We are staying afloat, kinda, as we attempt to stay safe while maintaining relationships with friends and family. Yesterday was a blaa day – grey skies, rain all afternoon, cold. Today is forcasted to be the same but with 2 minutes and 43 seconds less daylight. This time of year the daily loss of daylight is about the same over two or three months and adds up quickly. I don’t do well with less daylight, especially when the daylight is filtered through dark clouds.
But I am keeping my commitment to identify something each day that brought joy. It was difficult finding a bright point of joy yesterday – in fact I don’t remember how I filled most of the day. Funny how there can be a time of joy nestled in a grey, curl-up-in-a-blanket kind of day. There was a joyful period when I felt nurtured by an activity that by design will nurture one of my children.
I am making a throw size quilt for each of my adult children (and a spouse) for Christmas and yesterday I cut the extra backing and batting of the quilt I’m making for our son. It is so exciting to clean up the quilt that is now ready for the binding – the very last step of completion. I nurtured this quilt into existence, using a pattern for inspiration but designing the quilt around the idea in my head of what Mike would like, laying the pieces out and changing them until every piece fit within the whole I was working towards. And then sewing them together and watching in amazement as they came together almost perfectly – then taking out the offending pieces and replacing them with the perfect ones. Yes, it was a labor of love and joy – with a peak of joy when I cut off that extraneous fabric and could see what it would look like finished. But it isn’t quite finished so today I will start sewing on the binding. Will that be my experience of joy today?
A New Day: Living Life Almost Gracefully 
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I’m doing a bit of quilting as well to get through the pandemic and to help a charity I’ve come to love: Project Linus. They donate blankets and quilts to children around the world, and my little contribution makes me happy just knowing that it’s going to a good cause. We also sew flannel blankets along with the quilts. Thanks for sharing what you’re doing. We’re all making it . . . somehow.
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Project Linus sounds like a great idea. I have so much fabric that I have been trying to make smaller quilts that go together quickly that use up some my fabric (so I can go buy more without guilt.) 🙂
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Scrappy quilts, I’ve heard them called!
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All of the quilts I make have multiple different fabrics in them. I use fabrics like an abstract painter uses paints.
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Quilting is the perfect way to while away a dreary, gray day! I haven’t made a whole one for a while (like you, I love the piecing most!), but I did recently finish one I had started SIX years ago. And thanks for reminding me that these days of declining sunlight can still contain moments of joy.
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Thank you, Pat for reminding us there are joyful moments. Appreciate you taking time to share with us. 💗
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It’s always good to be creatively busy ..
Stay blessed 🙏
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Thanks, Krish.
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Yes, I hope to see photos of the quilts, too. I love seeing how people put fabric together so creatively and colorfully–to make one-of-a-kind art. Hope there’s abundant joy throughout the process.
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Thanks, Donna. I find joy even when I have to rip out mistakes. If I’m not enjoying it I put it down because it has more to do with my frame of mind than the task being performed.
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I hope we’ll see your handiwork when you’ve finished, Pat. It definitely sounds like a labour of love. 🙂 🙂
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Yes, Jo, I will share them when they are done. Thanks for asking.
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I do remember those kinds of fall from when I lived in the Midwest…out here in SoCal we’re finally getting a break from temps near or over 100…now that’s something to be thankful for…stay well …cheers!
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I will have some posts from a fall outing, just me and my camera. I think you will like them, but I won’t be able to send the really cool weather we are now having. I’m still enjoying being in Michigan for this change in seasons.
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Sending huge hugs and smiles to you, and thank you for sharing your hope and joy. This is such a lovely post in darkening times – here’s to a brighter future for us all
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There are so many who are struggling more than I am – and I join you in wishing them a brighter future. I voted for their future!
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yay on the voting – really hoping it goes the right way on the 3rd!
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I really want the election to be over but then absolute panic sets in when I think “what if?”
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I am feeling that ‘what if’ from across the pond, and also ‘what will happen between November and January’! However we need to stay optimistic!
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I was just reviewing poll results and it is looking good for Biden… but he comes the what-if. The pollsters are taking into account factors that account for errors in polling and Biden still looks good. The vast majority of people polled also like his policies. Unfortunately there are some badly uninformed voters. During the election 4 years ago people would say that they loved The Affordable Care Act (health insurance) but Obamacare needed to be repealed (Trumps campaign pledge). They are one and the same.
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People vote in very strange ways . . we have people here who voted for Brexit but didn’t realise that meant they would not be able to live in Europe as easily as they currently do!
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Maybe we really can’t fix stupid. Go figure.
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