I’m hesitant to say that I’m a quilter because when real quilters hear that, they start conversations about techniques I’ve never heard of and use words that sound like a mixture of French, Greek and Latin. Those conversations end shortly with my stammering an explanation that well, "I’m just a beginner." Truth is, I’ve been a ‘beginner’ for about 10 years – and I have yet to finish the binding on one of my first projects. I guess I’m a wannabe. I love looking at quilts, pouring over quilting patterns in magazines, hanging out a fabric stores, and eavesdropping on real quilters’ conversations. Maybe I’ll absorb some of their skill if I just stand near enough and listen closely.
I’ll never forget my first quilting class. I packed up my brand new sewing machine and newly purchased cotton, and drove the 20 miles or so to the first day of class. I had never seen a rotary cutter but thought it looked pretty slick – this would make quick work of cutting all those squares! Somehow, it didn’t work that well when I was steering it. Everyone in the class seemed to be ‘expert’ sewers; they knew all the jargon and kept up with the teacher quite handily. I was, without a doubt, the ‘slow learner’ in the class. It seemed the poor teacher was always waiting for me. (It takes a while to thread your bobbin if you have to refer to your sewing machine manual first!) Of course, I spent most of my time ripping stitches and ‘trying again’. As I ripped out a seam for the fourth time, the teacher (the most patient person I have ever met) checked my measurements. But they were right. Her only explanation for my grief was, “It must be your driving!”
Last night, I was hurrying to finish a quilt for a Christmas gift. Rather than take the time to mark the two inch squares on the diagonal, I thought I’d save time and just ‘eyeball it’. After all, I know lots of people who do that quite successfully.
Well, apparently, my ‘driving’ hasn’t improved much since that first quilting class. My stitches were wobbly, which made the edges less than crisp. My idea to save time, had the opposite effect. After ripping out the third attempt, I decided that taking time to mark each square would be a wise investment and probably result in a better product. When I had a line to follow, my driving improved immensely!
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:6 that when we acknowledge God in every area of our lives, He will make our paths straight. With a promise like that, I wonder why I so often find myself navigating wobbly roads.
I’ll never forget my first quilting class. I packed up my brand new sewing machine and newly purchased cotton, and drove the 20 miles or so to the first day of class. I had never seen a rotary cutter but thought it looked pretty slick – this would make quick work of cutting all those squares! Somehow, it didn’t work that well when I was steering it. Everyone in the class seemed to be ‘expert’ sewers; they knew all the jargon and kept up with the teacher quite handily. I was, without a doubt, the ‘slow learner’ in the class. It seemed the poor teacher was always waiting for me. (It takes a while to thread your bobbin if you have to refer to your sewing machine manual first!) Of course, I spent most of my time ripping stitches and ‘trying again’. As I ripped out a seam for the fourth time, the teacher (the most patient person I have ever met) checked my measurements. But they were right. Her only explanation for my grief was, “It must be your driving!”
Last night, I was hurrying to finish a quilt for a Christmas gift. Rather than take the time to mark the two inch squares on the diagonal, I thought I’d save time and just ‘eyeball it’. After all, I know lots of people who do that quite successfully.
Well, apparently, my ‘driving’ hasn’t improved much since that first quilting class. My stitches were wobbly, which made the edges less than crisp. My idea to save time, had the opposite effect. After ripping out the third attempt, I decided that taking time to mark each square would be a wise investment and probably result in a better product. When I had a line to follow, my driving improved immensely!
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:6 that when we acknowledge God in every area of our lives, He will make our paths straight. With a promise like that, I wonder why I so often find myself navigating wobbly roads.
Thank you, Father, that you love even those of us who are ‘slow learners’ and ‘bad drivers’. Help us to remember your promise to make our paths straight.
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