Back when I was pregnant with Jimmy, my sister Dory recommended a book called Birthing From Within. I didn't completely agree with everything in the book, but what I appreciated was its holistic approach and emphasis on being aware of your body during pregnancy, trusting your instincts, and preparing yourself emotionally for pregnancy and parenthood. I was rereading the book several months ago and was struck by the author's suggestion to create a friendship baby quilt.
Over the past few months I've been collecting fabric and creating a design for the quilt, with the object of having a quilting bee the first three Saturdays during this last month of pregnancy to help me pass the time productively. I sent out invitations, and the first session was this past Saturday. Life being what it is, almost all of the friends who told me they planned to come that day had things come up, including my friend Debbie, who had the rotary cutter I needed to cut the fabric strips for the quilt blocks (her goat had a baby and they spent the morning trying to get the vet out to their place).
For all of five seconds I felt like the unpopular girl in high school; then I laughed at myself for taking things too personally and just let it go. After all, my house was clean, and I had it to myself because the boys were off picking raspberries. So I chilled on the couch with my feet up. Later in the morning, two friends did make it. One went home, and the other offered to stay and massage my feet while we chatted (an offer I felt compelled to accept!)
Yesterday Debbie came by and showed me how to use the rotary cutter, so we cut out all the strips for the quilt. She had been the one to originally suggest a strip quilt as being fun and easy, and I was grateful for her help because I've never made any kind of quilt before. But she was right; so far it seems to be pretty easy. Last night after Jimmy went to bed I sewed all the strips together and started to cut out the pieces for the blocks. The shot above is of the pieces for the first block; I'll start sewing it together later today. Pretty cute, huh?
Over the past few months I've been collecting fabric and creating a design for the quilt, with the object of having a quilting bee the first three Saturdays during this last month of pregnancy to help me pass the time productively. I sent out invitations, and the first session was this past Saturday. Life being what it is, almost all of the friends who told me they planned to come that day had things come up, including my friend Debbie, who had the rotary cutter I needed to cut the fabric strips for the quilt blocks (her goat had a baby and they spent the morning trying to get the vet out to their place).
For all of five seconds I felt like the unpopular girl in high school; then I laughed at myself for taking things too personally and just let it go. After all, my house was clean, and I had it to myself because the boys were off picking raspberries. So I chilled on the couch with my feet up. Later in the morning, two friends did make it. One went home, and the other offered to stay and massage my feet while we chatted (an offer I felt compelled to accept!)
Yesterday Debbie came by and showed me how to use the rotary cutter, so we cut out all the strips for the quilt. She had been the one to originally suggest a strip quilt as being fun and easy, and I was grateful for her help because I've never made any kind of quilt before. But she was right; so far it seems to be pretty easy. Last night after Jimmy went to bed I sewed all the strips together and started to cut out the pieces for the blocks. The shot above is of the pieces for the first block; I'll start sewing it together later today. Pretty cute, huh?
4 comments:
Great work! Your block looks like a passage or tunnel. Very appropriate for a time of birthing!
Love, Mom
oh katie, i'm so sorry i can't make it to any of them!! i love the way the quilt is looking. and i hope more ladies come on saturday! dyann has a little present to give you when she comes...
adorable! nice pattern, choice of fabric, everything! sounds like fun!
Sweet! I know that I loved the suggestions that I used from that book to memorialize the time of my pregnancy. I am so pleased that you have found the book to be useful. I love this beautiful quilt and the sentiments that it will be infused with will bless and comfort you, your family and your dear friends.
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