Dear Courtney - Your Gift

 Dear Courtney,
Wow, this weekend you turned 13!  I remember when you were just a tear in your mom's eye...a tear because when a young woman finds out that there is life inside her...there is a mixture of joy and fear, but the joy always outweighs the fear.  We sat and talked about you and how special you were.  We were right...you are so extremely special.

I started your birthday gift this past Saturday.  I saw a baby quilt and thought that if it was a little bigger, it would be perfect for a teenager!  I already had the log cabin blocks made.  I had used some in a table runner I made for Sally and I thought you might like the colors too.

Did you know that the log cabin block was your Great-Grannie Lewis' favorite block to work with and it was one of the first that I learned to make?

 I didn't really notice how the pattern looked in the layout of this quilt until I hung it up, after it was pieced, and walked away from it.  I really like the dark and lights all coming together to focus on the place where the flower will go.

 Oh, Courtney, I hope you know that just like every flower, you are uniquely made and while there are some similarities between you and the other "flowers"...there are no two alike.  Never forget how truly special you are.  You don't have to follow anyone else....be yourself, bloom where you are, the only way that you can.  Oh...that center of the flower...that was from your Great-Grannie Lewis' material stash.  I wonder what she made with it?

 Sunday morning, I started getting the quilt ready for quilting.  I thought you might like to know that your Great-Grannie had lots to do with this quilt.  I quilted it on her machine...she's the one that taught me to quilt.

She had bought lots of batting just weeks before she got sick....your Grannie intended to make lots of quilts. I used some of that batting in your quilt...that's the stuff in the middle of the fabric that makes it warm.  Mother also bought the material used for the back of your quilt.  See that seem down the center?  She already had the material all ready by sewing the material together to make it big enough to cover the back of the quilt.

I imagine you curled up on your bed, watching TV, texting your friends, reading a book.  Maybe you'll cover up your legs with this little quilt (it's too little to cover you all up!) while you are reading that Pink bible you got for Christmas last year.  I pray that you feel our love for you, just like you'll feel the warmth of this quilt.  I had so much fun making this for you and imagining all the ways you would use it.

Courtney...you are loved with an everlasting love....never forget that.

 Enjoy this little quilt....I enjoyed making it for you.

With love,
Aunt Deborah