Autumn Victoria

If you have been following my blog this past year, you've probably seen pieces of a very "October" looking quilt in progress.   The quilt is finally complete, in Loving Memory of my irreplaceable Bestie - Vicki Steffenhagen.   1950 – 2015

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one, I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun, of happy memories that I leave when life is done.

“Thinking about you a lot today as I look through your unfinished projects. Reflecting on how amazing you were. How big your heart was, how vast your mind and how kind your spirit. Always learning and always teaching. Together, we were an unbeatable team. There will never be another like you. I love you and miss you every day. But I'm doing better. Day by day, week by week. I feel your watchful eye on me. Your silent strength and I love you for it. Thank you for your unwavering friendship for so many years.”

Quilt Name:

Autumn Victoria

Piecers:
Vicki R. Steffenhagen
Janet A. Mercer

Amazingly talented
Long Arm Quilter:

Kim Werth

The "Story" - Once upon a time, the Lord graced the world with a special Angel. Everything she touched, everyone she met, was better, forever changed, because of her. She was my BFF, my soul Sister, my guardian angel. She bought this pattern almost 2 years ago (Glacier Star + Queen Borders by Judy Neimeyer), signed up for classes at Mt. Pleasant to stay focused on it and set to work.   Ray, her husband, shared “I remember spending an entire day going to one shop after another looking for the right fabric and colors so my bride could make this quilt. At the time it was nothing more than a lot of shopping bags.  As she began to sew the sections I saw the idea she was embracing. She never got many areas complete before the Lord called her home.”

Before Vicki passed away, she had completed the large center star pieces, the inset squares and had begun working on the spiked star outline pieces. The pieces were lovingly folded into a carrying box with all the tools needed to pick it up and work on it whenever the mood hit her.   I inherited many of her beautiful things and this quilt was the one that I decided to focus my effort on to complete in time for her guild's show.  My tears are woven into this quilt. Some of my healing came from this quilt. Its beauty is nothing compared to the beautiful soul we had the opportunity to know.

Special thanks to more of my besties that also laid their hands on this quilt. Kim Werth (The Long Arm Quilter),  Mary Christopher & Kathy Case (the paper-puller-offer-team), Lois Marvin, Lori Zappala, Charlotte Hawkes, Kathy Rochette, Lona Mahoney, Denise Hare, Anita Kile, Jerilyn Prentice (the CHEERLEADERING TEAM!!)   Whether it was to position pieces, make color choices, change things, change them back, encourage me, sit and peel papers off, do the breathtaking quilting and help to stitch the binding.      Friendship....is what quilting is truly all about. 
…………….    “Do What Matters!” ……………….