Saving Scraps

I started my career as a seamstress. I didn't know then that it would be my career but I loved sewing and I loved speed. So when I put the two together I became a speedy sewer. I could make a skirt in 30 minutes or whip up a dress in an hour. I relished that speed. I walked fast, all my movements were fast and the older people said I was "fast". I think they meant something else by that. My uncle would say, "Why do you walk so fast? You are going to be old by the time you are 24." We would both laugh. I don't know why he chose 24 nor could I figure out what he meant. Now I know he was saying that I was rushing through life and that I should take some time to smell the roses.

Consequently, all that fast sewing accumulated a large amount of scraps. I'd been taught (very thoroughly I might add) that it was bad to waste. So throwing those scraps of fabric away seemed like a waste. As the pile grew larger and larger and turned into boxes and boxes, I kept telling myself that one day I would make quilts with those scraps. Then my husband started saying little things like, "you sure have a lot of scraps." He helped me store them in the attic. I didn't even miss the boxes that went to the attic. When we moved he conveniently left them there. Some friends moved in the house and Damu brought over the boxes of scraps. He was beaming as he said, "you left something."

I was elated and my husband was disappointed. We all laughed and said, "if it is yours, you can't throw it a way". My scraps came home.

My uncle would be glad to know that I have learned to slow down. I finally started on my quilting journey and fell in love with the lack of speed. I like the idea of taking a project and working on it over a length of time. Quilting has nurtured that in me. Last year it paid off as I received Honorable Mention at the Pinnacle Exhibit for "A Quilter's Dream". I've been able to create some pleasing pieces from my scrap box.