Monday 20 January 2014

This Quilt : That Boy

Mama's on a deadline!!

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Done

No doubt, if you have been following me long enough, you will have seen this quilt in various stages of completion. From inception, way back when, to updates along the way, through to quilt top finishing, basting and the labourious prospect of hand quilting (the quilt top already being hand sewn. I know). This quilt has a long history - three blogs long, in fact. It seems to have been a constant in my life for a long, long time - the never-ending quilt that sat taunting and mocking me from the WIP pile.

But back in November, with promises of keeping me warm in the afternoons as I worked on it as it draped over my knees, mindful of a nearing deadline, I picked it up again and began to consistently quilt it block by block. Illness, and various other deadlines and meet ups, meant that towards the end of December the pace had slackened again and it was only with a concerted push after the new year, working all spare moments I had that eventually - EVENTUALLY - this project was finally finished. Just in time for the recipient's 12th birthday.

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He was genuinely delighted with the quilt, knowing how long I have been working on it, how much effort I have put into it - seeing it, day after day after day taking up my time and effort. He was so generous in his praise for it, "it's the best thing I've ever had - I love it more than Minecraft", which is high praise indeed, and a sample of what a kind heart this boy of mine has. Because, even if he didn't mean it, he knows the value of this quilt; he knows it's more than just a pile of fabric.

Wrapped at night under it for the first time, he marveled at all the different fabrics, how WARM it was, how orange it was (and delighted to know I picked orange because it's his favourite colour). I told him that any time he was sad, or lonely or needed a hug from his mummy and I wasn't there, that this quilt would be my hug to him. One day when I'm not around and if this quilt is still standing I can still be there to keep him warm and let him know how much I love him.

He hugged it around him and said, "and when I'm a daddy I'll give it to MY son, so that he gets hugs from both of us".

And right then it was all worthwhile. The whole lot of it. The whole five years in the making.

Oh, this boy of mine. Such a good, good heart. Masha'allah.

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14 comments:

  1. It's fabulous Debbie. I love the colour combinations.

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  2. Thanks, Ruth. I suppose if you've got to work with orange there are only so many options available ;)

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  3. Wow that's dedication to a wonderful quilt :) It's lovely and you can see all the detail and effort put into it. Thanks for sharing

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  4. Thank you for taking time to comment! The commitment was to the boy more than the quilt - I would not do this for money....

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    1. Yes you can definitely tell that, there's love in every stitch ...

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  5. So beautiful! And a Happy Birthday to your eldest. X

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  6. so so lovely! Mashallah I think this quilt is one of my all time favourites

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  7. this is so. very. beautiful!
    so much love in that very wonderful quilt.
    i hope you do get to wrap a grandbaby in it some day!

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  8. Mashallah this is beautiful. Happy birthday to your special boy!

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  9. Aw thanks. I hope I do get to see my grandkids in all my mama-mades - that would make me very happy. Thankyou Marie :) He is special xx

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  10. Simply Perfect and that's what it's all about. Best wishes to you and your family in this new year.

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  11. Amin, and to you and yours as well.

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