Sew Therapy

When tragedy strikes those affected, either directly or indirectly, are often over whelmed with the need to do something, anything, to help.  It isn’t unusual for people facing hard times to be inundated with food, gifts, well wishes, and offers to help.  As a friend wisely told me recently, this is a much for the benefit of the person helping as it is for the one being helped.  We feel we must do something, even when we have no idea what we can possibly do. However, sometimes there just isn’t anything to be done.  That is when the tragedy can hit you hardest.

A few years ago, my grandpa passed away.  I found myself overwhelmed by this same desire.  I had to do something.  But there wasn’t anything I could do.  All the plans and preparations that needed to be done were taken care of by everyone else.  What do you do when there isn’t anything to do?  I started a quilt.  I still haven’t finished it, but just having something that I could work on, something I could just pick up and stitch on, helped me through the hard times.

Now as I face the loss of my grandma, I find myself once again searching for something to do.  Although I know in my heart of hearts that my grandparents are happy together again, I feel the need and the desire to do something.  What better tribute could I offer then to sew a quilt for the woman who first taught me to thread a bobbin?  Grandma hand quilted one quilt after another for grandchildren as they reached the age of 16.  It seemed appropriate to make one for her.  So when my mom suggested I make a quilt from her clothing, I was quick to agree.

I have often heard quilting referred to as being, “Cheaper then therapy.”  It is true that quilting can be quite therapeutic, and in more ways than one.  It gives you something to do when there isn’t anything else to be done.  It keeps you busy in times when idleness would drive you crazy.  It is a way to help people when there isn’t any other way to help.  It gives you a sense of accomplishment.  And sometimes it gives you something to yell at, a way to vent frustrations that would otherwise build up in side.

I know that I can never repay all that my grandparents have done for me, but I hope they know that they will never be forgotten and that I will forever be grateful for all they have done for me.

Until we meet again. Aloha ‘oe.

Dedicated to Al and Viki.

Quilt Economics

Over two hundred years ago, our country went through a huge revolution in order to become free.  Since that time, there have been many smaller revolutions trying to ensure that that freedom was extended to everyone.   We fought wars to free the slaves, one on a national scale and countless on individual scales.  We went through a civil rights movement, and a women’s rights movement.  Countless injustices were addressed and eventually rectified.  Slowly, we began to see people as they were rather than only seeing their race, gender, nationality, or religion.  And slowly, this became the land of opportunity that it always promised to be.

Now as you watch politicians debate over health care, taxes, big businesses and big budgets, and as the ninety nine percent occupy Wall Street, we seem to be going through another revolution: a poverty rights movement.  The basic rights Thomas Jefferson claimed belong to all, those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, seem only to be given to those who can afford it.  I don’t claim to have the answers to the great political questions of our day.  These questions seem to be beyond any one person. Everybody has an opinion, and every opinion is different.

It all seems to come down to money.  Money, money, money! To quote Hello Dolly, “Money, you’ll pardon the expression, is like manure, it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encouraging young things to grow.”  Money is one of the great paradoxes of our time.  It is completely worthless, and yet it seems to be the only thing that matters.  Personally, I’m inclined to believe the former: it’s completely worthless.  Money’s only value is the value we give it.  It only means what we think it means.  To some it means power or prestige.  To others it means yachts and villas.  To many of the ladies at the shop, it means fabric.  It is not uncommon to hear something like, “Do I really want to buy this? I could get five yards for that much.”

Quilting really is an equal opportunity hobby.  It doesn’t matter how much or little money you have, you can still quilt.  Many quilters may find this an odd statement.  Don’t get me wrong, quilting can be a very expensive hobby.  It is not unusual to spend a couple hundred dollars on one quilt.  But despite the many new expensive gadgets and notions that are always available for quilters, it really doesn’t take that much to just sit down and sew.  Anyone can quilt without all of the accessories.  One can still make something beautiful with just a needle, thread, and a hand full of scraps.  Some of the most impressive quilts I’ve ever seen were done using just that.

Fabric really doesn’t care who you are.  It doesn’t see race or nationality.  It doesn’t discriminate based on religion or even gender.  And it doesn’t care how much money you have.  My only hope is that someday we are all so open minded.