Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Amy's Creative Side


A Quilt of Firsts


Amy at Amys Creative Side is hosting the most wonderful Quilt Festival. I love her blog and so much wanted to be a part of this show. If you haven't seen it yet, you should go on over and look at all the hundreds of wonderful quilts entered!

This is my entry into the festival. Though it is simple it is a quilt of many firsts and I am really pleased with myself.

This is my first completed quilt for Quilts for Kids, it is my first straight line machine quilting as well as first machine free motion quilting.It is also my first completed quilt in over 25 years!!  So, I will quickly try to tell you the story of my getting to this point and why I am so pleased with myself.


This is not meant to be a sad story or a story I will repeat, it is just a story of how life happens.
I was a very avid quilter back in the 80s. It was alot different then to say the least. I hand quilted everything. But, as with everything life happens and I ended up having to have carpel tunnel surgery on both hands due to all the damage I did to them crafting all the time. Imagine that, I never would have thought that possible. Anyway after having the surgery and rehabs on both hands, it took a while to get them back up to speed. By this time we moved from NH to TN and life just got busy. After my kids had grown and gone on their own and empty nest settled in, I decided to go back to sewing and quilting. I no sooner got back into it and we had a house fire in 2001 and lost everything. It was devastating to go out one day and find at the end of the day you have no where to go home to and nothing but what is in your possession at the moment. It took a long time to get our bearings and get resettled. This time back in NH near family and friends. By the time we got back up here I began to get ill. I already had been dealing with thyroid disease and narcolepsy for years but this was something worse I could tell. They first diagnosed fibromyalgia and mixed connective tissue disorder and degenerative disk disease in my spine. I was living with alot of pain and went through several medications to try to manage pain along with cortisone injections. But, things got worse and I started to have trouble breathing doing simple things. The mixed connective tissue disease caused pulmonary hypertension , a disease that causes the arteries in the lungs to thicken and makes it hard for the blood to flow through, which in turn forces your heart to work harder to pump the blood and causes it to enlarge and become less effective. So I went from chronic disease to a terminal illness with a 2 1/2 to 5 year life expectancy.Then this past April I was diagnosed with cancer from it and underwent radiation in June. It was my only treatment option due to being too weak for surgery, It seems my days were filled with being sick and weak and many many hospital stays. Last year I was in for almost 4 months over 7 stays!
I felt so useless and unproductive which made me start to feel so depressed. Not about being terminal just about doing nothing all day but being sick!! 
This past fall on a beautiful sunny morning when the sky was a brilliant blue, and the air felt so clean and fresh I realized I was already at the 2 1/2 year mark and I was actually starting to feel a bit stronger! Give an inch and I will take a mile!! Praise God, a little stronger was a milestone. I just needed to decide what to do with myself. THEN  it hit me quilt! Quilting made me happy, fabric, color , made me happy.I needed a plan to motivate myself and feel usefull. I was going to make a quilt for every member of my family and my friends so after  I was gone they would always be able to surround themselves with my love and hugs. It started out slow as I had nothing to work with and a terrible little machine that hated to sew. I also knew I wanted to make Quilts for kids because when I went into the hospital I always brought my blankie and it always comforted me and I want to do the same for them, give them comfort and love. I plan on making quilts for them between all the family quilts.
  So, not having a stash or knowing where to really begin , they sent me a quilt kit which I made into this quilt I am showing. My quilt of firsts because not only am I back quilting and spending my time in joy I have accomplished so many firsts in this quilt. Though it is simple, I hope you enjoy it!!
straight line on the blocks and free motion around the border.


first free motion, this is where I was hanging on like a crazy women with my hair standing straight up!!

Sorry for the blur, this is the backing.



So, my short story has turned way to long so I will end off sending you all

Hugs and blessings
Kate

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful quilt, beautiful spirit. You're kind of awesome. :-)

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  2. For first in straight line quilting, free motion quilting and first finished quilt....you have done a wonderful work of art. Keep up the good workmanship,it is very addictive.

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  3. Beautiful quilt! I love your colors. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you feel stronger and stronger.

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  4. You are lovely! Thanks for sharing this cute quilt!

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  5. I'm so impressed! The pattern and fabrics are beautiful. I'm glad you found quilting again. :)
    I know your story had to be difficult to write, thank you for sharing it with us.

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  6. Kate, I am glad you found my blog and became my friend. I love your spirit and your tenaciousness.
    Your quilt is great. And you have reminded us all to "do what makes you happy!" Thanks.

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  7. It seems you have been making lemonade out of all those lemons you have been tossed. A lovely quilt and a good lesson for us all.

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  8. there is a scripture in Pslam 63 that says "your love is better than life itself". Some days on this earth are so hard. I could not do some days if I didn't know that God is with me helping me and teaching me and giving me his strength when I feel so weak. I am thankful that you have found some joy in sewing for others. The kids will be so blessed.

    That will continue to be good medicine for you I will pray for strength to continue. Your quilt is beautiful. I love the floral border. so pretty. Yea for you for tackling the Free motion quilting. That is amazing. thanks for sharing janita

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  9. It's a beautiful quilt with a inspirational story. Thanks so much for being willing to share it.

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  10. Thank you Kate for visiting and leaving a lovely comment so I found you! Your quilt is so beautiful and I'm really happy that you got the strength and energy to start quilting again! Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us to be grateful and think positive! I wish you all the best with sunny wishes! x Teje

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  11. Kate, your quilt is lovely. You did a great job, and your story is so inspiring. Thank you for sharing. I truly wish you the very best, and will look forward to seeing more of your wonderful quilts.

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  12. So glad you are back quilting and creating!

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  13. Kate, you are a wonderful quilter - and your story is truly inspirational. That is a beautiful quilt - and I love what you did with the quilting and the way you put the fabrics together. The closeups show that there is so much to admire with that quilt.

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  14. Kate, thanks so much for your sweet comment on my blog. This quilt is very sweet and feminine and your story is touching. I hope you have some really good days to quilt! Lily.

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  15. I loved reading about the development of your quilt.

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  16. You did such a beautiful job on your "quilt of firsts"!! Thank you for sharing your story - I pray you will continue feeling stronger and able to do what you love! Hugs and prayers!

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  17. Well...Kate, this is some story..And I am reading it today when I am so trying not to feel sorry for myself. Riding the chair lift we put into the house for my mother with Parkinsons, a screw came loose and it collapsed. I remember nothing of the accident and I had a mild concussion. That was two weeks ago. It is amazing to me how two weeks can seem like 2 million years when you are used to humming along or taking care of others. Patience and celebrating the day is the only way. But sooo hard. My mother is now 91 and was on the verge of death four times last year. Recently she went to lunch bunch with her assisted living while I was in bed with my concussion...that is the life. We know nothing..just enjoy and carry on. Thank you for sharing your story. I am so glad you are sewing..hugs from North Carolina.

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  18. This certainly is a beautiful quilt and what a story! I'm glad you are returning to something that you love. God bless. (and thanks for linking up to 100 Quilts for Kids)

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