Window of Opportunity

This is my "windows" piece for the 12 x 12 group. You can go on over to the 12 x 12 blog and see what my thinking behind it was and check out all the other pieces.

This is our 9th of 12 planned, themed quilts. There are 12 of us. Each, in turn, suggests a theme and we all make a 12" x 12" quilt around that theme. We generally work on a theme for two months. We have three left and my theme will be the last. I haven't decided yet, what it will be.

We started this in September of 2007, so we are well into our second year together. Except, we are together only virtually. Our members are scattered around the world. Gerrie and I are the only two members residing in the same city. In terms of my own life, so much has happened in these past 18 months that it makes my head spin, but the 12 x 12 project has been a consistent thread through the good and the bad. There were times that finishing my 12 x 12 piece was the only time I spent in my sewing room for weeks at a time. It has been a focus and a commitment that has given me, at times, a refuge from stress and a source of joyful creating. And it has created friendships I would not have had. Most of us have not met face to face. I think all of us would very much like to. We jokingly talk about getting together for a 12 x 12 meetup, especially when Kristen moved to Hawaii several months ago. That seemed like a perfect setting! (Though I would be equally ready to go to Australia, or Belgium or England . . .) Perhaps it will happen—stranger things have happened.

Diane Hock's invitation to me, to be a part of this group, opened a window of opportunity for me that I didn't realize at the time would be so very, very satisfying. Thanks! "twelves" and thanks to everyone who is following our project. We love, love, love hearing from you!