Red is Best

My sister Sue is a master quilter. She measures, cuts, pieces, stitches, binds, and then hand quilts treasures of love to wrap ourselves in. Back when we were still gifting siblings on a rotating basis at Christmas time, each of us was given a quilt made by Sue. I had to wait 6 long years for mine, being the youngest 0f 7 kids. Sue says she wants her quilts used and loved. I treasure mine and for years left it folded neatly over the back of my "beehive" antique chair John gave to me for Christmas the following year. It was just too special to use. But recently I decided that I needed to have the quilt worn just a bit. Like the soft, well used and loved quilts of Aunt Mary's. So I have started to use it when I sleep. It is soft, the perfect weight and makes me think of my sister.

Recently Sue entered this quilt in the Diablo Valley Quilters Show. It won a blue ribbon for Best in Show for hand quilting stitches. Sue completes the entire quilt by hand. It seems to becoming a lost art. There are machines now a day that will expertly design and then "quilt or stitch" the pieced fabric of the top and bottom of the finished product together. With beautiful, intricate and straight, even stitches, she makes these quilts for her mother, her sisters, her nieces and nephews and their babies too. She makes them for infant babies she does not know but who need a little extra love while spending time in the local hospitals NICU. And many women suffering from chills while undergoing chemo therapy treatment receive a little comfort and warmth as one of Sue's quilts is given to them to wrap around their legs.

Sue and Steve's dining room has been turned into a quilting room. "Fat quarters" and bolts of fabric line the walls and are stacked on the floors, tables, chairs etc. Like an artist choosing his paints, sue will choose her fabric color, patterns and texture to form a master piece. I remember my aunts quilting. Ruby in particular was the quilter and seemed to always have a quilt on. When anyone visited they were often invited to sit and make a stitch or two. Quilters are good people. When I think of those that quilt, Connie, Mary, Marsha, Cindy, my aunties or "the sisters" as they were known and of course Sue, I count myself lucky to call them friend. And luckier still to have a piece of their art work!