Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sixteen

I don't normally post on Wednesdays (usually I'm cramming lesson plans for my afternoon history class at co-op) but since I have been MIA in the last five days, I thought I'd pop in.

In true CoffeeGal style, I got bit by a crafting bug last week and have had tunnel vision of epic proportions. Any free time has found me at my sewing machine.

In my last post I wrote about Log Cabin Squares for quilting. Well, that's what I've been doing: I made twenty Log Cabin quilt blocks....



Some of you may remember chuppah I made a couple years ago for a friend.

For eight months I put my heart-and-soul into that project, embroidering every monogram by hand. Quilting old family fabric into a quilt-of-sorts. A tapestry for a young couple to marry under.


I tried to explain how this project felt in this post, but here is a small glimpse of the work involved.


This project was challenging and brought great personal satisfaction, but when it was completed it wasn't mine. I handed it (and everything about it) over to its rightful owner.

One night last week I was talking to The Mister and showing him the sample quilt blocks I had sewn, and he said emphatically, "I love quilts!"

When my husband speaks emphatically, I listen. He tends to be a pretty even-keeled guy, reserving passionate verbiage for things he truly feels passionate.

And it got me thinking....

I often make things for the kids, or myself, or for friends. I almost always make things for those who ask me to, and every once in awhile someone will actually pay me.

Very rarely do I create things for my man.

And he deserves something.  Especially since one-month from today we will have been married 16 years.

As I have been sewing, I've been thinking about that chuppah, what it meant in the days of hard work, and the lessons I learned both during and after the project was complete. It made me want to make something like it to celebrate our marriage; The joy. The hard work. The crazy and the calm. I want to make something that shows the depths of beauty that comes from a relationship that isn't always easy, but is so worth the effort.


This is the beginnings of the quilting project I am calling Sixteen. It is to be a gift to The Mister. My hope is to hand-embroider some of my favorite things about our life together (thus far) and give it to him when we go away (to a log cabin in the NC mountains) sometime next month.

My plan is to use only fabric and thread I already own. And we won't be boxing this baby up - we'll sleep under it. Hopefully for many more years....

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Kellie that is perfect!! What a great way to celebrate your years together. I'm teary now.....

Anonymous said...

ooo it is beautiful!!! I love it and look forward to seeing the finished project! I know your husband is just going to love it!

Amy said...

It is beautiful!! Will it be a surprise for him or has he already seen it?

His Girl said...

Just got all choked up. what a beautiful way to honor your husband!

Elisa said...

Oh, I love it and so will he!!! I thought you didn't make quilts! :)

Kim said...

That is quite possibly the sweetest and most thoughtful gift I have ever heard of. Your man will love it! You are precious!

Gretchen said...

LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE!LURVE! You so need to come to Seattle for "help" with that project! Although, if it's anything like most of the things you learn, you're probably much better at quilting than I am at this point. :)