I've been really busy sewing this past week.
I began this quilt three years ago.
It has waited unfinished in my sewing room
but this year out of the chaos of bits and pieces of fabric
I will complete my quilt.
With lots of reds and blacks, it constantly reminds me of Christchurch.
Putting it together has become a prayer
for those whose lives are still broken.
The remarkable thing about all this brokenness
is that it makes us realize what is really important.
That despite all the sadness and tragedy
the spirit of the city is so alive.
I went to throw the bundle of tiny scraps from my sewing into the rubbish but stopped to think of the rubble of a city we all love. We know that it will rise again, but so much of what we thought made Christchurch city unique is rubble or being pulled down.
It reminds me of the little boy who stood with his family, watching as his house burned down.
A neighour put her arms around him in sadness and muttered 'oh you poor child with no home'.
'We've got a home' he answered, ' but we haven't got a house to put it in'.
I began this quilt three years ago.
It has waited unfinished in my sewing room
but this year out of the chaos of bits and pieces of fabric
I will complete my quilt.
With lots of reds and blacks, it constantly reminds me of Christchurch.
Putting it together has become a prayer
for those whose lives are still broken.
The remarkable thing about all this brokenness
is that it makes us realize what is really important.
That despite all the sadness and tragedy
the spirit of the city is so alive.
I went to throw the bundle of tiny scraps from my sewing into the rubbish but stopped to think of the rubble of a city we all love. We know that it will rise again, but so much of what we thought made Christchurch city unique is rubble or being pulled down.
It reminds me of the little boy who stood with his family, watching as his house burned down.
A neighour put her arms around him in sadness and muttered 'oh you poor child with no home'.
'We've got a home' he answered, ' but we haven't got a house to put it in'.
I went to my stash and pulled out indigo fabrics from Japan
and this evening while I watched Master Chef
I cut and stitched
a prayer cloth
for the people there facing such trauma and pain and fear.
It has a wee pocket for a miniature book which I might ask Nic to write a love letter to Japan to pop in.
I may turn it into a book
made with love.
Sometimes we feel so helpless standing by.
This is a beautiful idea.
ReplyDeleteJoan, you are truly amazing. The love and prayers you put into your Christchurch quilt and now your prayer cloth are a testament to your spirit and faith, and to those you honor with them. Please share with us your finished products.
ReplyDeleteit will be such a beautiful statement and accomplishment to finish it!
ReplyDeleteThese two projects are beautiful J; they really speak of your love and thoughts that you are putting into them.
ReplyDeleteTherapeutic and thoughtful and beautiful...
ReplyDeleteSewing is one of those acitvities that you can lose yourself in and when you are finished you have something fine...
Beautiful and powerful quilt -- even the scraps are lovely. And the prayer cloth is a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteJoan, what beautiful and moving work: prayers in action, with love in every stitch. I felt really moved, seeing all those fragments coming together in that vibrant quilt and your prayer cloth. We must keep affirming the creation of something new, when so much has been destroyed.
ReplyDelete"We've got a home; we haven't got a house to put it in." I'm going to remember this for the rest of my days. I'd love to give that little boy a hug. His simple words condensed volumnes of philosophy into life's yin and yang.
ReplyDeleteSuper post! Adore your quilt...did you notice how your pieces 'fly' together? Your feathered friend was meant to be.