Sisters

I grew up surrounded by sisters.

Four to be specific.

Two in front of me. Two behind me.

Growing up, there were days I had mixed feelings about a house of girl emotions.

And then I grew up and realized what a great blessing it is to be surrounded by sisters.

I will always have 4 friends who will be honest and love me no matter what is going on in life at that moment...good or bad.

And then I really grew up and I moved away from the comfort of home.

We all did.

I went West (California). One went to the South (Mississippi). One went East (Pennsylvania by way of North Carolina). One went North (Minnesota then Massachusetts). And one stayed put (Utah).

(Yes. They paid for all those smiles.)

Ten years ago, I spent a lonely Saturday on the phone with one of my sisters. Most of our conversation was about how it would be nice to be able to live by just one sister. She was my sister in the North. Having one sister close by would make all the difference.

I came home that night to a voicemail from that same sister saying our dream was coming true. They had received a phone call out of the blue that a friend had just moved near us and wanted to hire my BIL. And it has been as wonderful as we talked about on the phone that day.

Last Saturday was a BIG birthday for that sister. I wondered what I should do for the sister that does so much for me. The one that lets us treat her swimming pool as our own. The one who always invites us to dinner. The one that takes my children for days when I'm adjusting to a new baby. The one who watches my children for me so I can get my hair done. The one who drives her daughter to me to babysit and then picks her up. The one who makes time to come to my children's games while making it to all 5 of her kids games the same day. The one who will drop anything when I need something.

I wanted something special.

So I made her this:

A quilt.

I'm in love with this quilt!

I wanted something that would match her family room. And with Winter approaching, she'll get plenty of use out of it.

I used a simple 9 block pattern and alternated it.

I cut my fabric into 4 inch strips and sewed them together.

I then cut the strips by 4 inches - to make each a square.

And then sewed them together alternating the blocks.

Then sewed the green strips. I cut the green strips into 10 inch sections.

I used a brown for the back (it coordinated with the green).

I did free motion quilting with my own machine.

And finished it off with a green binding to match the strips.

And gave her two of these pillows to match.

*** I should also mention that I have a WONDERFUL brother and I absolutely love his FABULOUS wife! She's even funnier than my sisters! ***