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January 10, 2008
Debbie's Quilt
When my dear friend Debbie was killed last summer she was working on a quilt. No surprise there, as she was just about always working on a quilt. However, this quilt was for her son and Debbie's husband asked if Sharon, Lois, Wendy and I would finish it. We agreed, knowing it might be painful at times but also knowing that Debbie would have wanted us to do this.
Debbie had the center squares all pieced and sewn together so we just had to decide on the border and do the final quilting and binding. Lois really pushed us to get it finished, I think she felt the burden of it the most, maybe because it was "living" at her house.
I would have been happy to ignore it for a good long time as facing that quilt was just a little too much like facing my grief. But I was dragged through the process by my friends and now it's done.
If you know any quilt folklore then you know that the red in the center of a log cabin block represents the hearth or the heart of the home. Since Debbie's death I have realized that she was truly the heart of our little group so it seems fitting that this last quilt is a Log Cabin design.
The fabric for the piano keys border came from all of our stashes so this quilt is truly a combination of all of us -- our efforts, our fabric, our time and our love.
It's a legacy and an heirloom and completing it is one more act of friendship towards Debbie. I guess it was a gift for all of us, too.
Posted by Carole at January 10, 2008 6:30 AM
Comments
Beautiful Carole - the quilt and the act.
Posted by: Kirsten at January 10, 2008 6:58 AM
So beautiful....the quilt itself, and the meaning behind it.
Posted by: norma at January 10, 2008 7:21 AM
The quilt itself is gorgeous Carole and your act of finishing it is so beautiful and poignant; it is a tremendous legacy for her son - I am thinking of you.
Posted by: Cynthia at January 10, 2008 7:39 AM
Oh, Carole, the quilt is beautiful, you and your friends are true friends, to each other and to Debbie, that's a lot of love.
Posted by: marianne at January 10, 2008 7:48 AM
A fitting and wonderful tribute to a lost friend and friendship that will endure. I hope it brought you comfort in spite of the pain.
Posted by: Chris at January 10, 2008 7:49 AM
I'm sorry for your loss of a friend. It's a beautiful quilt. Finishing a WIP for someone is a wonderful act of love and closure. I'm sure her son will treasure it.
Posted by: sue at January 10, 2008 7:49 AM
It is a beautiful quilt Carole. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you all to finish it.
Posted by: Karen at January 10, 2008 7:50 AM
Absolutely beautiful!
Posted by: Alison at January 10, 2008 7:59 AM
It's BEAUTIFUL!! I see a LOT of love in that quilt!
Posted by: Robin in VA at January 10, 2008 8:03 AM
Absolutely beautiful. Sometimes there is incredible healing in these things that we do that are hard. I am glad you finished this for Debbie's family and for yourselves.
Posted by: Kim at January 10, 2008 8:04 AM
Well done; it's just lovely and so full of love. What a wonderful gift.
Posted by: Bonney at January 10, 2008 8:10 AM
What a beautiful and lasting gesture of friendship by you all. These are the things in life that touch me deeply and remind me to LIVE every day-thank you for sharing Carole.
Posted by: Carol at January 10, 2008 8:10 AM
I'm seeing how that quilt not only helped heal your group a bit, but how it will go on to help Debbie's family every day. You have such a huge heart, Carole.
Posted by: Deb at January 10, 2008 8:14 AM
Wow! That is a great tribute. She sounds like an awesome person and I'm sure she is tickled pink that you finished up her quilt.
Posted by: Anne at January 10, 2008 8:20 AM
What a perfect way to celebrate your friend and friendship. The quilt is gorgeous.
Posted by: Jen in CT at January 10, 2008 8:29 AM
It came out beautiful Carole. And I am sure it was helpful to all who finished it to remember Debbie and another step in their grief process.
Thanks for sharing.....
Posted by: Donna at January 10, 2008 8:30 AM
Very beautiful and a tangible reminder/ memory for her family of her and the bond you all shared as friends. Despite the pain/ angst in finishing it , the cathartic ones were the side benefit in helping you all heal and walk through the grieving process. Thanks for sharing the quilt and the meaning behind it.
Posted by: Manise at January 10, 2008 8:40 AM
What a wonderful way for you pay tribute. Its a gorgeous piece.
Posted by: PumpkinMama at January 10, 2008 8:41 AM
The quilt is stunning! What an amazing tribute to Debbie and a wonderful quilt for her son to wrap himself in.
Posted by: Kate at January 10, 2008 8:52 AM
Lovely, Carole. I'm sure her family appreciated your kind efforts and it sounds like it was a comforting project for you all as you remember your friend, Debbie.
Posted by: Jan at January 10, 2008 8:57 AM
Beautiful all the way around. What a kind thing you've done.
Posted by: Ruth at January 10, 2008 9:01 AM
good for you for doing the hard thing.
Posted by: claudia at January 10, 2008 9:09 AM
A beautiful quilt of friendship and love!
Posted by: Wool Winder at January 10, 2008 9:15 AM
Oh Carole, it is so beautiful. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to complete this, but what a truly amazing gift to give to Debbie's family. Something filled with her love for her son and your love for her. A fitting tribute to your friend. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kat at January 10, 2008 9:17 AM
What a beautiful quilt and a beautiful tribute to your friend. I'm sure Debbie's family will feel the love wrapped inside it.
