What's in the name?

The story. Of course!

This quilt began little over two years ago when I had temporarily moved back to Seattle for a year. 

I called it 'Goodwill Shirts Quilt'.

Because, that's what it was!

I had bought some shirts from the Goodwill store to make a quilt. As I started cutting up the shirts in larger chunks of fabrics, I decided to use up all the skinny and long strips into this quilt. It went fast. 

At the moment my life was sort of like a driftwood, lacking a sense of belonging.

If you ever have moved after being in one place for a long time, you know what I am talking about.

This past week, I had the chance to go on a retreat with my new friends Kelly, Cheryl, Terry and Jane to Christine's house in Maryland. Together we cooked, laughed and sewed. Went on walks and of course worked on our projects. 

Christine's husband took us on the boat ride in the evening. On the way back I saw a little piece of driftwood on the beach..

Remember this?

 

Time I spent with my mom back in 2007 is one of the most memorable time of my life. We were visiting Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island and were surrounded by driftwood. 

At the retreat, I worked on my quilt and hand quilted away while sharing the stories of my early experiences in this country. 

I think for the first time in past three and a half years I was as comfortable as I look in the picture with my mom.

I honestly feel as if my emotions have finally stopped drifting and my mind has found a 'home' on the beach (here) full of new possibilities. 

My new friends have made me feel at home.

I will forever be grateful for that. 

Now this quilt hangs over my fireplace in the family room. 

It stands for lot more than curved piecing and hand quilting with Perle cotton thread.. 

It is the constant reminder of the good times I had with my friends but even more the fact that no matter how stormy life gets, there is always a peaceful outcome in the end. 

New beginnings are tough but sometimes all one has to do is to keep afloat.

'Driftwood' is what I call this quilt. 

For it's life which began somewhere else, had a wonderful younger years like a lush tree full of life and went through rough storms and survived, became sharper and smoother with every wave that hit.

  Do you name your quilts? 

Do you wonder what's in the name?

I say there is always a story.

I like to call it  'The Root Connection'