Saturday, October 25, 2008

It Makes Me Stop and Think.







Before I start on the subject of today's post I want to say Thanks for the interesting comments about the mail boxes.Those were very normal ones - I will start a collection of strange inventive and unusual ones! Sharon, microwaves probably make very weather proof mailboxes - a good use for a clapped out one.Unfortunately boxes sometimes get trashed here, too, Deb. Julie - so glad you like Avos - I'll try and remember that if I am coming your way, as we grow them.

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I'm so glad it is the Weekend - a long one here ( Labour weekend NZ ) as we have been working SO hard. My neck and arms get over worked and my finger tips look like I smoke 50 a day.( which of course I don't )( We are crush tipping and bud thining the Kiwifruit )I have been neglecting my blog friends this last busy week - sorry.
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It Makes Me Stop and Think.
Until recently a lady who I will call J here, was a member of the P and Q group I belong to. She became less and less with us ( in every sense of those words ) She has 2 things wrong with her and one was interfering with her ability to speak ( and possibly think ).For a while she was still driving and that concerned us, but then that too stopped. For some months she still liked to come and sit and be with us; but then quite rapidly she became worse.
The out come has been that her husband and family have moved both of them to a very nice residential care / home ( at Tamihere near Hamilton ) where she can have on going help. In the course of moving and cleaning out their home for the shift the husband boxed up ALL her fabric and unfinished quilts and batting. There were just so many flimsies and unfinished projects. ( maybe she really had started them and forgotten and started something else? )ALL her stuff was delivered to our group. SO as a group we decided it would be best for us to buy any fabric we wanted from her stash ( What I got is in the 3rd photo ) for a sensible donation and we would all select quilt tops we thought we could finish for her - then we will delivered them and the donations to Tamihere to the home so she and her family and fellow residents can use and get pleasure from them.
J's favourite colour was GREEN! Almost every quilt has green in it.
I selected to finish for her a top with green and purple, as I was most likely to have fabrics suitable in those colours. It has a seaside theme. It has been a challenge! Never before have I tried to work with so many problems. The middle 14 inch square - isn't ( square ) and things got worse as I continued out. Some stitching has popped undone, so I have tried to use the machine quilting I have done to hold those wee patches firm. As I sew I am humbled and troubled by J. It is a very salient lesson. What if my family had to clear out my sewing cupboard? What if someone else had to finish what I have started? I am going to write a note for the inside of the sewing cupboard door with my current wishes for my gear ( it can be changed over time ). I will make time this weekend to put the binding I have selected ( see top photo )( left from my Purple Splendour quilt ) on to the quilt and continue doing some hand quilting to liven it up. The machine quilting - mainly in the ditch is not perfect because of the shape but I have learnt about fudging and stretching parts to help the problems.
Personally I am a finisher, but I too have a few works in progress in my cupboard. I have also got some very special fabrics that I would not want wasted , so I must not be afraid to cut into them....I can always get more ( if I get to be very old .LOL )
In our group we have several ladies with health problems, so I am very lucky to be fit and healthy - able to work and sew and garden - for now anyway.
Have a lovely weekend everyone. ( it is pouring down here now so I will get to sew.Yippee! )



13 comments:

Anonymous said...

A very thoughtful post and I've been thinking about this as well. I'm going to follow your action and write up a note as to what I'd like to see happen to my stuff should I suddenly fall ill or meet a worst demise.

kirsten said...

Ali, years ago I remember seeing a "Quilter's Will" somewhere. It had instructions for the dispersement of The Stash and UFO's. Very funny, but also rather serious!

Silverthimble said...

I was very touched by this post. I think your group is doing a wonderful thing by finishing the projects started by your friend and donating them to a worthy cause! Your reflections on what someone might think of our own stash and UFOs makes me think of my own situation. I too have many projects to finish. I also have some fabrics that I have treasured for some time and have hesitate to cut into. This summer I decided that I bought them because I loved them. I am now using them up and loving the projects that they are in. Thanks so much for the inspirational post!

molly said...

Our guild has sometimes done something like this. The ladies finished some quilts after their owner/starter died. They quilted and bound them and gave them to her daughters! It certainly is something to think about, as I am very much a starter! I need to concentrate on finishing more....

Helen said...

funny, I was thinking about that yesterday while I stitched the quilt I've just blogged. All those stashed fabrics...it's so nice to actually use them. and what about the ufo's. why don't I finish them...there're some lovely quilts there, and old fabric friends too. I remember the will that Kirsty commented about. It was so our ufo's didn't become rags for cleaning the motorbike. Oh my. I used to start each year by finishing a ufo, but that didn't happen this year. ahh well, shall keep using my stash as much as possible. Love that green and purple fishy fabric! I'm sure your guild member will get great joy from her finished works.

Unknown said...

This is so sad, but you are great ladies to finish her quilts. This story sure makes you think.

loulee said...

A very thought provoking post. I once worked with people like J and it is nice to know that her friends and family thought about what she would like to have happen to her stash. Her family will take comfort from the knowledge that you love her enough to do this for her.

Leanne said...

Hi
Thank you for your comment on our blog. I read your blog often, but don't leave comments - BLUSH.

We are getting an organic vege boxed delivered weekly & usually they have 6-9 avocados in the box - we all love avocados & gobble them up.

I'd love to buy your property - but we are settled & kids have their friends here. But I do enjoy reading about your orchard & your lovely quilts.

Love Leanne

Rose Marie said...

So kind of your group to do this for your friend. Our stash, our UFO's .... this is definitely something to think about and take some kind of action. I'm glad that there are ongoing challenges to finish our UFO's. I would not want my tops to be kept in boxes and eventually dispensed with and I'm using my stash. No more keeping favourites for a rainy day.

meggie said...

How lovely that your group decided to be so kind & thoughtful with your friend's UFOs.
I too, have moments when I suddenly think, 'What if my mojo has gone for good?'
I have already begun writing notes to include with items I keep in my old school satchel!

Pam said...

A very touching story. What good friends she has.

And the quilting exhibition - what gorgeousness! How I wish I were that clever and artistic and had any time! So lovely.

julieQ said...

What a wonderful thing to do! I pray that the day never comes where I must throw away or give away the majority of my fabric. I am trying to use it up now!

Helen said...

I've been thinking for some time that I must clean up my house so there is not a huge amount of 'stuff' (aka junk) for my son to deal with should I be in a similar position - and I'm not even talking about my quilting supplies!