To me, StorySave is much like gardening. There is enjoyment in planting the garden, picking which seeds to sow and how to arrange them. There is much work in tending the garden, pulling the weeds and sometimes reseeding. This work results in a wonderful bounty of produce which can be enjoyed by the gardener and also shared with many others. Sometimes gardeners save the seeds from the garden and replant them the next year. And sometimes gardeners end up with a new variety of seeds as a result of cross-pollination. The StorySave process involves selecting tellers and stories, editing the recorded stories, and producing a CD which can be enjoyed by many. Those who listen to the story can help to carry it on into the future, the way a seed perpetuates a plant. It is also possible that the listener will adapt the story, perhaps slightly, perhaps greatly, and that this new story will live on.

I wanted my quilt block to show this idea of the seed perpetuating the plant. In this case, I chose a simple but recognizable flower shape and used buttons to represent the seeds. My sewing skills are somewhat limited (as was my time) and I admit that I struggled a bit (a lot) at first. But, I persisted and found a path forward (after considerable time ripping stitches out). I learned a lot in the process, both practically (e.g. how to do a button-hole stitch and that appliqueing heavier fabric, like felt, is easier) and spiritually (i.e. inner calm can be find in hand stitching whilst the sewing machine may lead to rushing and ruin).