The Quilt

Kaylee spent hours this summer on her jean quilt.  As YW in Excellence approached we decided that we needed to finish it up.  I was ready to send it off to my mom’s quilter friend because I know how time consuming quilting can be.  Kaylee on the other hand was hesitant to send it off.  She had invested so much time into it.

A grey flannel back was chosen with the intent of having the quilter quilt around each block.  Very simple and easy I thought as we sent it down.

Then the phone call came.  Mom had picked up the quilt and the quilter had decided on a whim to quilt flowers and cherries on the blocks, not really Kaylee’s style.  I kept asking my mother why she would do this without asking.  Supposedly she had always done whatever my mom requested for the designs on the quilts, until Kaylee’s.

I was quite upset at the quilter and didn’t know how I was going to break the news to Kaylee.  In the end I was crying to my mom and Kaylee was crying to me.  I wanted so bad to call this quilter and give her a piece of my mind.  BUT my mom is good friends with her and kept telling me, “the relationship is worth more than this”.

In the end my mom spent an afternoon at her sister’s house “fixing” the quilt.  They sewed around the blocks and then painstakingly picked out ALL of the quilter’s work.  This obviously took HOURS.  The next day mom again spent ALL day picking out.

Then mom brought the quilt up and came to Kaylee’s Evening in Excellence.

As I think about all that time, and all of those hundreds of stitches that were picked out, I’m in awe.  Mom can be shaky and I know that those little stitches are hard to see.  Yet, what an example of service and what a great teaching moment about the importance of relationships.  They are worth more than thread.

Oh how I love my mother and am so grateful for her always “fixing” the problem!  I’m so glad she was able to share in the evening with Kaylee.