Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Fabric Memories.

I didn't have any time to sew today.  I had to go into work early for a meeting.  While I ate some breakfast and drank some coffee, I sat in the sewing room and relaxed.  It's nice to look around and think about what I'm working on.  I am going on retreat in a week and a half and haven't yet decided what to work on.  More on that topic later.  As I looked around, I saw this plaid fabric and right away started thinking about my friend from work who is very sick. I used this for the back of his quilt.   Do you ever see a fabric in your stash and it makes you think of a certain quilt?  I started looking around at other fabrics.

This little fairy fabric always makes me think of one of my oncology patients. Such a shy little sweetie, the first time I met her I called her 'tootsie'.  She was so tickled, she looked at her mom with a big smile and said, "She called me tootsie!"  In no time she was one of my favorite patients.  I made her a quilt using this fabric and she loved it so much.  Sadly, she died following a bone marrow transplant for her leukemia.  I love thinking about her but sometimes this fabric makes my heart heavy.  I have a half yard left and I'm never sure if I should just use it up. 

I used this in a quilt I made for one of our surgeons when she left for another job.  I miss her.  She's an AWESOME pediatric surgeon and I wish she had stayed with us.

This was used in a baby quilt for a friend who is chinese.  She loved it.

Some of this Lizzy House fabric went on a little lovey for my nephew.

I started to pull fabrics out that reminded me of people and projects and quickly decided to quit.  Almost all of my fabrics could go into this picture.  If I haven't used something yet, I can usually remember why I bought it or what I bought it for.
Fabrics in my stash are a little like my oldest jeans or t-shirt.  Memories are attached and they are comfortable and comforting.  What could be better than putting them into a quilt?  I still have lots of bright nursing tops from when I was a nurse on an inpatient unit.  I have always planned to put them into a quilt some time.  Maybe I should put some of these fabrics into it too.  My personal memory quilt. 

5 comments:

  1. I love the idea of your own memory quilt. All your precious memories to wrap around yourself.

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  2. I love the idea of a memory quilt too. All my string quilts are full of memories and I have no end of fun recalling what I used the fabric for (I have maternity clothes in there , and material from the bibs I made my grandson before he was born)

    I think you should go for it!

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  3. I want to see that personal memory quilt when it is done. Sweet idea. Makes me think how to include the journal thoughts you blogged about, WHY it reminds you of someone or an event. Fantastic idea.

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  4. now I'm caught up on all your doings.....love the wonky churn dashes with the 4 inch middles. They look reallly cool!!!

    Have fun at retreat and can't wait to go to NYC!

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  5. Nursing really gets under your skin doesn't it....some days I want all my nurse memories to leave me alone, but other days I feel like those patients and co-workers all touched my life and changed me in ways I'll never know.
    I hope you have a scrap bin at the retreat and you can all donate fabrics into it....it was so liberating at V's retreat to use other's scraps without all the emotional attachments.

    Happy Sewing

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