quiltmonkey Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 I dedicate this quilt in memory of Trish DeLong, my quilt teacher. Before I share the photos, I have to preface by telling you that this quilt is one of the very first quilt tops I ever made, when I began my love affair with quilting and started taking classes back in 2002 time frame. This quilt is very special to me in many ways, but mostly because of my teacher, Trish. I was nearing the end of completing my second “semester” of Trish’s very popular “Star of the Month” classes and we were on the 2nd to the last month of classes when we learned that Trish had ovarian cancer and the classes were canceled. So, we never got to finish all of our star blocks and Trish began a fierce battle to save her life. Besides being a fabulous quilt teacher in her spare time, she was by profession, an Intensive Care nurse at our local hospital, and she was a wife and a mom of two young girls. After only six short months of praying and hoping for the best, she passed away. I went to her funeral and it was in this huge church that was packed and all of her quilts were laying around everywhere along the alter and the pews. They passed the microphone around and some people gave testimonies of the impact that Trish made in their lives. Not a dry eye in the place, including me. I’ve never been to a funeral service like that before in my life. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t; I was just too upset. So, I held onto my blocks and a year later, put them all together in a small quilt top. I wanted to wait and give this to a professional longarm quilter to really do it justice and a beautiful job, but I stashed it away in a storage box and forgot about it until six months ago. By no means are these blocks perfectly pieced. They are some of the first blocks I learned to do and Trish taught a new technique each month. Well, I pulled out that top a few days ago and something told me to just quilt it myself. Like I said, it was pieced during my beginning years, so I thought perhaps I could complete it by quilting it (and I am in my beginning years of quilting) so this is appropriate, right? As with the imperfect piecing, there are imperfect quilting on this top, too, but that\'s OK with me! I think it\'s supposed to be that way.... I will always treasure this quilt and I plan to hang it in my studio in a place to honor Trish and the huge impact she made in my life. I did a meandering feather in white thread so it didn’t overpower the star blocks. I plan to go back and embellish the stars with quilting in blues and reds later on… So, I’m not really finished with it, yet, but thought I would share a work of love in progress… Almost every time I sit down at my Bernina, I think of Trish. Funny how something like this can trigger one\'s memory…But, I am glad it does trigger that memory for me. Thank you for that, Trish. Can you believe the journey she started me on? If she only knew how crazy I have become with this quilty stuff... LOL! Here’s Trish’s quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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JenMcManus Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 What a touching story, Shana. How great that you have this quilt to remind you of your teacher. I just can\'t believe that this was one of the first quilts you made. It\'s fabulous and I love the quilting. Please show us after you add the blue and red. Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanme Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Ohhh Shana, beautiful feathers, the whole quilt is just lovely. You should be pleased that you waited for the "professional longarmer" to quilt this ....I think she did a fantastic job cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, What a beautiful tribute to your mentor and friend. The quilt is beautiful and your quilting is fantastic. I am sure the she is looking down on you and smiling. Yes, please post pics when you complete this quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, I am so impressed this is one of your first quilts!!!!! I only did strip quilts for years when I started. What a touching tribute to your teacher. The quilting is perfect, and lovely. All together beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriasews Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 What a sweet, tender story. You have done her a wonderful tribute with this quilt. The feathers are lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Beautiful feathers! You did a great job piecing too. I need to get the box of tissues out and keep them by the computer. Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Okay...baby girl...what happened with the "TISSUE WARNING", I can\'t even see my keyboard. Shana, Trish knows what she set off and she is watching with this huge big smile, and then turns to a friend and says......"I did that". Oh, she knows and she is SO proud of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbi Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, what a wonderfully touching story. YOU are as beautiful too! Your quilt will remind you forever of Trish and I LOVE how memories are triggered by sights, smells, touches. What a gift! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyLynn Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Thanks Shana, no dry eyes here either. Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Oh, Shana, that is a beautiful quilt and an even more beautiful story! I was already crying after I read it, and then Bonnie, your post made me cry harder. Gee, where are those tissues?? I can relate to this, as my boss and friend of 12 years died from ovarian cancer in June 2006. She struggled for 19 months of treatments, surgeries, hopes and prayers, but lost her valient battle with this terrible disease. I watched her loose about half of her weight, all of her hair, but never her spirit. Please pass the tissues, again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvolejunk Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, what a wonderful stoy, beautiful quilt and a heart warming memory of Trish. So very sad but such happiness for you to complete this project and to have it proudly hanging in your sewing room as a constant reminder of Trish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, what a warm memory of a wonderfully gifted woman. This really is a beautiful quilt. Your quilting pays honor to the seed she planted. Can you believe the journey she started me on? If she only knew how crazy I have become with this quilty stuff... LOL! And I bet she knows what she started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Butler sister, Why are you so hard on yourself girl! DANG! That quilt is beautiful in every aspect! And those feathers! Trish waited for just the right moment to let YOU know when to finish that quilt. It was when you KNEW what to QUILT ON IT!...How to finish it up, and the confidence to do so! AND....IT SHOWS! My oh my Shana, i\'d hang that baby up too, front and center of that quilting room of yours! It\'s georgous girl! (Just like the quilter who quilted it!) The beauty shines thru! (wiping my tears) oops...by the way..what size is that quilt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, I\'m with Bonnie...you needed a tissue warning! What a special tribute to Trish and I\'m sure she is smiling down on you. Ovarian cancer is one of the worst because it is the silent killer. Most woman don\'t know they have it until it gets to advanced stages. My sil has fought and won the disease for over 5 years! When first diagnosed she was in late stage 3 and not given much hope. She won! She has 3 reoccurances but thankfully each time she has won. Luckily she has a great doctor and he is very, very careful. She is back to having scans only every 3 months and when she gets a reoccurance she says, "It is just my every two year challenge." It seems that every two years they find something. We\'re so thankful she has won. I\'m with everybody else on the quilt...you are way too hard on yourself! The feathers are the perfect touch and make those stars shine! Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Lovely quilt and fabulous feathers - your teacher would be thrilled and honoured! LINZI x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craftychick Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, What a beautiful and fitting homage to your quilt teacher Trish. I"m sure she would have been thrilled to know that she sparked the love and passion for quilting in you! Colleen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 Shana, Beautiful quilt. Beautiful tribute to what must have been a beautiful lady. It is so good when you have someone in your life that impacts it the way your friend and teacher did. You did not know her by chance. I know that God put her in your life for a reason. Your quilting makes the quilt sing!! You go girl!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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