Binding Friendships

     Quilting is more than just sewing and even more than creating usable art.  Since long before my time, quilters have created community.  Quilting is about getting together and helping each other, sharing life, cheering one another on through good times and bad.
     Last Thursday night was a prime example of why life at Heart Blossom makes my heart swell and exceeds all my wildest dreams.  I won’t get into all the details, but for those that stayed to the end of embroidery club, you know.  Not only do I love the community we are in, I love the community you have helped us create.  It’s the place where hearts and hands connect and we are bound together in our community, much like the binding on a quilt.
     The sales rep that ended up joining us unexpectedly that night, sent me an email that I will share with you.  Here’s part:
“It was so much fun to be in your community, at your table and you made me feel right at home.  Your shop, your friends and you are a delight.  I will be back for club….I really enjoyed the company of everyone there.  It’s so much more than fabric.  Thank you, it was the highlight of my week.”
     Now, did she want to sell me fabric?  Yes, but she also stayed and fit right in, and had never seen any of us before that night.  She had a glass of wine, talked about her grandchildren, her home, shared pictures and bonded with the community around the table.  Did she sell me fabric?  Yes, but she also did so much more and started the binding of another friendship in our little community.
     That night during club, I stood back and just watched for a few minutes.  Yes, we’re all different and no, we don’t all like the same patterns and designs.  Just like there are no two quilts alike, nobody at that table was doing the same thing, yet all were bound together.  From wool applique, to hand stitching hexi’s, to thumbing through library books, to drinking wine, to ditching stitching to be my in house IT support staff (thank you, Julie!), to sharing pictures and lifes challenges……thanks, for all of it.  It was a perfect example of a quilters community – where Hearts and Hands are connected.  I wonder if my mom could foresee that when she came up with the name of our group way back when?  Somehow, I don’t think so but it sure is a great place to be the 2nd Thursday of every month.  You should try coming sometime.