Change of Plans

Sometimes God plans things out better than we do.
Oh, alright, He always does.


I've been working hard at getting this quilt
done for a charity event in June.  Picture me as
I stepped back to admire the completed top.
Not so much the workmanship
(I gotta be honest, I don't think it's my best--ie,
some of the star points--but I was cramped for time!) 
No, the pride came from my timely completion of it. 
I still had weeks to deadline and all it needed
was the quilting and binding.  And, I could also begin
working on that next deadlined project!  Whew!

Aaaand then that quickly I learned
that the charity event is actually this weekend. 
Me = deflated.
After my initial reaction of extreme frustration,
it began to dawn on me that I could make some
great lemonade out of these lemons.

🍋Lemon #1 🍋
 I just pushed to finish a quilt for no reason.

🍋Lemon #2 🍋 
The long-arm is off-limits for at least another week or so
adding to the cramps in the schedule.

🍋Lemon #3 🍋 
I really want to make a smaller, matching version of my son's
West Point quilt for his coach.   But, the deadline for the
quilt that's not even started would be just under a month
and there is a full calendar between now and then.

You see where I'm going with this?
I now have an almost-finished quilt that has no 
recipient.
I also have a recipient with no quilt.


It's not in the school colors but it does have
a theme that could still easily work as a reminder of
the athlete he helped get into USMA.
It's too small but I can add a big border, which,
in this case I think will help with it being so "busy".

My hesitation:
When you choose a quilt for someone, you make every
choice--colors, fabric, design, etc--with that person
and situation in mind.  Maybe I put too much emphasis on
this but I find it a very important (and enjoyable) part
of the process.  It's what makes the gift so personal.
Still, I know well that I really don't have time
and that God has my best interests at heart here.

If there's one recurring theme going on in my head
lately, it is that I refuse to spend these last two
months stressing and working over a "perfect" party and
vacation when I could just be enjoying the moments.
So I've been trusting a lot to God and wouldn't you
know it?  He is just a better planner than I am.
Case in point:  this whole thing.
With only a little more thought into it,
I've come up with this on the program:

Don't you just love what a border can do?!?

The large dark border (7.25" here) and the gold
binding suddenly give it a look that I love.
The gold even gives it a bit of West Point.
Or just the Army in general.
And, it'll about 75x75--a good size for a man.
Bonus?  A project that I haven't even started is
suddenly almost done.
I'm actually so excited about this now!

Now if I can just get to that long arm soon!

Happy quilting!

Comments

Debbie said…
Exactly right on all parts of this! His plans are always so much better than ours....really always. I also agree with how we spend so much time planning and picking pattern, fabrics, because they mean so much to us. Yet, it all works out in the end. Take a breath and move on.
Lovely! Sorry you had your dates wrong.