As you may recall, I recently made a baby quilt for a local friend.  You can read about it here and here.  The quilt was a challenge, to say the least – since most of the fabric from my quilt friend was basically a couple of shirts, some khaki pants and a load of golf towels.  It took me a few days of laying out the parts and pieces before I settled on a design that would work as well as keep the memory of the recipient’s father alive.

Some quilters choose to make show quilts in hopes of collecting ribbons (and prize money) from all over.  Other quilters quilt mainly for charity – giving their quilted gifts to those in need.  There are also others who quilt for a purpose, particularly those groups associated with a church, and the quilts are sent off to the needy in other countries.

Me?  I have a passion for quilting and quilt for the recipient.

After making that baby quilt I spoke of above, I wanted reassurances from both the friend I made the quilt for as well as the mother of the recipient.  The mother is a life-long quilter (creating most every quilt by hand – start to finish)…hence my desire to do right by her husband’s memory as well as to do right by my quilt friend.  After a neck hug, she assured me I’d done good.

Then, the friend I made the quilt for, shared some info about the quilt from the recipient’s point of view:

At the shower, Ray’s quilt was the first one opened. Mandy and others loved the “look” and complemented the longhorn fabric and designs. But then I mentioned that Linda had given us permission to use Ray’s things and they began to see the details. I think Mandy tried to keep composed, so she moved on to the next gifts. There happened to be about five quilts in a row, so I kind of felt bad that there were so many of the same thing. But after all the gifts were opened, Mandy and Callie bee-lined for Rays quilt and spent a lot of time admiring the details and reminiscing about the clothes and golf towels. It was pretty special!!

THIS is the reason I quilt.  THIS is what makes me enjoy making special quilts for folks.  THIS is quilted love at its finest.