I couldn't think of a title for this so I'll just call it FABRIC!

When I was in Tennessee visiting in December, Shelly and I were digging through one of the closets and we came across her stash of fabric which is pictured above and is now in my possession.  Actually, there is a very logical explanation for this fabric heist and it started years ago.  When Shelly and Becky were very young and I was a stay-at-home mom for a while, one of the hobbies I was into was quilting.  Took some classes (with sister, Chris), made some gifts (Great-Grandma Schmidt is still using one of my pillows I gifted her with for Christmas one year) and even entered a square into a contest that a local TV station put on to create the "Milwaukee Quilt".  My square (which I traced and pieced together off of a seat cushion for the Milwaukee Brewers) was accepted and became part of that quilt.  I wish I knew what happened to it....would love to see it again.  Quilting sort of fell to the side of the road when I started back to work and my sewing machine was silent for many years.  In her twenties, Shelly moved to Tennessee, got married and had the two little girls, Trinity and Madison, and she became a stay-at-home mom for a time.  I don't remember why or how Shelly got interested in quilting (perhaps I suggested it?) but I figured why not give her my sewing machine since I was no longer using it and she could not afford one of her own.  And, a new 'quilter' was born.  She picked up some cheap fabric from Walmart and that's how it started.  We soon discovered that she has this wonderful eye for "color"....meaning, she can look at fabrics and will match colors and patterns....in ways that I would never do.  In fact, she made me promise never to pick out fabric for her because, even though I love quilting, she claims that I'm color-blind.  And, I will be the first to admit, she is absolutely right!  Back when I was quilting, it used to take me so long in a fabric store to make up my mind on which fabrics I wanted that eventually I would just give up and walk out.  It's amazing that I managed to quilt anything!

I believe she completed at least two quilts and one Great-Grandma Schmidt stilll uses on her bed (a gift from Shelly) and the other for her then-husband who is now the ex-husband.  

Shelly loves to pick out fabric, lay out the pattern and sew the quilts together BUT she hates cutting out the pieces.  That's where I come in.  I LOVE to spend a good afternoon cutting quilt squares.  With the proper tools and beautiful fabric, I'm in heaven!  So, we have this system, I cut and she sews.  We both get to do the part of a quilt that we love and with four hands instead of two, the job will go faster.  

Well, now Shelly is a single mother, working full-time and her time is limited so I don't know how many quilts she might be making in the days (or even years) to come, but the squares will be ready when she is.  She has collected these fabrics over the years with quilts in mind for certain people and wants to get them finished.  I, too, would like to see that happen; especially, since she gets such joy in making them.  

So when I came across her stash and we were going to be driving back to Milwaukee for Christmas, I offered to take it and start cutting 5" squares at my leisure.....it's better than the fabric just sitting there in a bag not being turned into anything.  When I have a pile of squares cut, I will ship them to her and she can take it from there.  Actually, secretly.....I hope we are living there by that time because I want to help her lay out the squares in patterns.  I had the pleasure of helping her with one of the two she already made and we had a great time.

As I write this, my washing machine and dryer are very busy preparing the fabrics for the Big Cut!