Never Suppress a Generous Thought

Remember this quilt? I received a big shock when I learned that the designer of the whale fabrics, Anne Kelle, had noticed my quilt and had someone make her a "girl version." It felt really good that she had admired my work - even if I had used a pattern and my take on it wasn't exactly groundbreaking.

It really made my day when I saw this picture posted on facebook recently: I gave this quilt to my friend Alane recently and it was awesome to see it being enjoyed. My friends and I have lamented recently that sometimes our handmade gifts to people go completely unacknowledged, or worse, they have even been rejected. Luckily I haven't had a really negative experience but I have felt awkward when I send something to someone who doesn't respond. When you ask if they received the gift, you feel weird because you feel like you are soliciting a "thank-you" - but you just have to know if the package, maybe, somehow got lost in the mail and you feel desperate enough to ask to see if they might at least say they liked it (when you already know they haven't acknowledged receiving it - let alone commenting on it)- it's just a weird situation.

I recently received the most darling thank-you note from the daughter of a bee member who was thanking me for making the library block. It really made my day. Thank-you cards are definitely not necessary for participating in bee block swaps but i think it's wise that this young lady's mother is teaching her early, the importance of showing gratitude.

In the end, I know I will always be making quilts and other handmade items for family and friends. I like the quote, "Never suppress a generous thought." This post might sound a bit too syrup-y but oh well - it's how I feel.