The act of giving is far from lost amongst the quilters of the world! 99% of quilters are the most generous of beings on this earth. It is so heart warming to hear of the unceasing efforts of countless individuals and groups which give to an endless number of recipients whose circumstances have been flipped upside down in an instant..

I received an email out of the blue, a few days ago from Lee. She explained that she was looking for a new project to start last year, and invited her mother-in-law to browse through some magazines for ideas so that Lee could make ‘a cover for her dining room table’ in her new retirement village apartment.

Lee must have a vast collection of magazines as the quilt chosen was Magic Flying Carpet (which I made way back in 1995 and shown in earlier posts on this site). It was featured in a magazine in 1996 when it was exhibited in Birmingham as part of The Quilters Guild of Great Britain and Makower Fabrics International Quilt Competition to design and make an original work using the late 1700’s ‘Fife Quilt’ reproduction fabrics from Makower Fabrics.

Of course, these fabrics were released in 1994-5 and would be almost impossible to find now. This quilt is probably the most cherished in my collection, and I have always been reluctant to publish the pattern for it. However, I was surprised that Lee and her mother-in-law loved my quilt enough to want their own version of it.

“What have I let myself in for!” Lee states in her email. But obviously she set about working out the design, finding fabrics which honoured the original quilt - and stitching it all to completion……. I am sure, with very fond thoughts of love and giving.

I am delighted and honoured to have been touched by this story and I really want to thank Lee for allowing me to reflect on the art of giving and sharing…. and may we all participate and experience this more often!! I wish Lee continued happy stitching, and her mother-in-law lasting enjoyment of this lovely gift which now graces the end of the bed as “it was deemed too good for the table”..