White on White

In January, 1995 I was living in Salt Lake City in a one bedroom apartment with my brother Matt. Living space was tight and my sewing stuff was contained in two boxes, one supplies and one fabric, plus the machine. I had made maybe half a dozen quilts at most, including my first quilt that fell apart before the second washing. Back then I wanted to create a showcase quilt, but I knew it wasn't the time for the big project that I imagined. And I really wanted it white.

I started my white - on - white quilt one block at a time. The first block was an embriodery design. I have completed cross - stitch designs, applique, pieced blocks and even a shadow technique I learned in a decorative arts class in high school. My sister made a sketch of an airplane to celebrate my coming for visits and I stitched and beaded that block. I have hand quilted and painted and textured and loved almost every minute creating this quilt. When it's done there will be 49 blocks, seven to a row.

I have a drawer full of blocks. They're squared up and ready to go. I've had the diagram of where the blocks will be placed since Julie and I laid them out on the floor of her parents' house. I have learned a few techniques for sewing pre-quilted blocks together. Everything is mostly ready.

Except me.

I love the white quilt.

I want to keep making white blocks.

I see where my heart was all those years ago. And I wonder what I will learn and who I will be in 5 years.