnie. She quilted ALL the Djembe quilts. We had a great time. (We could tell kb's quilts from everyone else's because she miters corners...always. See how perfect that miter is?)

for the first time ever I made it to the Brenner Festival of Trees. Gina designed the tree and I personally think it was the best one. I found out I can make pears but I'm rough on partridges.

Shelby sporting the lovely designer collar Quiltteacher made her at retreat. Shelby says Thank you Miss Muriel!

I finally broke down and started cutting up the wool Karen brought me. I'm making a king-size quilt out of the strips and didn't quite use half of the stash. Karen showed up at my house one day with all this wool that Sawtooth was throwing out! It's good to have well-connected friends!

The bee at the opening of our quilt showing November 12th at Yadkin Valley Cultural Arts Center. Fun night and so wonderful to see our quilts hanging in such a beautiful place.

See? Busy...but we're having fun, aren't we?

Doing What I Do

So, I'm back on my path, doing what I do.

What do I do?

I make quilts. To me, it is the answer to every occasion. Births, marriage, graduation, big birthdays, even deaths. When ever something happens, I want to congratulate or console with the comfort of a quilt.

Several months back, I was contacted by a woman that had seen my Women's Fund quilt when she was award a grant for her new program for girls. She has brought a group of at-risk girls together and through a program she has devised is helping them become better women. They meet every Saturday morning and based on their actions, interactions, service, etc., they earn Andinkra symbols that represent things they have learned and characteristics they exhibit. It is based on African rites of passage and will, hopefully, make a permanent and positive mark on the lives of these young girls.

As a member of The Women's Fund, I was aware of this program and when we were voting on which programs to fund, this one drew me in. I loved the idea of empowering a group of girls. So, when the director of the program emailed me to talk about ideas on how to provide an "award" for each girl at the end of the program, I knew there was no doubt I wanted to help out.

So, I'm making 14 quilts, one for each girl.


Back in March, I met the girls and spent a wonderful morning with them, having them pick out squares of fabric to use in their quilt. I had more than enough 10" blocks cut out and we spread them out on the floor and they took turns gathering their squares. They put their squares in big ziploc bags and I asked them to write their name on the bags with a Sharpie. Many did more than write their name and today, as I've pulled those bags out to get started on the hard part, I have smiled at the hearts and flowers on those bags. One says "Shine wherever you go!"

As the girls earn symbols, I'll applique the symbol to one of their squares. I received the first group of symbols this weekend so I can get started. It's going to be a lot of work but I am so looking forward to it.