Category Archives: Church Therapy

It’s All in the Quilt Tag

Quilt Therapy Posted on by

I made a machine embroidered and pieced quilted wall hanging that I sold to a dear friend, Joan, from Utah (we lived there from 1999 – 2006). The proceeds of that quilt will go towards our youngest daughter and her BFF who plan to go on a mission trip to Denver in June with our church group.

Embroidered & Pieced Quilt Designed & Made by TK Harrison, Quilted by Meloney Funk

In the four corners of the quilt are machine embroidered Luther Roses:

Another dear friend, Meloney, quilted the wall hanging for me. It’s not so easy to see in the photo above, but for each of the embroidered areas, she stitched lines from the roses or crosses outward toward each of the fabric borders. It makes them appear to be suspended in midair, or to have rays of sunshine beaming off of them. Absolutely beautiful quilting!

But the fun part of the quilt is on the back. Joan is originally from that one city over yonder to the east, one of the ones with four  professional sports teams – baseball, football, basketball & hockey. It starts with the letter “P”. The football team she’s been rooting for her ENTIRE LIFE *finally* won the super bowl earlier this year. Their first super bowl win EVER!!!

Now, Joan enjoys a good laugh. She always had a joke ready for my husband when we’d go to church or he’d have one ready for her. She and my husband really got along great and that always put a smile on both of their faces. Which made me love her all the more!

When it came to writing out and embroidering her quilt tag, I knew I needed to make it fun and honor her favorite football team. Here’s what I came up with – can you figure out what I did?




One Quilter Can Make a Difference

Quilt Therapy Posted on by

I have worked hard this year at trying to make one charity quilt in between other quilt projects I have created.  For instance, if I am working on a quilted gift for a loved one, I make that gift and then make a charity quilt, then make another quilt, etc. etc.

My own quilting is about me, whether those quilts are made for others, made for my websites or made for a magazine.  I’ve designed them, I’ve chosen the fabric for them.  I’ve gifted them with love.

My charity quilts are NOT about me.  They are about the charity that they go to.  They are no less loved than my own quilts but they are far more important, in the big scheme of all things quilted, than my personal quilt to-do lists.

There are thousands of quilts given away through the charity I work with.  THOUSANDS.  My contribution is an extremely small part of that.

Now, as one quilter, I can make a difference.  What would happen if a dozen, a hundred, a thousand quilters joined in to make charity quilts?  YOU can make a difference.  One quilt at a time.

The Quilt I Couldn’t Say No To

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Sometime in November 2014, one of my daughter’s friend’s mother asked if I would make a t-shirt quilt for her graduating daughter (whom I’ll call T).  I was still having side effects from the failed MS therapy so was not ready to commit to doing anything that required a timeline.  I had so much to do already and no gumption to do any of it.  I did not relay this info to the mother because I had no idea when I would come out from my funk and be rearing to quilt again.  I basically ignored the question.

In January 2015, I found out our friends were coming near where we live and wanted to get together for lunch.  They also wanted to see the t-shirt quilt I was making for their daughter and son-in-law.  Except, all I’d done on that quilt was stabilize the t-shirts and cut them to-size.  And buy the fabric.  I had to work fast and furious, over the course of a week, to get that quilt top finished.  And I did it!

A week or two later, I found a paper sack on my cutting table.  I knew I didn’t put it there so started asking around the house.  Finally, my daughter said her friend’s mom sent the bag home with her, to give to me.  As I peered inside, I saw t-shirts.  This was the t-shirt quilt I ignored.  UGH

Another week or two later, I decided to take a look at what T’s mom sent.  As I pulled out the t-shirts, they weren’t what I expected.  T has been in the one-act play group at school and I expected her play t-shirts.  What I got, instead, were camp t-shirts.  Summer camp t-shirts.  Church summer camp t-shirts.  I pulled them out of the bag, not paying attention to anything on them except for the years.  I had t-shirts from the summer of 2007 through 2014.

And once again, I did nothing more with them.

Until I realized I didn’t have a whole lot of time to finish the quilt top and it was way past time when T’s mom could hire someone else to make the t-shirt quilt.

I start going through the shirts and really paying attention to them because I need to figure out what will and won’t work for the quilt and the sizes they need to be.

While reading the shirts, I came across this on a shirt:

Gal2-20

“I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now have in the flesh, I have by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  Galatians 2:20

This is what I call a “God Moment” in my life.  You see, I was confirmed at the end of my ninth-grade school year and each of the confirmands in my grade had to choose a Bible verse that they felt suited them.  Then we had to memorize it and recite it to the congregation during our confirmation church service.  THIS was my Bible verse.  I can still recite this verse from memory – and its meaning continues to speak to me, about me.

There was absolutely no doubt in my mind, after seeing this verse on one of those t-shirts, that I was meant to make this t-shirt quilt for T.

TaylorWinningham


The Hills are Alive With the Smell of Peach Blossoms!

Quilt Therapy Posted on by

On this Monday after Easter, I feel very blessed…and pray that you do, too.  While I was busy on my computer or participating in Quilt Therapy, I realized I was missing out on some beautiful signs of spring.

Have to make sure to smell the roses…errrr, peach blossoms!

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With tender loving care, our goal is a heavily laden tree full of scrumptious peaches like this one from last year’s harvest!


What a Feeling to Pay it Forward from a Simple Goal!

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I really do not like to call attention to myself for sharing the talents and gifts I have been gifted with and then paying it forward with donations.  I believe we are to give without calling attention to ourselves.  But a goal was reached this year, despite everything, and I am extremely happy that I was able to do what I set out to do.  My goal was to make a quilt top a month for our church’s Lutheran World Relief quilt efforts.  I didn’t do it alone.  Far from it.  My secret special person, who has sent me $20 a month since I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease four years ago, played a part in this goal.  I used most of those funds from 2014 to purchase fabric with.  My foster mother played a part in this goal.  She visited our house in November and she pieced three of the quilt tops for me.  My family played a part in this goal.  They allowed me the time to cut and sew these quilt tops together.  And with every single quilt top I pieced, I prayed for whomever and whatever was on my mind – it is always my special time to reach out to God with each stitch I made.

A goal was reached.  By me.  In the four years since my diagnosis, I have not been able to make a goal and fulfill it.  Too many distractions, too many doctor’s appointments, too many extracurricular activities, too many painful days – all of that adds up to not enough time, energy or gumption for me to deal with any goals I may have had.

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One goal down, hopefully many more to follow.