Three years ago, in the spring of 2023 to be exact, I purchased the Sail quilt pattern by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms. This was shortly after she had released her Nantucket Summer collection for the second time, and my Instagram feed was filled with quilters who were making the Sail quilt. As a lake-loving Minnesota gal, I was smitten with it. So I purchased the pattern and purchased fabric for the top, binding and backing from a few different sources. I selected blue and white prints from Camille’s Nantucket Summer, Shoreline and Dwell collections, as well as the awesome navy dot from Sweetwater’s Sweet Tea collection. (Now that was a hard print to find, as it had released in 2018!) I had used the navy dot in my original Lakeside Star quilt, and I knew it would be the perfect backdrop to the sailboats in the Sail quilt. So, I hunted and hunted until I found the necessary yardage. I also pulled in some soft greens from My Sew Quilty Life collections.
And then . . . my self-curated Sail kit sat on a shelf in my sewing room . . . for three years! I looked at it often. Some days I rearranged the bundle and edited the fat quarters, pulling in a different fat quarter or two from my stash, just to see if there was a better combination. Other days I took a pretty picture of my Sail kit and sent it to my friends. But no matter how much I loved this collection of prints and their breezy, calming effect on my soul, I just couldn’t bring myself to cut and sew. It was the strangest feeling!
This summer, I forced myself to examine my feelings. Why on earth was I shelving this beautiful project? What was my problem? Should I sell it to someone who would appreciate it? After some soul searching, I realized that my Sail kit held a bit of sadness and regret. I missed our much-loved home by the lake. I missed the time we spent there with our kids and the neighbors who became like family. I missed the hours we spent boating, enjoying the sun and the water. It may sound silly, or even a touch dramatic, but it was real. I sat with my feelings for a bit. Then with a nudge from above, I decided to focus on my blessings – good health, a pretty home, a great job, a hobby I enjoy, and (most of all) a wonderful family and caring friends. And with that, I put the rotary cutter to work and had a ball. Before long, I had made my first two sailboat blocks!
Most of the time when I am making a quilt, I become emotionally invested, especially if I’m sewing for someone I love or for a special occasion. (We pour our hearts into every cut, stitch and press, don’t we?) This Sail project sat untouched for years – detached from me because of a sadness I hadn’t faced. Now I am excited to work on my Sail quilt; it will be a reminder of precious moments in our past as well as our current blessings.
Thanks for letting me share!
~Taunja
“ As a lake-loving Minnesota gal, I was SMITTEN with it!”
Pun intended?