Making is movement. Taking time to make something creates space for intention and contemplation. When what you make is soft, warm, colourful, and memorable, it becomes a daily reminder of what truly matters.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Maybe it’s the only time in your life you ever use a sewing machine or maybe you discover an activity that brings ease and joy.Nancy’s quilt-making journey began with a referral from a friend who said, “I heard that Lesley does something like quilt therapy, maybe you could give that a try!” And so the making began one stitch, one breath, one decision at a time.

Beginning the Journey

Quilting together
One stitch at a time
Emotions and memories expressed

Nancy had never made a quilt before, but she said YES to creating. Our first step was a trip to the fabric store, where she chose colours and prints with meaning. We decided on a cozy size that would be perfect for curling up with a book.

The inspiration began
With some overwhelming emotions
Deep within my soul

There is a desire to be Whole
To be One
To be together again

Learning to Sew

When Nancy learned to sew her first square, we began with a log cabin design. I love teaching this style!  It flows with ease, each strip building outward like the layers of a life.

There must be a way
A symbolic way
Something to hold the memories

Something that will bring comfort
Something that will be unique
Something that will be private and powerfully significant

Flow and Stuckness

As the quilt grew, so did the reflections. There were moments of flow and moments of stuckness. We paused to notice how quilting mirrored life: sometimes expansive, sometimes uncertain.

The sewing flows
And stops
Life feels stuck

With illness
Responsibility
And pressure

How to be in flow when one feels stuck?
With recognition of
And permission to feel

Sewing Meaning into Fabric

When it came time to join the quilt layers, Nancy chose words to be sewn into the fabric. These became her mantra, stitched like prayers: Revere, Memories, Purpose, Wisdom, Beloved, Compassion, Ease, and Soul.

Beginnings of the healing are tangible
The memories are flowing
There is a life-death-life cycle

Emerging before our eyes
Is a heart and core connection
In the centre of my creation

Completion and Confidence

Our final session was by the fire on a chilly November morning. I taught Nancy a simple hand stitch, and she completed the last part of her quilt herself. Though many challenges in her life remained, her orientation had shifted. She carried new confidence and a tangible reminder of her own resilience.

Freedom abounds when choice is made
Affirming an experience of BEing in Flow
Brings one to claim it as Truth for self

This timeless quilt
Beautifully crafted by two
Becomes One

Namaste

Closing Reflection

Thank you, Nancy, for this moving testimonial of what quilt-making can hold: memory, healing, and the power of creation.

A quilt makes a perfect gift – either for yourself or another. One made with your own hands and loving intention means so much more. Is there someone in your life going through a hard time or a big life change who’d treasure a quilt?

I would love to chat and explore the possibilities of making with you. Click here to explore Making a Quilt with me.