AS I SEE IT...

Sunday, 6:30 am

Coffee's brewing, and I'm wishing I had a friend, who quilted, to share a cup with.

It's cool here this particular morning, almost too cool, but it won't be long before everything heats up.

I generally spend way too much time alone, but I have been actively seeking to rectify that problem. I have been going to a Quilting class at one of the local fabric stores every Monday. Although, I have been quilting for years, I have seriously neglected that hobby of mine.

Monday is now officially my quilting day. Quilting is an excellent skill, and one that can be a wholesome group activity. I don't aim to make award winning quilts - I have enough stress in my life - Thank You Very Much. So, Monday's are my day to relax, while still being productive. I think everyone should have a hobby - a distraction from the problems and grief of everyday life.

The most amazing thing about the quilting class is that the six of us who are quilting make the same quilt block on any given Monday, yet each of our blocks look so totally different. It's absolutely amazing how that happens.

Quilting, to me, kinda resembles the fabric of life. We all start out from the basic same pattern, yet, as people, we are all also very different. Amazing, isen't it - how much all people are the same, yet still different. Each of our lives, like a quilt, is certainly an interesting combination of similar events... we are all born, we all grow up being raised in different family's, who we are similar to, but still uniquely individual, just like the quilts being made in quilting class. Amazing, if you take anytime at all to make any comparisons... how life is like a quilt.

Quilting has also come a long way due to the advances of technology, which is certainly making quilting easier, and faster, and for once the influences of technology has not dimished the individuality of the craft of quilting. I think that is marvelous.

Technology has not made quilting less costly, not by any stretch of the imagination. Time saving technological advances now seem necessary, as I can't imagine the quilting bees of times past are very practical these days -everybody is just so busy. So, there the six of us are in our afternoon quilting class, cutting and sewing quilts, which are really only blankets, while unique and individual as each handmade quilt is, there are nice mass produced quilts available in the market - Parish the thought...

I've always hand-quilted my quilts in the past, but now I am actually entertaining the thought of learning to machine quilt. I just don't think the value of a hand quilted quilt is appreciated any more. That's a shame really, but alas a reality.

Besides I've misplaced my quilting frame, and the money I would now have to pay to buy a new quilting frame I'd much rather invest in a new sewing machine.

How does a person lose a quilting frame? All I can figure is some idiot took it and used it to start a fire. Oh, yes, I often feel I am surrounded by idiots... but I've yet to know any idiots that quilt... and that is a very good thing.