My maternal grandmother executed exquisite hand crafts of many kinds. She knitted, crocheted, tatted, made rag and braided rugs, and sewed beautiful garments and quilts. Her skills were extraordinary even for a time when women created many of the needs of their households with their own hands.
Today, I have been remembering all she made for our family and others. One quilt she made included samples from dresses she made for herself, my mother, me and my sisters from the time I was small. I asked for it when I got married. My doll’s dresses and mine are in the patterns. My quilt was the one she completed herself. It is called cathedral or attic window and each panel is actually completed with hand sewing. No quilting as it is usually done is required. Church ladies would complete quilting for her on other types. Mine is from her hands and her hands only.
She and her younger sister made braided wool rugs. They had a slightly different look; my grandmother’s braiding tended to be a bit looser than Aunt Lily’s was. But all the rugs, large and small, they made from the wool purchased from Northeast wool mills were beautiful works of art as well as crafts.
I think too, of the crocheted edges of pillow case trim, doilies for tables, and my favorite Caribbean blue mohair sweater that matched my eye color. Also, I remember her loom, long gone to another crafter. She made rag rugs on it. I can still here the shuttle going back and forth and the beater tightening the long rag segments against the cross threads as she worked.
I needed to remember my grandmother’s skills at creating beautiful garments and household goods. Today, the threads weaving my life seem to have come apart – threads I thought were being woven into a coherent pattern seem to be unraveling. The plan to do the work on my second book to get it published is thwarted because the computer I ordered was stolen off my porch. The delay in reporting the theft, acceptance of the report, and refund on my purchase means the plan to get it published soon is delayed. I also hoped to do an update of my first book…also delayed because I need the new computer to purchase the software that I need to do the formatting and corrections. And a relationship that I hoped would grow and deepen seems to be going nowhere and not by my choice.
Just as my grandmother was extraordinarily skilled, so too is my God. He has woven my life to this point and is still at work. The weaving is flawed to the naked eye but I think I only see the backside with all the knots and changes in threading. He sees the end result, the “right” side, with its completed beauty. His promise is that the dreams He has given me will be fulfilled and that my purpose in His kingdom will be accomplished.
Isaiah 25:1 Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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