A COMFORTER FOR THE SOUL

When I moved into my new house in EBF, Virginia, my BFF, Mary, made me a quilt, fashioned from all the scraps from the quilts she had made over the years, many of which I had watched her make and admired.  In the center of this patchwork quilt was an area embroidered with the words "A quilt stitched with the threads of love is a comforter for the soul."  This quilt sits over my stained glass book cabinet as a daily reminder of this dear friend and quilter extraordinaire and gives me great comfort when I find myself missing her and all my friends at "home."

That brings me to the guild's Outreach program results. But first, I want to share this quilt with you.

I've told you about guild member Gerry, the former nurse who is so well organized that she is making quilts for her progeny's progeny, even those as yet unborn (like 10 years down the road).  Well, Gerry has another approach to quiltmaking that is laudable:  she backs them with flannel.  And not just any flannel.  Pretty flannel.  Soft, warm, pretty flannel.

After all, we're talking about a QUILT here.  Something that is supposed to be warm and comforting.  I think flannel backed quilts are the epitome of warm and comforting.  I used to be afraid to work with flannel, but no more.  Today's fabrics are so much better made, and so much prettier, than the ones I grew up with.

Gerry's pretty D9P at the top of this blog is in autumn colors, so I quilted it with falling leaves in my pattern.  I used a variegated yellow/gold/orange thread, and it ties all those colors together nicely.

So, while you're admiring Gerry's newest quilt, let me tell you what happened with the quilts for Madeline's House last Wednesday.  I had about 18 or so of them ready, in boxes, to be delivered after the guild meeting.  Only about 4 or 5 were the D9P's we had done in February.  The others were made in other patterns and donated by the indefatigable ladies of the guild. However, during the meeting, so many more quilts came in that I had a total of 29 to give to Madeline's House!!!  Talk about loaves and fishes -- here I thought I would not have enough for all the potential residents at MH, and suddenly, providence -- and the wonderful, willing workers in our guild -- provided!  Thank you to every lady who gave her time and fabric for this wonderful endeavor.  We still have about 15 more quilts out there, I think, of the D9P pattern, and I look forward to seeing them and taking them to MH next month.

Lastly, I'll leave you with an image of the soft and cuddly flannel backing Gerry provided for her Outreach quilt.  It's a pale gold background with medium brown checking.  I just know this will bring great comfort to some soul in need at MH.  Thank you, Gerry, and thank you to all the ladies of the Lake Gaston Piecemakers Quilt Guild.  You have all been real troopers.