What a Treasure!!
At the Madsen Christmas Party this year we were all surprised by the ever inspiring Mary Lois. She had finished 8 quilts over the last few months so that she could surprise all of her children with one of these beautiful treasures for Christmas. Fortunately, Bret & I were benefactors of one of these amazing works of art. It is something that we will treasure for many years to come. She has made so many quilts, all stitched with love, throughout the years. There is not a grandchild, or great grandchild that has not received one of these precious gifts. I think they are a legacy in themselves.
Anyone who knows me, knows I love quilting. This gift from Mary Lois gave me a new appreciation for the opportunity I have to quilt almost daily. Some days I think of it as a chore, but most days I love being able to create something with my hands. I look forward to the day that I can not only piece quilts like Lois, but pass these gifts from the heart on to my children & grandchildren.
There are a few people in my life that I am grateful to for my love of quilting. First of all, my mother taught me to sew (& unpick) at a young age. What then was a chore, is now a gift. She was much more patient than I gave her credit for, & much, much more patient than I. Second of all, my sister who is my life saver at the quilt store, and who I have enjoyed many hours of sewing with. She should have a max out speed on her machine. She is impossible to keep up with. Third, my forever friend Michelle, who got me really excited about quilting several years ago on a trip to Virginia. We visited every quilt store & quilt museum we could find. She also helped me transform my bags of fabric into my first pieced quilt. And fourth, Mary Lois, who is so inspiring, and an amazing and patient teacher. I hope I can learn from her for years to come.
This past weekend Bret, Gaven, Taylor, Conner, David, Trevor Madsen & I spent it on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona. We joined a group called Hopi Outreach. We spent Friday working in the village of First Mesa. We helped to repair roofs and walls on homes & in their sacred Kiva's. Saturday we drove to five different villages & delivered fruit baskets, turkeys, hams, blankets, & coats to the elderly. We had a lot of other donations for everyone. David brought a truck with sheep & you should have seen the excitment over a mutton. The Hopi Indians are very religious, humble people who were very grateful for a helping hand. It is so fun and rewarding to leave a small dent in the impoverished communities of our world. If anyone is interested in learning about the Hopi's or helping them, let us know, Conner is considering doing an Eagle project there in the spring. They love 5 gallon buckets with lids, barrels to hold their water, & blankets.
