Between Heaven + Earth: Dibby Gundry

Even being a retired teacher, my day is busy with my family, my home, my dog, my church, and with outside groups who sometimes could use my help with a project. But then comes the time after dinner when I turn my energy to applique and quilting. My daughter, Didi, asked me to make a quilt for her for seven years to honor her high school graduation. Finally, I took the plunge by joining a guild which opened up a whole new world of classes, skills and like-minded friends. When I come across a pattern I wish to use, or one I want to mold into an idea I have, I can’t wait to go to my fabric “stash” and then to the fabric store to round out my color choices.

That’s where the greatest joy happens: mixing and matching colors that go together, and that still have enough contrast to see the merit of each piece. Each night there’s time for the prep of a new petal, leaf, animal or other. Then I “needle turn” the tiny margin over the pattern and sew it down. When something doesn’t work, I gently remove the stitches, take away or correct the piece, and move on to the next. I love the gentle pace of building my picture or pattern. My hope is to improve my work. My peace comes with the steady rhythm of sewing. My love comes in the giving of the completed art to the person it was intended for.