Your quilt is done! It’s later than I wish, but other quilters say that anything under a year is good. Your mommy’s an author, so you’ll grow up learning about multiple drafts and the like. You’ll also learn about NaNoWriMo, where you stuff the words into the computer as fast as you can, then edit the story mercilessly until it holds nothing but the most important elements. Your mommy was telling about one of her stories and the painful need to back up and start over – I told her to remember that feeling, but I didn’t tell her why. Your quilt is why.

I had the basic elements, and a plan, and started on my sewing journey… until I stitched myself into a corner and asked for help. That’s when most of the experts I talked to gave the same answer – undo it and start over. Sometimes life is like that, you think you’re going along a path just fine, and then you find you’re better off going back to the beginning and the most important elements. The longer you put off a restart, the more mess you may have to clean up. The good news is, restarts are always possible because Jesus came here for just that.

Another reason your quilt took so long is… life itself… Interruptions and long times away from my machine kept me from finishing your quilt sooner. Here lies another lesson for you, life happens. Take it from someone who’s been there – things pop up and adjust your schedule, so don’t hold onto it too tightly. Build in plenty of margin – empty space around the things on your calendar. Margin makes it easier to enjoy the journey and visit with friends.

Finally, when I was so close to done, little things went wrong. I can honestly say, any imperfections you find in your quilt are 100% organic. Some people are so skilled they deliberately add mistakes to keep their work from resembling perfect; I have the opposite problem. A bobbin ran out and some fabric escaped the needle. You’ll find that little nuisance things like these will keep your days from being perfectly smooth – and boring. Mommy will tell you that these things are what make the story interesting and keep a reader turning pages. We jokingly call them “plot twists.” The thing is, you can usually find another way to get things done, and asking for help is one way to make new friends.

So little one, here is your quilt, a love gift to celebrate you joining our world. It also carries a few life lessons worthy of a blog article (like another quilt I made). Thanks for both – I look forward to watching you grow up!