Posted by: Lynne at January 10, 2008 9:24 AM
What a beautiful quilt and such a tribute to her memory.
Posted by: jessica~ at January 10, 2008 9:26 AM
A beautiful act!
Posted by: jillian at January 10, 2008 9:34 AM
Everything about that quilt is beautiful, Carole. What a wonderful thing.
Posted by: Vicki at January 10, 2008 9:37 AM
What a wonderful gift for you to share with her son. It's beautiful!
Posted by: Beth at January 10, 2008 9:38 AM
What a loving and wonderful way to keep your friend's memory alive for her son. I hope he can wrap himself in it and feel her love surrounding him. You all did beautiful work.
Posted by: Kim at January 10, 2008 9:46 AM
What a wonderful way to honor and remember your friend! It's beautiful.
Posted by: Leslie at January 10, 2008 9:48 AM
That is a wonderful tribute to your friend. It should give you a very full heart to know how happy she would have been with this.
Posted by: liz at January 10, 2008 9:51 AM
Beautiful and touching...I don't know how you got through that!
Posted by: Marcia Cooke at January 10, 2008 9:59 AM
I have tears running down my face. The quilt is beautiful. Bless you and your friends! It almost makes me want to quilt again.
Posted by: Kathy at January 10, 2008 10:18 AM
That is so beautiful... I am so moved by your quilt.
Posted by: Mama-E at January 10, 2008 10:21 AM
Wonderful. I hope it brought you a little peace. (Piece?)
Posted by: Carrie at January 10, 2008 10:23 AM
It's absolutely gorgeous and how wonderful that you all mustered the strength to push through such a difficult task.
Posted by: Julie at January 10, 2008 10:32 AM
The quilt and the gesture of finishing it is astounding and touching. I've done a similar thing for a friend who passed, and it really is a challenge on so many levels. (Plus, he NEVER used a 1/4 seam allowance, and I said that all through the finishing of the quilt, as though he could hear me griping.)
Posted by: Dave Daniels at January 10, 2008 10:37 AM
It's beautiful. Could not have been easy -- I'm sure your laughter and tears are stitched in there too.
Posted by: Kathy at January 10, 2008 10:56 AM
How wonderful! Her family will certainly love it and appreciate your efforts.
Oddly enough, I, too, have a quilt-in-progress that has been languishing in a box in my basement due to the death of my best friend - we were each making one together when she died 8 years ago, and I've never been able to finish it or give it away. But just a couple of months ago I decided that I was finally ready to do something with it, so that's one of the goals for me this year.
Posted by: Cheryl S. at January 10, 2008 11:00 AM
Carole, you're making me cry. What a wonderful gift! Thank you guys for finishing it.
Posted by: elizabeth at January 10, 2008 11:18 AM
That is a beautiful tribute. All those stitches connecting all of you together.
Posted by: Lucia at January 10, 2008 11:18 AM
That's a very touching story. While it may have been difficult to work on her quilt, I hope that the finished item gives you all some closure, and pride in your friend and her obvious talent with cloth and thread.
Posted by: Beth S. at January 10, 2008 11:28 AM
What a wonderful tribute to your friend - her family will treasure that quilt for generations.
Posted by: JessaLu at January 10, 2008 11:48 AM
It's wonderful that you finished this quilt, and that Debbie's husband asked you to. Not an easy task for anyone involved, and all the more beautiful for that.
Posted by: Rachel H at January 10, 2008 11:48 AM
gorgeous quilt and such a beautiful tribute to your friend and her family. i can't imagine how difficult it was, but i'm sure that it's comforting to know that this means the world to her family.
Posted by: E at January 10, 2008 11:56 AM
Carole, my heart goes out to you and your friends as you work through this grief. The quilt turned out beautiful! And, you know it will be treasured...not only for Debbie's work on it but for the fact that her best friends cared enough to see it through so that it could go to its rightful home.
I hope your pain eases as the memories help you remember the wonderful times you had with Debbie.
Posted by: Sara at January 10, 2008 12:44 PM
it's a beautiful quilt. and a lovely gift for her son.
Posted by: maryse at January 10, 2008 12:55 PM
What a beautiful way for the four of you to honor the memory and love of your friend. I'm sure her son will cherish the quilt always.
Posted by: Lisa at January 10, 2008 1:32 PM
I know finishing that quilt had to be hard for all of you, but perhaps it gave you the gift of grieving and letting go too. It's very beautiful.
Posted by: Wanda at January 10, 2008 1:54 PM
Beautiful quilt--I love Log Cabin quilts! I, too, have helped finish a quilt for a friend who died. The quilt was for her daughter---She loved it! God brought quilting into my life 2 weeks before my Mom died in 2000. My first quilt had been planned for her - and I finished it in her memory (Log Cabin, by the way). Quilting and knitting can be very healing--both were brought into my life at difficult times (knitting when our only child/daughter moved from WI to CO) and I consider quilting & knitting, along with the wonderful friends I've made, true gifts from our Heavenly Father.
