Material Girl - but no Madonna

When I was young I knew I was in no way materialistic. It was a known fact that objects meant little to me. I made the best with what I had and didn't worry about the Jones'. I did value the things I did have, especially the sentimental things. I was very ambitious but not in a material way.

Now I have a dark secret to reveal. I am now a "Material Girl"! As my daughter's friend Jen says, "I love me some fabric". I can't go into the fabric store without some design or color catching my eye. It talks to me, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. It begs me to touch and caress it and take it home with me.

In my twenties I had quite a collection of fabric scraps. This was due to the fact I made so many of Tonya and Chris' clothes. I also did alternations for people and I would keep the scraps from hems and sleeves if they caught my fancy. I saved those scraps from the time I was 19 until I was 27. I had a great desire to make quilts. I had only made one by this time but I had a passion to make more. After I met the man who was to become my second husband (I use the term husband, lightly), we moved from Texas to Nebraska and he insisted that it was silly to keep all those scraps and lug them with us. Years later when I talked about quilting he admitted it was stupid of him to insist I throw all that beautiful fabric away. A lot of good it did me then.

In 2004, when I was first diagnosed with cancer, I was determined to stop working such long hours and began to dream of quilting again. Now a real quilter would laugh because I know nothing about quilting and it would take years to be of the caliber of the women I know who quilt but that's okay. Everyone has to start somewhere. Desire has to count for something. I figured if I could just get started I could, over time, learn all the tricks and techniques a "true" quilter uses. That year I began spending part of my vacation money (I rarely took a vacation but got paid for it) on fabric. Well, okay, I confess, I spent some of it on eBay for pink depression glass (another love). Well, I cut down on my hours, just a little, for a very short time. The other lady in the office got sick again and now I was back to doing my work, the work of a second employee who was never replaced and the work of the sick Office Manager. All the fabric has been sitting and waiting for me. Some of this fabric is what I bought to make the rag quilts for Jessica and Chris. Can you believe I finally got those done? There's still plenty of fabric. Fabric for a quilt for everyone I love. I would like to paint some fabric and embellish with buttons, ribbons and anything else I can find that catches my eye. I have fabric to make a quilt of a farm in the four seasons. I want to make at least one Spirit Flag. In the meantime, I will be happy to complete even some of the ideas I have in my brain. Now those ideas might have grown in design and grandeur over the years or they may turn out to be moldy and impossible to accomplish. Only time will tell. I'll keep you posted.

To prove I know nothing about quilting.....When Tonya was a toddler I made her a quilt that was passed down through each of my kids. Jessica still has it but it is about a rag (it's probably 35 years old and Jessica was still sleeping with it not many years ago). The fabric is frayed and worn and even has holes in it. The last time I saw it every hand stitched seam was still intact. In high school Jessica was taking Home Economics and they were going to make a quilt. She took mom's quilt to school. When her teacher saw it she told her that she had never seen one like it. She had no idea how her mother had designed it but she said "it worked out". Heck I didn't know I was doing anything wrong. I knew what I wanted it to look like and I made it in sections because it was easier to handle that way. I didn't know how to use a quilt rack and of course I didn't have one. I was consoled that "it worked". I like the idea of the early American women who made quilts out of necessity and used old clothing and flour sacks. Now that's my kind of quilting. Stitching together memories that will last from one lifetime to the next. These quilts actually got used and weren't just stored away for safe keeping. Someone used them to stay warm, to feel safe and secure and to feel loved by the person who took the time to stitch them. I know it was out of necessity but I like to think all the rest went along with it.

So goodnight from the Material Girl...Living in a Fabric World!

In case you are wondering, yes, I am aware that I am not a girl.