A Wintersetian expressed surprise recently when I said I don’t sell my quilts. “If I love you, it’s free,” I elaborated. “Otherwise, $10,000.” (An exaggeration.)
If you’ve been given a quilt, you’ve also been given the time (often hundreds of hours) the giver spent making it. The maker’s time and love have been stitched into every square inch. That’s why—because time is so precious—nothing says, “I love you,” quite like a quilt.
In Winterset, I walk my dog around the Madison County courthouse every day, sometimes pondering the design challenges of the quilt I’m working on, sometimes pondering heavy topics like the passage of time and the concept of giving.
In June, after returning from France, I was shocked to see a plywood circle in place of the clock face on the south side of the courthouse dome. A heavy wind, I found out, had blown the big hand, the little hand, and the clock face (about ten feet in diameter) to the ground.
During my career, I made quilts for publication, for teaching samples, and occasionally for competition. Over the years, I gave a few away, but I had to hang on to most of them for exhibitions and trunk shows.
After my business partners and I sold Fons & Porter in 2006, I was more free to give my published quilts away and had time to make new ones for specific recipients. I gave baby quilts to expectant or new parents I loved. I gave quilts to people I admire. (Steve, Jon, Megan, Jim, Joyce, Teresa, you know who you are.) I donated quilts to fundraisers for worthy causes, and made and awarded Quilts of Valor.
We quilters make quilts because we love the process—selecting the fabrics, cutting out squares, triangles, rectangles, sewing patchwork, constructing blocks, adding appliqué elements, creating rows, joining rows, adding borders, layering the top with batting and backing, quilting the layers together by hand or machine, binding the edge, adding a label.
The hours spent sewing are therapeutic for the quiltmaker. Our hands are busy. Our minds are free to roam. The quilts, and the time that goes with them, have already given us a lot, which makes giving them away easier than you might think.
One of my most treasured earthly possessions is a Quilt of Valor made by you. You will always have a piece of my heart.
Marianne-
I have enjoyed you in all aspects of your career.. as I am a 40 year quilter myself, and now I really enjoy your writing. Thanks for this. It is the most true and accurate description of all the love, emotion, and concentration that goes into quilt making.
I have made so many now, and given so many away to those I love, Keeping treasured favorites with me. Along with an unbelievable stash of fabrics waiting to be used.
And I don't resent a bit of the precious time I will use to make them.
Thanks again for the enjoyable reading.