rescued...

My fingertips are raging mad today.  It won't matter, I'm going to finish this little wall hanging that has been lingering in the closet for over 6 years.  Hubs and I discovered it hanging forlornly in a Savers before we moved to this house.  We were on a scavenger hunt for beautiful old furniture to restore for our new home.  We didn't have much money back then and we were moving into a home that our furniture wouldn't even begin to fill. 

I was looking through the fabrics that had been donated, because you never know what treasures you might find and I had six chairs that needed to be reupholstered, when I found it.  This small patriotic quilt had been started by someone, half of the hand quilting was finished.  It was on a hanger for $2.99.  The quilter in me knew the value of the fabrics alone was far greater than that. 

I snatched it up, knowing one day I would finish it.  I had to.  Someone had put a lot of hours into that quilt, it deserved a better future, their work, time, effort and skill needed to be honored.  Oh I have imagined a dozen different stories about this little quilt as I have worked on it. It isn't a great work of art, seams don't line up perfectly, it will never hang in a quilt museum.  Yet whoever started it put many hours into it.  The quilt stitches aren't perfect, which is good, because mine are super rusty as it has been over 15 years since I hand quilted anything.  Long before my hands were damaged at work. My rusty stitching greatly matches the original work. 

I will never know it's story.  Not the real one.  And honestly it doesn't matter all that much to me.  I feel honored to be completing it.  To be finishing it's story.  To be making it a piece of my story.  

Yesterday when I finished my fingerless gloves I was worried.  I often struggle to start the next project.  To know where to begin.  

I am starting a block of the month (BOM) and the box had arrived on Monday.  It's the first time I have ever done a BOM and also the first one that will involve wool and applique.  I love doing applique, but I have never been brave enough to do a full sized quilt in applique.  I ordered it way back at the beginning of March, knowing it didn't start until May.  Afraid that I would not have the time to keep up, but willing to take a chance. I didn't want to start it yesterday, as I'd ordered a light table to transfer the pattern to the fabric - far easier than using a window.  

I was feeling a tad lost.  Hubs and I were driving to Farmington for lunch.  I finally had the time. The idea of sitting with my hands completely still for 65 minutes - each way felt overwhelming, to say the least.  I do best in life when my hands are continually moving and creating. 

While Hubs and I were getting ready and rummaging through our closets - remember we are cleaning things out for the yard sale and to simply create a cleaner more usable living space - I'd finished with mine and decided to go and browse my sewing room.  I needed a project to work on while we drove.  

I had started opening and planning a few of my other rescue quilts earlier in the week.  One is destined to be machine quilted.  The other upon closer examination is a beautiful feed sack quilt, hand pieced and never finished. I am going to set up my hand-quilting frame and put it on it. Neither of those beautiful rescues fit the bill for a travel project.  I was torn between finally getting down the basket that sits high atop my fabric cabinet, it is filled with beautiful Dresden plate bits that my great grandmother started long ago, and this lonely little quilt.  

I decided on the little quilt. It simply called out to me to finally be finished. It will probably happen today.  I don't believe that Hubs and I have big plans for the day.  I have a hair appointment, and he is considering riding in at least one or two of the Patriot Guard rides that he was notified of yesterday.  He is usually working and not able to participate. They fill his heart and give him joy. He put his life on the line for this country of ours and being able to accompany a fellow warrior to his final resting place is an honor.

Even though this little wall-hanging messes terribly with his sense of order, it's creator only put 11 stripes - and I have tried to explain that it is just a patriotic decoration not an accurate representation, I think it will ultimately live in the man cave.  I also found another quilt that I had made years ago, it's even quilted, simply needs the binding done, that I will give him when finished as it is also a patriotic quilt.  Who knows before I lay my head down to sleep tonight that one might be finished as well. 

I am loving this sense of accomplishment.  Of holding something precious in my hands and cherishing it, honoring it.  I feel such an amazing sense of calm in my soul. A sense of slow.  I never quite realized that slow had a feeling attached to it.  I finally understand it.  And the healing nature of the rescue quilts feels like they are rescuing me.  

The transition in my life had left me with a void, this part of the transition is leaving me with a full heart and busy hands, the perfect combination.