A Nice Afternoon

Today I took a quilting class at Ye Olde Schoolhouse. There were about 7 of us in the class. And, while we certainly didn't look anything like the ladies in the picture, the sense of "sisterhood" was there.

We learned how to use "jelly rolls" which are pre-cut 2 1/2 strips of coordinating fabrics - usually around 40" long and maybe 32 strips per roll. We had a choice of 2 projects - a lap quilt or a wall hanging.

I chose the wall hanging because I fell in love with the sample Jeannie has hanging in the store. It uses 1930s reproduction fabric, which I find myself being drawn to (jeez - another quilt idea!). I got as far as sewing 18 strips together and getting them all cut into 4 1/2" triangles. It is spread out on my dining room table and I will start to sew them together tomorrow. It should go pretty fast and I am looking forward to arranging the triangles into circles and seeing what colors/prints go best next to each other.

I only knew one of the other ladies in the class. We have a mutual friend and I have met Kay maybe 3 or 4 times in 30 some years, but it was nice to chat with her and her friends.

The class was only 2 hours, but we all stayed for at least another 3 1/2 hours. I enjoyed it so much. At one point while I was cutting (and cutting and cutting) I listened to the other ladies chatting, the hum of the sewing machines and laughter, women offering to help each other if we were stuck or had questions. I thought, "How many other women have gotten together like this over the years to quilt?" Probably millions. I know my mother, grandmother and great-grandmothers on my maternal side did. I have a couple of the quilts my mother and grandmother made to prove it. I felt a closeness, a kinship with these women I didn't know. Both present and past.

This is the best part about quilting. The sense of history. The sense of community. The sense of creating something not only useful, but beautiful. The sharing of stories, of ideas, of life. And, each quilt tells its own story.

It's a good feeling.