Vibrant Celebration Finishing Touches

Description

Some of my finishing details are utilitarian, such as my quilt label and the quilt sleeve I sewed into the binding. Others are more sentimental. This quilt is special; I sought to grace it with meaningful treasures — no longer tucked away, but serving as a reward and a reminder for those who look a little closer, who graze their fingertips over the supple, comforting surface of my beloved creation. I inherited buttons from my grandmother, who always encouraged my quilting. She was a talented seamstress, but never made me feel lesser regardless of my inexperience. I remember the Bernina Record in the corner of her living room, and the one she gave my mother as a wedding present. Grandma was passionate and enthusiastic, always curious and observant — one to notice the most positive nuances of people and other beautiful things. I reflected on how her life impacted the woman I’ve become as I grasped each type of button, neatly bound together with a loop of thread. I carefully selected favorite buttons, from my collection and hers, that complimented themes within my chosen fabrics, replacing printed berries and bubbles with baubles. While embedded with memory, Vibrant Celebration is as much about cherishing the present and anticipating the future, as it is about reminiscing, much like Bernina’s 125th Anniversary. As I set tiny specks of sparkle in the form of hot fix crystals into my quilt, I contemplate my aspiration for my daughter, who has already claimed this quilt as her own, to show the same unabashed audacity to shine. I hope she sees how using my hands to create fulfills an unspoken longing in my soul, and she finds a way to creatively express her own talents as she grows into a vivacious, independent young lady.