Charity Quilt Saves The Day

It's Sunday and we're snowed in. Couldn't even get to church this morning. And I thought what a perfect day to work on finishing up some of my own projects. I, like so many quilters, have a lot of "works in progress". And even though I am in my quilting studio, quilting all day long every day, I still very rarely am able to work on my own projects. So this weekend snow day was a gift.

I fixed myself a cup of tea and took it into the quilting studio to decide what project to work on first. Should I start with the living room curtains that need binding and hanging loops? (It's very cold and those curtains are supposed to be keeping the arctic wind from blowing straight through our 100 year old windows!) Or should I work on small quilts? - binding one small quilt, quilting and binding another small quilt? (I have a small quilt exhibit coming up in a little over a month and need to get some of these finished.) Maybe I should start another small quilt that I have in mind.

I was starting to feel overwhelmed already. There was so much I wanted to do and so little time. Then I started thinking about all the other stuff I should be doing. The house looked like a tornado went through it. I really should be cleaning. Or spending time with my kids playing in the snow. And it was late morning alreay, I should get dinner started in the crock pot. My wonderful quilting day was going to crap! (And this was all in my mind) I just wanted to cry!

I decided to start with the small quilt that needed to be quilted. So I was looking for a scrap piece of batting to use. The first piece I pulled out was a very large scrap, big enough for a baby quilt. Instantly I thought of the baby quilt that a friend had made a couple years ago for charity and I was supposed to be quilting and binding it. I have been feeling guilty about not getting to this charity project for years, so I pulled out the quilt top to see if the batting would fit. It was exactly the right size for the quilt. Like it was meant to be. Immediately, I decided that I was going to finish that charity project today.

As soon as I decided that I was going to work on a project to help some one else out, all my overwhelmed feelings left. I felt calm, relaxed and very peaceful. I think the Lord was trying to speak to me - to get me to stop thinking about myself and do something to help my neighbors in need on His day!

My day went great from that point on! The baby quilt got quilted and bound - with "Jesus Loves You" quilted in the border. I got my small quilt bound, went sledding with the kids, made a delicious soup for dinner and now it looks as though only half a tornado went through the house! All in all - a great day! Praise the Lord!

Til next time -

Sonja