There are about 100 quilts layered on this bed in Aaron’s room.  I’ve layered them all here to keep them safe and flat for now.  They’ve been stacked in piles here and there for awhile and now they can relax.

People often ask me “who are you making that one for?” or “what will you do with all of those quilts??”  I’m never quite sure how to answer those questions.  I am really trying hard to make some quilts for other people, but usually, I can’t bear to part with them.  They are like my children.  They represent times in my life that I remember when I see the fabrics and remember sewing them.  They are a part of me.

A few days ago we attended a piano concert in a neighbor’s home.  Sergey Belyavsky was the visiting pianist, a 29-year-old Russian finalist from the 2018 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition.  He now lives here in the USA.  He played for about an hour, flawlessly–Liszt, Schumann and others.  He was amazing.

After he finished, he visited with us and answered questions. Someone asked, “what motivates you to practice so much and play so well?” His answer was very interesting to me. He said, “there is more music out there than I will ever be able to play, and I WANT to play it all. But there is not enough time in a lifetime to do it. I want to learn to play as much of it as I can.”

I have never thought about being an artist in that way. Of course, my mind turned to my quilt making. It’s not that I NEED more quilts. It’s that I want to MAKE more different quilts, with different patterns and different fabrics. It’s an art. It’s creating.  I want to experience the process and enjoy the process.

One of the things I love best about quilting is that in the end you have something beautiful to show for it, something warm and embracing and lovely.  I like to imagine my love felt by anyone who will someday wrap up in one of my quilts.