Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada - The 2007 Story Save Quilt

The story of this year's quilt by Pearl-Ann Gooding

As usual Anne Nagy was the first one to send her block into me. I received it 3 weeks after I sent them out!! This was in September and the final block came in March (way overdue but much appreciated). You can see that there is a great space of time as the blocks come in, although most arrive in November as requested as a final deadline.

Because Anne had her block sent to me so early and it was so beautiful, I was thrilled and began to pack it around with me to show my friends, family and peers. Sharing my excitement of the work she had done on behalf of Story Save and giving me a chance to express my passion for StorySave. I have many quilting and/or storytelling friends, all which are excited to get updates on the progress of the quilt each year.

Anne

Always the first
- Anne Nagy

As the other blocks started arriving I set the place aside to collect them on a shelf in my sewing cupboard. There everything that was related to the quilt was gathered. The material for the piecing and backing, the receipts, the stories for the blocks, etc. Once everything was collected and the last block arrived, I sewed the borders on each of them and began placing which block would go where. Setting them in such a way as to balance the overall look of the quilt. When it was complete, I sent it off to Cold Lake to a quilting friend of mine, Christine McRitchie who has done the machine quilting for 3 of our quilts and is always giving us a wonderful deal.

When I received it back I began with the binding. the second Friday in May, 2007, I had just one side of the quilt left to bind. This was my Tellaround meeting with the Edmonton TALES Chapter and I could hardly wait to show off the beautiful work of each of the participants and final look of the quilt. I was gathering my scissors and thread to bring with me so I could finish the binding at the meeting.

I picked up a few things off my dresser and noticed an envelop leaning again my jewelry box from Anne Nagy. Hmmm, I wondered what it was and what is was doing there. I opened it and to my horror saw Anne's beautiful block in itl! I didn't place it with the other blocks and it never made it into the quilt. I cried to all those who would hear my sorrows - how could this be fixed? I gathered my courage and broke the news Anne, giving her a choice to have the block used as a matching pillow, mini quilt, wall hanging or my death shroud when she got her hands around my throat. She opted for the matching pillow.

As I explained this to my mother (my inspiration for the love I have for quilting), she thought that I could still place it in the quilt with some fine sewing, ironing and quilting techniques. I assured her that I could not do this and typical mother, she assured me I could. So I attempted the impossible and in the end, after many hours of adjusting (and crying - oh whoa always me .. .), IT FIT!

So now it has its rightful place, in this year's quilt as it should have had all along. I am so happy that it is in! I am also impressed with the kind and encouraging words of Anne after all the work she had done and not being upset at being misplaced and forgotten - she is amazing!

And the kind and encouraging words of my mother - she is amazing too.