I have been in the process of making a quilt for our Stake President. He will be released on February 17th. The Stake Presidency and High Council got together and decided they wanted a memory quilt to say thank you for your service. Of course Steve volunteered me to sew it. Well, the executive secretary and stake clerk had the job of delivering all of the quilt squares. We gave them to members of the High Council, and Bishops (Past and Present). I wrote a letter asking them to have all of the quilt squares to me by January 25th, and the quilt would be presented to President Hales on February 1st at a dinner.
January 25th came, and I had received a whopping 6 quilt squares, by the 26th I was up to 14, and the 27th I had 31. I have realized how difficult it is to work around people who procrastinate... I kept thinking "I really need to get started on this quilt" then I would have someone call and say they would bring it to me tomorrow. Well, today is the 30th, I had 2 people who definately were going to get their squares to me today, so I would have a total of 40, a perfect number for the style I am doing. One person came through, and the 2nd I ended up calling, she said she would not be able to get me the final square. I had to get it done, so I took a blank square to a neighbor who does embroidery on her sewing machine, and she put a nice design on the final square. I spent the afternoon sewing all the squares together, and started binding the quilt when I had 2 separate ladies call and ask me if it was too late to get a square to me. The first was okay with my answer, she hadn't started yet, but would do it today if possible. The second lady told me she had it done last night, but couldn't find my house. She tried to call me, but didn't leave a message; I was at New Beginnings. I apologized, and she seemed really frustrated with me when she hung up, I decided I would unpick the last square that I had had stitched, and put hers in it's place, but when I tried to call her back (4 times) a fax machine kept picking up. I felt really bad, but I have had to tell myself "She was 5 days late, I had no way of knowing she had done a square."
We are presenting this quilt in 2 days! I am the first to admit I am no seamstress, and definately not a quilter... this quilt has brought me down to the depths of humility, I am posting a picture from a distance, but was practically in tears today with frustration because it would not cooperate with me. I think I am intimidated with the recepient of this gift. I called Erin, on the verge of tears and she helped me realize, he won't be looking at the quilting, he'll look at the squares and appreciate the memories... Thank you Erin, you always know just what to say.
