Tears and Frayed Edges

Spent some time this week repairing the first quilt I ever made. It was a Trip Around the World pattern and it wasn't perfect but I was hooked. I tried several different techniques with varying degrees of success but at least I finished it (unlike some later startups)

I made the quilt for my pre-teen daughter and wondered if she would like something so old fashioned. No need to worry, she loved that quilt and has made great use of it in the last 14 years even dragging it along on vacations. It even got stained with ink when she snuggled and wrote stories about princesses, high school book reports and college essays.

 
 When she left the nest it went along with her from one apartment to another. Finally it spent a year in storage and when it was delivered to its newest home we realized it needed some TLC. Open seams and ragged edges were apparent and all the ties had disappeared over the years.

So I repaired the torn seams, added a few new ties and bound the quilt with a completely new binding to hold it all together. I did my best to breathe a few more years of usefulness into it.

Repairing that quilt made me realize that quilts are made to be enjoyed. Those rare quilts that have survived several centuries are beautiful but they survived because they were hidden away and not subjected to daily wear and tear. Life is like that as well. To be enjoyed and well used. When tears or frayed edges appear and need mending help is always nearby. Wise friends and family who have already bound their frayed edges and mended their tears have the necessary tools and have developed techniques for dealing with life's surprises, good ones and bad.
 
Back with its rightful owner, the quilt isn't pristine but it is functional and useful. This quilt will be prized once again and give comfort to my little girl and perhaps to a new generation of snugglers.