Friday, November 19, 2010

A tribute to a Dear Quilter Friend

I met Pat, oh, maybe 5 or 6 years ago.  She was a picture in my mind.  Superwoman, but a bit more hip, and hair not as long and flowing.  But Superwoman none-the-less. 

Stompin' Stitchers -
Pat in red with silver hair next to me in orange

Over the years I learned so much from her.  She was a quilter of extraordinary talent.  If you had a question, she was there with suggestions and help.  She was a driving force in the CyberFriends Virtual Guild on the internet and Queen of our local bee the Stompin’ Stitchers.  She was always ready to join in and support the group and we participated in many swaps and challenges together.   She never missed an opportunity to do a Project Linus quilt, or and HGTV swap and donation quilt.  We shared tears as we worked on blocks for a memory quilt for our guild friends who lost a loved one.  She gave back. 
In one swap I directed, we all chose a word, hers was  Enchanted.  I was the lucky recipient of her wall hanging, a frog with a huge crown tilted to the side.  She did beautiful work.  SeePats owl her owl?  It was a block in a Halloween appliqué quilt she was working on. 
We shared a room when we went to Houston.  It was one big huge king sized bed!  I don’t think either of us slept, we were too excited about the quilt show and meeting everyone from the Bee that was spread out among 5 states. 
Her career was with the FBI.  And she told little stories of her work and some of the funny things that people did thinking they would never be caught.  And she told stories of being a woman in a man’s world.  She was the one they looked at when the coffee pot was empty.
She raised four sons as a single mom.  And she never stepped out of their lives. 
It was a shock this morning when I opened the email her youngest son had sent to her quilting friends saying she was gone.  She had just come out of the hospital last week and was feeling good for a change.  Her meds had been changed and she sounded a little optimistic even. And then this email today.  You never know what a day will bring. 
I know there are a lot of people who will miss her.  Her quilting family was vast. 
She made a difference in my life.  And I know she touched many others as well.  I will miss my friend, my quilting friend, Pat.

1 comment:

  1. How beautiful - she sounds like a fabulous person and she had a great friend in you.

    Hugs - Marie

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