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Blanket of Friendship

Story ID:935
Written by:Cynthia Jo Ross
Organization:Lens to the Past
Story type:Diary/Journal Entry
Location:Benton Kansas USA
Year:2006
Person:A friend
A friend lost her son and home in a recent housefire. Although the house can be rebuilt & items replaced my heart aches for her over the death of her son.

I tried to figure out a way to reach out to her, to be a comfort---beside the normal sympathy card. I spoke to our local woman's group about going in together on a gift with kitchen items being our theme.

What I decided to do as my part came to mind late yesterday evening. I could make a small friendship quilt that can be either tossed over the back of a couch or used as a picnic quilt.

So starting about 7:00 pm I sorted out the material I had on hand, selected a pretty rose print that I'd found weeks ago at the local Goodwill store. The piece was just short of 3 yards. I also had left over batting from another project that was in two sections & whip-stitched it together.

Using a nearly-new white king-size sheet (that needed cut down to slighly larger than the rose pattern) became the bottom of the quilt. I pinned the 3 layers, forming a hem and sewed it around the edging using a zig-zag stitch. A white floss-string tied at several of the rose petals helps hold the layers together. It was nearly 11:30 pm before I finished the project.

With the towels, silverware, hotpads, napkins & cups donated by the other ladies the gift was complete. Our way of sharing a friend's grief. Praying she'll feel the warmth of our concern and be comforted.

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