Posted by: Paulette at January 10, 2008 2:12 PM
Thank you for your story, Carole. I finished a project that my mom had been working on before she died -- she had asked me to finish a crocheted tablecloth and give it to the intended recipient. I know how hard it is to sit down and really face that project because with it comes facing so much pain. But, just like you, it was so helpful in my healing process and it totally reignited a passion for knitting and crochet that brings me such comfort and closeness to my mom.
I read your blog everyday but when you write a story like this one -- I just need to delurk and make a comment!
Posted by: Romy at January 10, 2008 2:30 PM
It's a beautiful quilt, Carole, and a beautiful reminder of Debbie and the bond you all share. I hope you found some comfort in working on and completing that quilt. ♥
Posted by: Cookie at January 10, 2008 2:33 PM
How wonderful that you were all able to finish it even though it was hard and honor your friend. I'm sure this will mean so much to her husband and son.
Posted by: Kelly at January 10, 2008 2:53 PM
Thanks for sharing this with us Carole. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to finish that quilt, but the finished quilt is so beautiful. I'm sure that while you were picking out your fabric, and working to finish something she couldn't, that she was watching over all of you and smiling.
That quilt has the best "story" for her family to pass down with the quilt for generation after generation.
Posted by: ~Kristie at January 10, 2008 3:15 PM
Just read this, Carole - I cried the whole time. How hard this must have been for you guys. To do it anyway is the measure of your friendship.
Posted by: DebbieB at January 10, 2008 4:39 PM
It's beautiful in every way.
Posted by: Julia at January 10, 2008 5:22 PM
Carole, the quilt is lovely, but the sentiment is even more beautiful. What a tribute not only to your friend but to your friendship.
Posted by: Danielle at January 10, 2008 5:26 PM
I know how hard it must have been working on that quilt and I admire you for doing it. That's a very special gift.
Posted by: Hillary at January 10, 2008 5:46 PM
wow, what a beautiful and poignant piece of work . . well done carole (and to your friends too).
Posted by: anne at January 10, 2008 6:04 PM
It is a beautiful representation of the connections and love she brought to all of you. Perfectly lovely.
Posted by: Katy at January 10, 2008 8:55 PM
What an absolutley beautiful quilt and rememberance of your dear friend, Debbie. I'm sure that she would be proud of how all of her friends came together to finish such a beautiful piece of work! Well done, ladies!!
Posted by: Jen Lamb at January 10, 2008 9:50 PM
It really is a stunning quilt. I can imagine it was also a difficult time for you working on it, BUT her son will treasure it always, I'm sure.
Posted by: Caroline at January 10, 2008 9:57 PM
that quilt will absorb many more tears in its lifetime, Carole. I think of a mother's son wrapped in its warm embrace. What a lovely, loving gesture.
Posted by: Alarming Female at January 11, 2008 12:51 AM
A beautiful gesture and a beautiful quilt. I'm sure Debbie is smiling!
Posted by: Debi at January 11, 2008 1:24 AM
A wonderful and beautiful tribute to your dear friend, Carole - thanks for sharing the quilt with us via the blog~
Posted by: Lolly at January 11, 2008 8:31 AM
I've been thinking about this since you posted it yesterday. It really touched my heart.
Posted by: liz K. at January 11, 2008 9:03 AM
A beautiful quilt...beautiful memory and tribute. Debbie lives on through her friends.
Posted by: margene at January 11, 2008 10:17 AM
OH, Carole, what a moving tribute to your friend. I hope you were all able to work thru a bit of your grief as you went.
You can all be proud of a beautiful work of art. Oh my.
Bravo, gals!
(((hugs)))
Posted by: Knitnana at January 11, 2008 10:51 AM
oh Carole ! what a marvelous tribute to your dear friend. The quilt is so lovely - and your friend Deb must be smiling down on all of you for finishing this treasure for her son.
Posted by: Teyani at January 11, 2008 11:40 AM
A fitting tribute and an incredible opportunity for all of you. Blessings.
Posted by: Lynne at January 11, 2008 11:50 AM
I'm so glad to know you.
Posted by: Linda at January 11, 2008 1:13 PM
Carole -- That quilt is so lovely, and though I know that the design is the treaditional "barn raising" layout, I saw it and thought, "The center diamond is Debbie, radiating such joy in the green tones, and the four sides of green could be Carole, Sharon, Lois and Wendy, surrounding Debbie with their love." And when you mentioned the piano keys border, using scraps from each of your stashes to finish off what Debbie had started... That's a lot of friendship, right there.
Posted by: Ann Rose at January 11, 2008 2:23 PM
The quilt is just beautiful. I know how hard this must have been for you. But, I imagine it also made you feel so very close to Debbie again. I'm sure her son will treasure it.
Posted by: Julie at January 11, 2008 5:54 PM
How beautiful, Carole. And what a tribute to Debbie you just helped create.
xoxo.
Posted by: elisa at January 11, 2008 8:01 PM
That is a gorgeous quilt. What a touching act of love and friendship
Posted by: paula at January 13, 2008 10:46 PM
