After all that UFO talk, I started to think about why it is we quilt. Quilting is such a unique industry and personal journey for each of us. I don’t know about you, but I truly love quilting, looking at other people’s quilts, and (this may be weird) I love to watch others quilt. So, I guess you could say, I love everything about quilting. I will have to say though, that my favorite part of quilting is the stories. As a person that really enjoys history, this probably isn’t a surprise. Especially because I love the stories attached to history, it would be a simple connection. Every quilt has a story, which for me is where my true love, for quilting, lies. So, I’m inviting you along my thoughts and hoping you may find either an inspiration or a new discovery.

According to Dictionary.com, one of the definitions of “to quilt” is “to sew up between pieces of material.” We, literally, cut up fabric into smaller pieces and sew them back together. When I think about that, it always makes me chuckle. It just seems a bit more odd than cutting up fabric to make clothes. I believe it may because we just cut up various shapes to make other various shapes. For example, we cut up fabric into squares and triangles to make flying geese, which can be a part of another block that may look like a star. I just find some humor into those thoughts. Nevertheless, I LOVE it! And I know that others do too. So, why do we quilt? Why do we cut up fabric into these smaller pieces and create beautiful works of art? For next several weeks, I will be walking through a philosophical journey to answer the question of why we quilt and why it matters. This week is for those that quilt because they enjoy making and giving homemade gifts from the heart.

It was 10:30 pm on Christmas eve. The house was quiet now with all the children in their beds, after reading, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” as a family. They were all exhausted from the activities through the day. However, the littlest one, Missy, was still wide awake. She not only was excited about Santa coming to visit, but she was also very excited to give the gifts to her parents and her big brother that she had made for them. She had spent the last month making them all just right, and tomorrow she would be able to give them. She was so proud of her work, and she just knew that everyone would love the gifts she had created. Being only 3 years old, her dad had helped her wrap the gifts for her brother and mother, and her mother helped her wrap her dad’s. Her parents also agreed that everyone was just going to love them. The excitement was almost unbearable. Eventually, Missy fell asleep with love and joy in her heart.

You don’t have to be a child to experience these emotions. Whether you are giving a homemade gift or receiving one, the heart becomes full. Homemade gifts may not be any cheaper to make, but they certainly can be individualized to the person. For example, if you wanted to make a quilt for your son and he is a die-hard Dallas Cowboy fan, you could buy all fabrics in those colors and prints. Or maybe your best friend’s favorite holiday is Christmas. You could make her personal ornaments, a quilt, or a mug rug with Christmas colors and prints. The options are unlimited.

Both the giver and the receiver of the gift may be taken back to a memory. From my own personal experience, all the gifts that my children gave me take me back to the time period of that gift.

The memory may also be from a person that is dear to you or your family that has passed. I know several quilters that have received gifts from loved ones that have moved on, and they tend to cherish those items and hold them close. The stories of those passed love ones tend to flow when someone questions the quilt or other homemade gift. Sometimes those stories make you laugh. Sometimes those stories have tears involved, as the recipient misses them dearly. Sometimes you hear courage, inspiration, or pride in those stories. It is amazing to me how much an item can hold memories connected to them, and those memories tend to be very strong and alive.

I have also made several “homemade” gifts for family members. When I see them in their homes or in a picture, I always reflect back to the moment I gave it to them. The moment I saw their eyes reflect what was in their hearts. It just makes one feel so good inside to touch someone else’s heart.

Sometimes we remember the moment that is during the making of the gift. I once crocheted an afghan that had a ton of blocks. I cannot remember exactly how many, but a metric ton. It was insane to make. I made it for one of my dearest, closest friends in my life for one of her birthdays. The year I gave it to her, she also came along during KU Alpha Delta Pi Mother’s Weekend at KU. Not only is she very dear to me, but she has played a huge part in my daughter’s life. That entire weekend has such wonderful memories tied into it. I remember how important it was for me to finish the afghan in time for that weekend. I spent many hours crocheting away, and thinking about how much I hope she liked it. I also remembering thinking, “What in the world was I thinking when I took this afghan on?” I would always reply with, “Because she means the world to me.” That is what gave me the motivation to stay strong and finish it. When I presented it to her, her eyes lit up with joy and happiness. She understood the labor of love that went into that afghan and she understood how much she meant to me and how much I love her.

Picture supplied by my dear friend. This is the only picture that I have. Thank goodness she does great documentation of her life and the people in it. Thank you! This picture is the afghan that I made for her for her birthday. It was my way of saying thank you for being one of my best friends and for sharing her with me and my family. The memories that are tied into this homemade gift will be treasured for the rest of my life, just as she is.

That is why we make homemade gifts; that is why we love to receive homemade gifts. It touches our hearts and our souls with love, joy, and happiness.

So, to those of you that quilt to make homemade gifts, cheers to you! Although you may not be saving any money, you make personal, individualized, one of a kind gifts that will be treasured for a lifetime or two. Love is one of our greatest gifts, and your part in this way of gift giving is huge and such an inspiration to us all.

Do you make homemade gifts for others? If you have any stories related to a homemade gift or any ideas for homemade gifts, I hope that you will share those with us. You can comment either below this blog or on our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!

Until next time, may you continue to be inspired, productive, and joyful! And never stop making your dreams in quilting come true!

-Angel

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Quilting: A Philosophical Journey -A Homemade Gift from the Heart

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Part 2-UFOs are visiting sewing rooms around the world!