When Skies Are Gray

This quilt started as a pattern test for Leanne Parsons (@devotedquilter). The pattern is named “Friendship Galaxy” (her blog is here and the pattern available here). I decided to use gray and white fabrics (both bought at Wal-Mart). Just after starting the quilt, I learned that my friend, Janet, had admitted herself to a mental health hospital for severe depression. Her husband had requested no visitors, no food, nothing. I ignored this, and with another friend's help, made a care package for each of them. For Janet’s, I made a fleece tie blanket and a dollar photo album with Bible verse images I had printed as photos off Pinterest. I also included lots of yellow items (socks, rice/lavender heating pad, yellow bottle of water, and snacks) because that is her favorite color. Beyond that, I wanted desperately to help, but had no idea what I could do. So I did what I knew – I quilted and prayed. Every time I sat down to sew, I prayed earnestly for Janet. I also hummed/sang the chorus to “You Are My Sunshine.”

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please, don’t take my sunshine away.”

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I finished the quilt top on October 7, just after Janet came home from the hospital. I took the quilt top to my mom’s house for Christmas 2015, just after she had gotten a Gammill long-arm. I used her machine (with lots of help from her and my dad) to quilt a stipple pattern on the quilt. My first time using a longarm!

The backing fabric was my mom’s – it was a wide quilt backing that she bought in Ava, Missouri on the quilt shop hop with me in November 2015. The batting is from her roll, doubled, just as it comes off the roll.

The binding fabric is a tiny yellow floral print from Wal-Mart. I chose the yellow to represent Janet’s favorite color and also to symbolize the sunshine after a storm. I printed a label that included her favorite Bible verses and ironed it to the back.

It became obvious while sewing the top that there was only one person that could be the recipient of this quilt - Janet. I was thrilled to be able to take her to lunch and gift the quilt to her in person.

Quilts are windows into a quilter's soul. This one is no exception.

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