I was working on whip-stitching the binding on my table toppers this past week, and emptied a spool of thread.  Mind you, there wasn’t much tread on the spool to begin with but I like to save my nearly-empty spools (that don’t have enough thread to use in my sewing machine) to use for my handwork to finish a quilt project.  I had just enough thread left on a spool to complete sewing the binding to the backing – and there wasn’t a stitch of thread (pun intended) left on the spool and my projects were complete.

I am sure those of you who sew and quilt know the feeling of an empty spool – or perhaps these types of revelations just hit me out of nowhere and I have to write them down before they fill my MS brain with stuff so I can keep my brain filled with important things – like the schedules of my children’s summer activities (which I forget daily).

Hence, the empty spool beauty.  While looking at an empty spool, I smile at how many stitches I have used with that spool.  How many creative outlets I’ve used with with that spool of thread.  How many people I have helped put a smile on their face with the quilted projects from that spool of thread.  And although I will eventually need to replace that spool of thread, I do so with glee.  I will get a new spool of thread and can once again piece quilts, quilted projects, hand-sewing projects and continue to share the love from my quilted heart.

An empty spool is a thing of beauty – old or new, there are so many metaphors that describe an empty spool of thread.  The best one I can use right now is JOY.