A new thing created … finished with care …. nothing feels better to me.

Last week I spent time with a group of women who are movers and shakers in the quilt world.  Their mission field is the sewing machine and they meet every Tuesday for most of the year.  They create beauty and warmth, sending tangible hugs far, far away.

To date they have made over 4,000 quilts.  Their official name, Sewers and Rippers… I just call them the quilt ladies.

My mom has been a quilt lady since it’s beginning.

She loves to organize.  This is the fabric cabinet in the church’s sewing room…. color coordination…that’s her thing !

After making the long trek from her front door to the church (about a two minute walk), this is Mom in her sun hat checking progress for the day …..

The really special thing, I think, is that every morning… for two weeks… every summer… these lovely quilt ladies turn their attention to young people.  They share their talent, skill and passion.  And obviously, the hope is their love of quilting will carry on to new generations.

I was worn out just watching them whirl from student to student………….

Even boys made quilts… and bare feet were welcomed…….

They were sewing inside…………..

They were hand-stitching and tieing outside………..

And of course, there was snack time!!

How special, I thought, that each child would go home with something they crafted with their own hands.

And the care and patience of each teacher was amazing.

But what amazed me more was each quilt, painstakingly created by a fledgling quilter, would not go home with it’s maker.  These quilts are headed to Costa Rica later this year.  They are gifts.

Teach a child to give, show them need …… I wonder what our world would be like if more of that happened?

Today I link with Ann to count the gifts of everyday life….

handmade quilts….

handwritten note of love to a child in need… attached to each quilt….

older hands teaching young hands….

young hearts learning to give….