Cancer Helped Me Be a Better Quilter

 Actually, it was this big guy's cancer that helped me be a better quilter! This is my husband celebrating his last day of 6 rounds of intense chemo. See the party hat?

Quilting kept me from going completely insane while juggling his medical appointments, 3 young kids (one who was only 9 months old at the diagnosis), and the worry of the whole ordeal. I'd bring my sketch book and doodle free motion quilting designs at the doctors office. One day, we had to share a room during long infusion chemo. The husband of our 'roomie' asked if I was an artist. I emphatically told him "No."


 I might just tell him otherwise if he asked that today. That doodling improved my free motion quilting skills by leaps and bounds!

This is the whole cloth quilt I stitched and donated to the cancer center where he received treatment. The back above, the front, below. (BTW, if you ever wondered what the alphabet stitches look like on a Janome, that's what I used for the label. Not as great as an embroidery machine, but pretty good.)


Another shot of the back, since it's hard to see the front in pictures. My tension wasn't perfect, but it'll do.

Look! Crosshatching before I found a ruler toe and long arm rulers for my machine!

 And another shot of my hubby 2 years cancer-free. He still has hair around the sides, but decided to keep his head shaved. He still also has a thing for strange headgear......

I thought you might enjoy hearing this story, but I also wanted to take this time to let you know that I've decided to start using some affiliate links from time to time. This means that if you click on some links for products or books, and make a purchase at the link's site, I make a tiny commission. You will not pay more through the link than if you bought from that seller without going through my link.

I will only use these links for products or books that I have or would really like to have. They will all be relevant to the quilty nature of this blog, I promise.

Cancer is tough, y'all. It can be beat. But the bills.....wow! I just want to try to do what I can to help. No sob story, no guilt trip. Just doing what I can with what I have.

I really enjoy sharing my free motion quilting adventures; I hope you enjoy reading about them!

I'm linking this post up with Leah Day's FMQ Friday Link Up. For more FMQ inspiration check it out!

2 comments:

  1. It is funny, the things that can help us become better at things, or to find the time we often think we do not have. I have had numerous different experiences over the last 7 years that seemed like such a negative thing at the time (and they were), but ended up being lessons in betterment in many areas of my life, whether it be quilting, parenting, being a wife, daughter, grandmother, housekeeping skills (yes, you read that right!), or taking the time to do things I have always wanted to do but kept putting off. So glad to hear your husband is doing well! Trudy

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    1. You are so right Trudy! I cringe to think how many of life's lessons I would have missed out on if I had made different choices in life, or had different circumstances.

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