Thinking out loud....

Yes, I know that's dangerous for me but....

I know it has been a really long time since I was here but I often find it more relaxing to write in my Journal--as in pen and paper--rather than at a keyboard. But I hope to get better with sharing my thoughts here as well. Recently several things have converged to get me thinking about Friendship.

1. A couple of weeks ago I attended my annual stitching retreat/workshop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina which is hosted by my Local Needlework Shop owner Nancy Hall (The Stitch & Frame Shop in Rock Hill, SC) and Meg Thompson Shinall (Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread). This was my third year attending but many of the ladies have been attending since it's inception about 6 years ago. In March some of us decided to do *Friendship Squares* for Meg and Nancy. Each square was to be 4 inches square and edged with a buttonhole stitch so that they could all be joined together in a wallhanging. Some of us stitched published designs and some of us designed our own but the wallhanging turned out really beautifully. To see it go to : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlowerThreaders/?yguid=131876891 and click on photos.

2. Pam Kellogg has been sharing her journey of making a Crazy quilt with us and I have been watching intently and getting lots of ideas. I admit that when I first learned crazy quilting as a child it was simply putting the fabric together and using the embroidery stitches at the joining--no embellishments, etc. So when Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs started talking about the Crazy quilting I didn't really *get* it. Now I have discovered what it really is as opposed to what I had always *thought* it was! To see it go to: Pam Kellogg

3. Well, last night during one of my sleepless periods I began thinking about all the wonderful friends I have made in the last few years--not only from across the US but also from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, and many, many more that I don't mean to leave out. But you get the idea. Because of my health issues and travel difficulties I will never meet most of these friends unless they come here. But I value their friendship none the less.

So all of these things converged and I began to think how neat it would be to have a *friendship quilt* of my own. With small bits stitched from as many different friends and as many different places as possible. Then add these in with pieces I have stitched through the years and never *finished*, all the “practice” pieces from classes I’ve taken, and all the tidbits of lace and ribbon and buttons that I have never thrown away. (I am such a pack rat). I probably wouldn't have to actually buy anything except maybe backing fabric--if that.

Now is this a crazy idea or what? I can’t get it out of my mind so I think I am going to try it. Several people have already volunteered to stitch a small snippit for me and now I am really excited.

I plan to journal this from the beginning to the end, so you can follow my progress and enjoy it with me if you like. And if any of you out there would be willing to stitch a little something for me--no rules...no edgings... no particular fabric, style, etc.--just something from you and signed, of course, I will gladly add you to my quilt. There would be no deadline as this will definitely be a long term project .