Quilt making as a spiritual practice. Making for others. Giving of time and talent. Gratitude.
When I start a t-shirt quilt, I get to touch all the shirts and lay them out and cut them up. I get to know the person who wore them. It’s like the person is there in the fibers.
They chose the colors, the event or place represented. The shirts show the size of the person. The shirts are a kind of diary.
Finally, the last task of the quilt is to bind the edges. I make strips and sew them down by machine and then the final stitching wraps the binding around the raw edges by hand.This is where the stitches become prayers. I am thankful to be almost finished. I am thankful to have been allowed to make something meaningful for someone. I am thankful for the work that brings me joy. Stitching by hand in regular strokes becomes a meditation. I can make adjustments to make sure it looks good, good stitches, good craft, good results. Gratitude.