Second Weekend In October
I ordered a pattern for this quilt called Second Weekend In October shortly after losing my mom. It immediately reminded me of her for a couple of reasons. First of all her birthday is October 2nd and also because she absolutely loved the fall season. She especially loved taking short road trips to see the changing leaves. Each time she ventured out during the peak of the season, possibly even a trip to the grocery store, she would return with a roll of film full of colorful trees. Eventually, over the years, they all began to look the same to me but to her each one was magnificent! Autumn is now my absolute favorite time of year but unfortunately there was a time that I missed out on appreciating the beauty of this season.
There are occasions when I get a quilt pattern and don't start it right away... like nearly always! I certainly wasn’t in a big rush to start this one for it would be my first time to attempt a quilt so large…84 x 104. Over a span of about 3 years I collected small cuts of fall leaf colored fabrics. Each little purchase was added to the collection even though there wasn’t a conscious plan for when to begin it.
As it is with all of my quilts, there seems to be a connection with each of them and what’s going on in my life at the time. Good, bad, happy or sad, they are each a sentimental and often a therapeutic reflection for me.
The holiday season of 2001 had been an exceptionally sad time. I needed something to get my mind refocused. One night I heard a phrase on what used to be one of Mom’s favorite shows…7th Heaven. “Let the things you love be your escape”. It spoke volumes to me. I love quilts and quilting so that is exactly what I decided I would do.
On December 31, 2001 I launched my great escape and began the tedious process of cutting and piecing this quilt together. The entire quilt is made up of 2 ¼” squares. It was time consuming, challenging and left little room in my mind for anything other than the planning of leaf colors. It is a bit incredible to look back and see that I had noted in my quilt journal that it only took 1 ½ weeks to piece the top together. It makes me wonder if I fed my family or slept during that time!
Hand quilting this monster would take a bit longer. Each leaf is quilted with its individual veins inside and around each shape. The bits of background throughout the center are stitched with varying ½” vertical or horizontal lines. I took my time and finished quilting it nearly 1 ½ years later.
Each year on or about October 2 it graces our bed and remains there throughout Thanksgiving. In memory of Mom and the inspirational phrase "Let the things you love be your escape" are hand stitched on a label on the back. It is a saying that I think of and have reapplied often. And it is one that not only reflects back to my motivation for this big accomplishment but, even more so, her love of autumn escapes!
Happy Leaf Peeping and Happy Birthday, Mom!!
