Needle and Thread

If anyone knows me well, they would know that I love quilts. I love the possibility of making something out of materials that I have chosen and seeing it come together. This love was instilled on me by both of my grandmothers. My Granny Cain hand pieced each of the quilts that she made. The tiny stitches and care into each masterpiece. My Granny Smith sewed clothes on her sewing machine. I use to sit and watch her sew as a child. I loved to watch her. I received my first sewing machine for Christmas as a child, it was a battery operated Singer made just for children. It was awesome. I would take it with me to my Granny's house, she taught me the basics of sewing. I can stay in a fabric store for hours. The thought of creating something that could possibly be cherished and the look on the recipient's face is priceless. I find joy in that.

Now that I am older and my children aren't so dependent on me, I am able to put a little more time into the craft. I usually make about three baby quilts a year, these are flannel rag quilts that do not take long to make at all, but it usually depends on the needs of my family. I can quilt more in the winter than the summer. Here recently, though, I have started working on larger quilts.

This one is embroidered bandannas.(Patriot Quilt) This one is now on my daughter and son in laws bed. It was his graduation present from Basic and AIT training.

Yesterday I finished this one! 

This one was not as easy as the Patriot Quilt. Trying to match the points was aggravating, I used the seam ripper on several occasions. Turning the squares and matching them up was very challenging

While I was piecing this quilt together, sewing, ironing, ripping seams and sewing again, I realized how the Lord works with us. He carefully pieces us together, choosing the fabric in our lives. When the seams don't add up he rips them out (what I mean by this is when we go our own way and we get in a mess, we face discipline and correction.) He does it with patience. Slowly stitching, piecing us together. Lovingly creating us into his masterpiece. If we would just let Him. We tend to get rebellious and want to go our own way. That is our free will. How our lives would be different if we just trust the Lord more and allow him to work in our lives. I dedicated this summer to allow the Lord to work. I have been rebellious for about 7 years now. Allowing obstacles in my way. I have been working on a new Bible study and the Lord has been revealing himself. It is time I let him take the seam ripper and the needle. I have been trying to be more aware of Christ in my life. If we were aware that Christ was in the same room with us, would it change the way we act? Would we say the things we say or do the things we do? In fact, he is in the same room we are, for the believer he is in us. When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, so we take Him everywhere we go and along for everything we do. Now let that sink in. My hope is that I continue to allow Him to keep working, and to not hinder Him. (Matthew 13:58)

The Master's Quilt

Please take my tattered rags, my Lord.

The torn scraps of me.

Use my broken threads and all,

because there is something else you see. 

Piece me together by your grace, 

with delicate stitches of love.

Patiently make and straighten seems, 

clipping the ravels and strings above. 

Rip the seams that are not even, 

add what you need for length.

Thread me with your spirit, Lord.

Please bind me with your strength.

I know it will take some time,

for all of the pieces to fall into place.

I will patiently wait while you are working

but anxious to see your face. 

When you have knotted every stitch

and all of your labor is done.

You will proudly say "It is finished"

and I will resemble your Son.

            

                          -Paige

Will you give him your rags? He can make an heirloom, I promise.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

-ph