Quilters love to show off quilts to anyone who will stop long enough to look – we are just like that. Yep, we are show-offs, at least when it comes to our quilts. I thought that starting off this week by showing off quilts would be a great way to deal with Monday.

All these photos were taken in June 1995 in Montana. A co-worker allowed me to “borrow” the old barn and wooden fence on her family farm for a personal quilt show.

I like doing my own outside personal quilt shows. It is fun to see them hanging outside in natural light. Plus the different surroundings make them look very different from being on a bed or wall.

Supplies to do this are minimal:

• Permission if private property
• Some sort of rope or thick string
• Clothespins
• Tacks
• Small hammer
• Pliers to pull out tacks
• Dry weather that is partly sunny seems to be the best for lighting

When people tell me they do not have time to quilt, I nod. However, in my head I am saying “really?”. In 1995 when these photos were taken, I had:

• children under 12
• was homeschooling said children
• working 30 hours a week in town
• being a loving wife and mom
• raising a large vegie garden
• getting 4 – 5 hours of sleep nightly

Honestly, we make time for what is important to us. And what is important probably changes over time.

I make no claims at being “Super Woman”, but I do like to make my time count. At the end of the day, I need to know that something good was accomplished. I work because I have bills to pay and groceries to buy. But creating is how I feed my soul. Quilting gives me joy.

Just Do It

If quilting is what makes me happy and “fulfilled” I will make time in my crazy schedule somehow. Even if some days there is only 15 minutes crammed in before I go to work, I will make it fit.

My totally unsolicited opinion is to please look at your own daily schedule. Make a list and see where changes can be made so there is more time to quilt.

• Can daily “chores” be moved around for better time management?
• What can be gotten rid of completely?
• Are there items that suck time from your day with no visible benefit?
• Activities that absolutely have to be done?
• Can you utilize some time saving gadgets or techniques to gain a few more minutes as you go through the day?
• Is multi-tasking of “chores” possible?
• What could or should be done by someone else in the home?
• How can you stop phone or other interruptions?

I felt guilty, or allowed others to make me feel guilty, because I “selfishly” took time out of my crazy days to do something that I enjoyed. Then my grandma reminded me that if I am happy I will make a happy home.

And I wanted, and want a happy home. Not perfect, but happy.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones” Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

So embrace your quilting. Let it bring joy into your life. And when you get a chance, show off those quilts.

Just for fun

Here is a real outdoors quilt show in Montana. Lots of beautiful quilts made by wonderful quilters. So inspiring to be able to see all these quilts and the mountains at the same time.

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

FB/P 01 04 2023/I 12-27-2022