My life as a quilt began when I was taken out of someone’s “Good Intentions” closet and donated to the DHLC Sewing Bee. There, I was placed in a bin with other fabric pieces of similar colors. I was then combined with other coordinating fabrics and taken to the Cut Kit group on Wednesday. In this group, we were all cut into matching pieces, placed into bags with an instruction sheet, and formed into what they call a “kit.”
We spent a few days in a box on the movable shelving rack before a sewer selected us from the other kits and took us home. It felt like no time at all before she had arranged us into rows, stitched us together, and returned us to the Bee. I was amazed at how quickly my life as an individual had merged with others. We were on our way to becoming a quilt.
At the Bee, many things happened to us. We were inspected, measured, and taken to the closet, where we were matched with a piece of fabric called a “back.” This fabric had been specifically measured, cut, and sewn just for us! We were then pressed, neatly folded, and hung on a rack until a piece of batting was cut to fit us.
Next, at the pinning table, we were layered inside out, stretched, and pinned around the outer edge. We were then taken to the sewing machine table, where we were stitched around the outer edge, leaving an opening large enough to turn us right side out again.
At the hand sewing table, one of the seamstresses trimmed the edge, turned us right side out, and stitched the opening closed with tiny, careful stitches that you can hardly see. We were then brought back to the tying table, where we were stretched and pinned again. After that, colorful matching cords were used to carefully tie us all together.
I thought that would be the end, but it wasn’t. We returned to a machine sewer, who stitched around the outside edge and removed the pins. Finally, we went back to the hand-sewing table, where they sewed on the label we proudly wear:
Made with loving hands by the Sewing Bee of Desert Hills Lutheran Church, Green Valley, AZ.
Believe me, I had no idea I would feel so many loving hands before I was transformed into what I am today. Now I wonder where I will go next. Will I wrap around a child coming out of surgery at St. Andrew’s cleft palate surgery in September? Will I grace the bed of a woman from Sister Jose’s shelter in her new home? Will I cuddle around a child waiting to see his father at the veterans’ hospital? Will I be sold at the boutique and given to a happy grandchild to celebrate his graduation? Will I keep an unhoused person warm?
There are so many possibilities and unknowns. What I do know is that I was made with love, and I will be loved in return. Most importantly, I know I will make a difference in someone’s life, and that is what truly counts!
If you have fabric sitting unused in your closet, or if you want to make a positive impact in the lives of others, consider joining the Sewing Bee on Tuesday mornings. They will warmly welcome you, just as they did me!