A Wonderful Saturday

I wasn't  able to go to the opening of Sacred Threads on July 13th, but Debra Bentley, a local art quilter and friend who also had a piece in the show did get to go and she graciously offered to pick up a copy of the catalog for me.  Much to my surprise, I felt well enough to go to the Miami Valley Art Quilt Network meeting where I was able to get my copy from Deb.

An even greater treat was that Maria Elkins was the program.  She did a slide show (well...OK, power point show) of her quilts and talked about her quilting journey, then showed us her quilts in real life...I really had to laugh as many of the pieces I previously saw on her website or in other photos were MUCH smaller than I thought they were.   Here's what Maria had to say about the meeting:
 http://mariaelkins.com/index.php/2013/07/miami-valley-art-quilt-network/

It is always a treat to see Maria.  You'd think that since we don't live that far away, 30 minutes approximately, I'd see her more often, but our paths cross more frequently on-line I fear now than in real life.

Once again, Maria showed her piece "Surrender" about her daughter's baby, Amalya, who was discovered to have a birth defect at the end of the first trimester.  Although her daughter knew that Amalya would only survive briefly after birth, she carried the baby through the complete pregnancy.  Amalya lived only a little more than an hour, but his birth was not without purpose.  Tissue from the baby was given for study, and Maria's daughter started a website to provide information for other parents whose baby's lives are similarly cut short.  Although the website primarily discusses steps for donation of tissue, organs for transplant and study, it goes well beyond that.  You can find the website here:  http://purposefulgift.com/ 

Although I know the story and the quilt well, every time I see it, I am moved to tears and grateful for the wonderful faith and support this family has.  So many positive things have come from this occurrence, even though it is such a sad story.  Please take a look at Maria's quilt here


If you are able to get to Sacred Threads 2013, take a look at Deb's quilt "Finding the Color of My Soul" which shows a labyrinth and indicates the four elements written in Irish runes.  Sacred Threads will be open just a little longer, it closes July 28.  40 pieces, mine included, will travel to Omaha, Nebraska and be on exhibit at the Sunderland Gallery from September 15 through November 10, 2013.  Details are here.