Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Creating Quilts



image courtesy photobucket.com

Very carefully we cut into 6 inch squares some of the left over material from dresses my mother had made for my sister and me as we grew up.

These were leftover, bits and pieces, good-for-nothing waste.  Could there be a decent use for these unsightly odd looking snippets?

Mother had a new purpose, and it was to use the scraps of yardage and potentially sew the squares together into a pretty combination for a quilt top. The throw away scraps had a renewed purpose. They would amount to something lovely and good after all !!

Once all the square pieces were sewed in place, then each strip was then sewed to the previous length until the whole was large enough for a quilt. Mother would purchase a contrasting piece of flannel yardage for the back of the quilt. Inside she would place an old blanket or a flannel sheet.  The quilt was now ready to tie.

My dad had made a set of wooden frames for Mother so she could stretch the quilt.  Arming ourselves with large needles and crochet thread, we were ready to begin the tying process.

At each corner of the small squares we pulled the needle through and tied a double knot. Also we placed a tie in the center of each square. When we had completed as far as we could reach, we rolled the frame and secured it fast with clamps.

With us all working together, in no time at all the quilt was tied. Now it was ready to tuck the edges inside and use a blanket stitch (similar to a button hole stitch) around the entire quilt. If the quilt ever got dirty, it was securely made so a gentle wash would not harm the back or the insides.

Quilt making is almost a lost art, but it could be something that would renew the families love of working together on a project. If you do not sew your own clothing, there are usually remnants sold at the yardage store for only a small amount of money. Think about this wonderful project that you and your children would enjoy helping to create.

In life, you may often feel that you are a piece of scrap, left over, wasted, and good for nothing.  But I have good news. You are not a throw away!  God is able to take your life and renew it into something beautiful and into a fantastic work of art.

First you must submit yourself into God’s hands. The needle God uses may hurt as He ties you all back together, but soon you will understand it was all for your good, and you will be pleased and satisfied with the end result.

This post was shared at: The One Word Carnival. The word for this entry is Quilt. Do visit and enjoy what others have written using this word.   http://peterpollock.com/2011/09/quilts-blog-carnival/  

Do go here as well to Bonnie's site Faith Barista: http://bit.ly/omUU6P   Scroll all the way down to reach the entries.

Also sharing at a new Blog Hop: Friends Day-Wednesday at: http://bit.ly/rmqcDk

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12 comments:

Mari-Anna Frangén Stålnacke said...

God doesn't waste anything! Such an empowering thought. God can use all of our experiences for our own good and for God's glory. But, like you said, first we need to submit ourselves into God's hands. But how exciting to be part of God's handiwork. Blessings to you, sister, as you continue to shine brightly for Him!

Peter P said...

Great post. We are really missing a lot these days from the lack of families working together.

floyd said...

Great analogy, sometimes I guess we all feel like a throw away. God has a way of using every one of us who submit to Him, right down to the last stitch...

Unknown said...

Stopping by from the blog hop and now following you thru GFC. I would love a follow back when you get the chance. Thanks so much for your help and have a great week! Just keep joining the hops and before long you will be right up there with everyone else on followers!

Mary@http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com

Shanda said...

This was so beautiful: that God has a part for each of us to play. Even if we are just a scrap of left over material, we can be joined with others to be something beautiful. I love the way you pointed out that the needles can hurt at times...but the end result is worth it.

Unknown said...

Beautiful! I'm a new follower and would love it if you could follow me back :)

http://www.ifonlylifecouldbethatsimple.blogspot.com/

Lisa notes... said...

My daughter's friends are making a quilt out of their t-shirts, so my daughter hopes to do that too. Thankfully she can get help from someone else who knows what they're doing (not me!). I do NOT want quilting to go away; such a beautiful artform. Thank you for sharing your experience here.

Sheila said...

God: the ultimate Recycler.

tinuviel said...

This is such a heartwarming post! I have a quilt my great-aunt made from my mother's childhood dresses. The topstitching and back on mine are machine-done, but the quilt top was pieced by hand. It is one of my earthly treasures. I loved the direction you took the metaphor at the end.

God bless you!

Chuck Allen said...

I enjoyed reading this story of family as experienced through quilting. My grandmother used to quilt and I always loved how the chaos of scraps of cloth and cotton stuffing would eventually emerge as a beautiful quilt.

But I especially loved this part:
"But I have good news. You are not a throw away! God is able to take your life and renew it into something beautiful and into a fantastic work of art. "

Thanks. I needed to hear that.

Anonymous said...

Yes and I did enjoy this one !!... XOXO Vicki K

Bonnie Gray said...

Oh, Hazel - I felt I was right there, sitting with you all, as you knit the quilt together. Such togetherness. I really long for that. Thank you for this post in the jam, friend!