BY MY HANDS

Crafts, handwork, knitting crocheting, quilting have always been a part of my life. As a young girl I learnt to knit and would attempt a scarf. It would grow and grow as I would add a stitch, drop a stitch and it would become an odd shaped project. Over the years I have endeavored to make many items. Clothes for my girls when they were little. Sweaters. In recent years I have preferred to make the baby blankets, baby hats as the grandchildren started to come. I do love quilts and one of my more industrious projects was my anniversary quilt. Around the time Adolph and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary, the film- "How to make an American Quilt" was popular. I thought why not an anniversary quilt for our anniversary. By the time it was finished I think we were celebrating our 27th anniversary. I found the initial idea for the finished product expanded. I started with 8 contained rectangles but realized that marriage was not so contained! Life had overlap. So the items spilled out of the rectangles. I used symbolic ideas and fabric from many times in my life like the purple squares bought on my honeymoon to Hawaii. The colosseum and Italian flag came from the anniversary trip to Italy. Flowers, the beach fabric, elephants, garden, Christmas- all meaningful aspects of our marriage. My quilt hangs in my front hall. One day when I am tired of it, I''ll wash it and use it as a blanket. Have you made a special project with your hands that is so reflective of your life? Has it grown as the realization that it had a life of its own? Do you relish in your own creative process? If not, why not? Do you have an idea you want to begin? Why not begin it today?