Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | By Cate Tallman-Evans | 0 Comments

An Expression of Love and Affection

Sometimes life makes us take a break from our normal routine. Last weekend, I accidentally crashed my email and had to wait a week to get it fixed. Since email is the lifeline of my livelihood, I should have been in a panic over this problem. Oddly, I found that I felt relief.

Since I was essentially “invisible” to my clients and customers, I decided to sneak away for a little staycation. I love to make things: quilts, cookies, clothes, needlework. It is all fun to me. At this point in my life, making a quilt always feels like work even when it isn’t a “have-to” project. So my “fun” projects tend to involve other crafts. Last week’s project was a very special one for a very special little boy.

One of the great things about working on a magazine is the opportunity to work with other talented, quilt-loving women. One of these great women gave birth to her first child last February. I have been trying to get a gift made for that baby for several months without success. Those of you with busy schedules know what I mean. There was also the problem of what to make for a woman who makes quilts herself and has a mother who had a baby quilt made within a week of finding out about the pregnancy.

As it turned out, I had mohair teddy bear fur that matched the colors of my friend’s nursery. So, I decided to make an heirloom quality teddy bear for the baby. These bears are not cuddly like our mass produced stuffed animals, but they are durable. A well made bear should last for generations after being placed in service to guard against monsters in the closet or under the bed. This doesn’t just work for babies by the way. I sleep better knowing that several of my bear creations are standing guard in the bedroom.

I haven’t taken time out to make a bear in several years. I had forgotten how much fun it is! It was great to be doing something different from my normal routine. The best part was making something special for someone I care about. I haven’t had that feeling in a long time and it was great to rediscover one of the main reasons I got hooked on making things in the first place.

Anticipating the delight the gift’s recipient will feel is a great motivator and certainly makes it easier to stay on task. I love the challenge to get each step just right to make the finished item the best it can be. And sometimes an object can be filled with and hold feelings that are hard to express in words.

If you have wondered how it would be to make quilts professionally, I can tell you that this source of satisfaction and motivation is the primary thing that is lost when one’s hobby becomes one’s job. Even when crafters keep their quality standards high, no object made for sale to a stranger can have the same vibe as something made as an expression of love and affection.

My email is working again. I have two quilts to make and ship this week. Life is back to normal. But I am already planning the next time I will sneak time out of my schedule to make something for someone special. If it has been a while since you took a break from your routine to make something special for someone you love, try to find the time for it soon. For those of us who love to make stuff, it is the greatest source of inspiration and the perfect way to reenergize our over worked spirits.