I came home from Norway and was blissfully unaware that I was without an operating sewing machine for over a year. When it came time to pull the 'ole Viking out, a vital piece of plastic popped off. My workhorse of a sewing machine for my entire married life had died. I started looking at other Vikings and realized that I did not sew enough to justify the non-1979 prices. I had helped a lady program her programmable embroidery machine and was really, really coveting it - but since she had mentioned that it cost about $6500.00, well, it made the Vikings look cheap. It got me looking at embroidery machines though.
I wandered over to my good old friend Amazon.com and bought a Brother embroidery machine that was less that $400.00, stitched a straight line and most importantly: embroidered all the Disney Princesses. It embroiders other things also, but the selling point was that I could buy a card that had all the princesses on it (and other cards also). OK, and it stitches more than just straight lines. It is a fun toy and I was enjoying playing with it when Gary suggested that I stop goofing off and start embroidering stuff for something ... say - like a quilt.
I said OK and started embroidering the princesses on white squares of cotton fabric. I have never made a quilt, thought of making a quilt or really wanted to make a quilt, but I enjoyed embroidering the squares! The level of my seriousness at the time is best described by where I was getting my fabric. Did I go to the fabric store and purchase a bunch of fabric to make the squares? No, I was cutting up old European style pillowcases that we did not use - good fabric, just didn't like the pillowcase style. It is a good thing that I tend to over buy my linens - I had just enough.
It was very calming and when I was having a panic attack, depressed or just in a mood, I would go into my craft room and watch a princess appear out of nowhere. Seriously, no talent required whatsoever.
I started accumulating a bunch of squares and decided that I should really make Jessie a quilt, so I bought the sashing and the back and thought: 'for her birthday'. That came and went and nothing happened. Then I got the Phone Call. Now I wanted her to have the quilt when she went to Richmond State School and I wanted our names to be on it since they were words she would recognize, but still - I had not grown any quilting skills.
Linda, my very wonderful talented friend knew about my quest and had seen the squares. About two weeks ago, she took pity on me and said - 'bring them over'. Today she called and this wonderful, wonderful person had finished my Jessie's quilt. I know she has no idea what it means to me - she does these sorts of huge random acts of kindness on a daily basis for everybody - she is a saint - but for me - someone not used to having friends who will just make a quilt for you because you happen to be incompetent - this is HUGE. I know Jessie will love it and it will bring her comfort during those confusing times when she does not know why she is where she is at and the 'Where's my Mom and Dad?'. We might not be there, but she will recognize our names. And princesses make her happy.
What she probably won't get by looking at the quilt is that she is part of a family who loves her (look horizontally) and that she is a princess (look vertically), but that does not mean it is not true.
Of course, we had to go take photos ... I throw our small camera in my bag whenever I leave the house because you just never know what you might find.
It is the bridge over the Brazos river. She acted as 'spotter', and as always: 'good sport' while I parked my car on the rail road tracks and snapped away.
