“Getting to Know You..”

My Church class has forty to fifty members; some have just joined us with the last year and others have been members for decades. Members leave the class to move closer to grandchildren or to attend a church closer to their new home. Some have health issues that make attending church difficult. But at the same time we are always welcoming new members. Thus our class membership is a mixture of old and new members. For many, the class has become a second family. We have shared serious health issues and the death of spouses and children. Travel stories and tips have been exchanged. Moving and important birthdays have been noted. Photos of grandchildren are unabashedly passed around. Monthly men’s breakfasts and women’s dinners are well attended. Planned trips to the zoo, a ball game, a local theater or a restaurant give the members an opportunity to socialize out side of the church. Most of us would say we know our fellow members well. But do we???

Each summer my husband and I host an ice cream social for the class at our home. (No, it is not homemade!). Being a former school teacher, I can’t just let people eat ice cream and cookies while they visit. I want an activity! One year it was ice cream trivia and another it was identifying baby photos. But for two years–not consecutively, we have 40 ice breaker type questions. You know questions like — who has walked across the Brooklyn bridge or who likes pineapple on their pizza or who had been a lifeguard or who can recite the Gettysburg address. Finding members who could sign that they had a tattoo or had been in the Grand Canyon occupied more than an hour. But the best part of the evening came at the end when we shared who did what. Lots of us had had a VW bug. One person could recite the Gettysburg Address and did! Only one of us had been born in another country and there were several funny stories about water skiing. But at the end of the evening we felt we knew and understood our class mates much better.

I enjoy reading biographies and autobiographies about well known persons. But I am discovering “ordinary people” have life stories ever bit as interesting. In our Church class of ordinary people, there are some extra-ordinary stories. Nurses who were influential in getting major legislation passed concerning health care. Vietnam veterans who can tell completely different versions of the war. A woman minister starting a career in a field dominated by men. School teachers who taught in Title One schools. Class members who travelled around the world on “mission trips” building concrete stoves in Guatemala, providing health services in Africa or cleaning and repairing homes after natural disasters. I have discovered class members use their extra retirement time very differently–working with rescue horses, or serving on community boards or volunteering at non-profits. And I did not learn that by just chatting Sunday mornings over coffee.

People I have viewed as “ordinary” have lived extra-ordinary lives. Neighbors, co-workers, fellow volunteers and committee members, clients and extended families members all have a life time of stories. Learning about the past lives and current passions of acquaintances and friends is just as fascinating as reading biographies from the library. Always recognizing that different people have different privacy boundaries, I challenge you to learn about their lives.

Quilts have stories also. Often we will really never know “all the story” but scraps of information can give a peek into the quilt’s past.

The quilt was passed down to me from Grandma Van—that is all I know about the modified Texas Star quilt I have. But I do know when she lived and the years she was filling her hope chest. I know where she grew up. I know a little about her nuclear family. So I can appreciate –and imagine– where she purchased the fabric, appreciate that it was made from “purchased fabric” and not from garment scraps and who helped with the quilting. (Yes, I know this photo is sideways! Brr)

My daughter will remember this quilt hanging in a place of honor in her grandmothers’ home. When she passes the quilt on to Navya, Grandma Van’s great-great granddaughter, I hope she shares the past lives of the quilt.

Even newly constructed quilts have stories also. Most of the quilts that are made for the Quilts Etc. Sale have a story. “I bought this fabric in the cutest little shop in Virginia when we were at my grandson’s graduation.” “I cut half of the pieces 1/2 an inch too short and had to redo the entire pattern.” “My best friend and I worked on the quilt every Thursday afternoon, it was a hoot!” “This fabric is from Lynn’s collection, donated to us by her family after she passed.” And this is just the start of the quilt’s stories. Person’s share the beginning stories of quilts they purchase. “This is a wedding quilt for my niece.” “The quilt is for my friend’s first grandchild.” “The quilt is perfect for Christmas when all the family is here.” Hopefully these quilts will continue living interesting lives for a very long time.

At this point, my husband would remind me of the importance of quilt labels. Labeling your quilt is the first step in recording a quilt’s history. Quilts and people have wonderful stories to tell!

New “treasures” that are offered by sale include:

Very spooky~. foggy nights and the wind blowing through the bare trees. Halloween is fun to decorate for as little or as much as you want. The table runner is 16″ x 33″, machine quilted and hand bound. $40

Wow, the Chief’s are already playing games! Didn’t we just have the Super Bowl? This 12″ x 41″ table runner would look great on the buffet table during a game. Machine quilted and hand bound. $40

Are you a minimalist? This 25″ x 20″ wall hanging is for you. The backing..a holiday floral print could be used as a table topper. It is machine quilted and hand bound. $40

This quilt is perfect for snuggling under during those crazy days of December. Pink is added to the darker shades of Christmas red and green. Pink Minky was used for the backing. It shows off the custom quilting. 46″ x 56″. $100

Chickadees are featured in this winter quilt. The green, black and burgundy borders have gold snowflakes and swirls to add sparkle. This quilt would look perfect in your home all winter long. Machine quilted and hand bound. 39″ x 56″. $100. ( I have wasted too much time trying to rotate this photo–just turn your head sideways!)

Stocking stuffers, hostess gifts or because you “need” theme pot holders! These have Insula-brite which protects your table tops. $9 each

More hand embroidered tea towels. $9 each

This table runner is simple in design and color but is very versatile. It is 15″ x 55″–great for the center island. The machine quilting in a chevon pattern adds another depth to the design. $40

The black background helps the bright color prints and solid pop! Look at the backing chosen for this quilt….very appropriate. (You can see this one in person this Sunday morning in the Narthex.) Shirley said the pattern wasn’t difficult to make, but it looks complicated to me. The striped binding frames the quilt nicely. Machine quilted and hand sewn binding. 51″ x 62″. $150

Well goodness–Cuteness overload! Two of these sold immediately but Diane has promised to crochet more! $10 each

The “Hand Quilters” invited us to their room to see this beauty they had just finished.

The pattern is a version of the French Braid pattern. Four different quilters spent hours and hours bent over a quilt frame completing this masterpiece. The designs were thoughtfully selected to emphasize the different areas of the quilt.

No Admission is charged. Come and see all our pretties in person–and perhaps buy one for yourself!