friendships
Working in a Catholic School for 17 years or so, I was often involved in staff workshops where we talked about relationships, etc. Once we were discussing 'community' and in asking to contribute I suddenly realised that I was part of a very special community of quilters. I told my colleagues about looking online for patterns and fabric and somehow finding my way onto the original WWQB site. It became the highlight of my day to turn on the computer and find out what was happening to each and every one of the group. We shared births, deaths, the highs and lows together; Christmases and birthdays, fabric, gifts and those special quilt blocks.I have been especially blessed because over the years I have become very close to one small group which branched out from here but have also met and become good friends with half a dozen or so whose names are listed to our right, and some who have left our midst. Also lucky enough to have travelled overseas several times in the last 10 years, I can make claim to meeting these quilting friends in the USA, Canada, NZ, Australia, England and Switzerland - at least 25 if not more in all. One American has become such a close friend that we are in constant communication, have stayed in each other's houses several times and met up for other holidays as well. Other special friends have welcomed me and other members of my family into their homes several times and I only wish that we could reciprocate sometime - perhaps when we live in Adelaide this may happen at last.
I cannot imagine what the past 10-15 years would have been like for me if I had not belonged to this community..... certainly the poorer. This site, its originator and its participants have truly changed my life. Thank you to you all.
Fran.
posted by Fran (Sth Aust) @ 6:20 PM
4 Comments:
Fran, quilting and my teaching quiltmaking really helped rehabilitate me after my husband died when I was 34 and he, 39. I was so depressed at the time, but had to keep moving forward and when I saw an ad in the paper about a quilting class at a community college in the east end of Toronto, I contacted the teacher and asked if I could sit in on several of her classes as I'd been quilting for about ten years by then...started in my early twenties with the encouragement of my late husband's mother, who grew up on a farm not far from where we are now living. I'd had teacher's training and once I saw how this quilter set out her classes, I went to the fine arts dept. of the community college at my end of the city and suggested that they carry a course in quiltmaking too. I look back and wonder at my nerve. It was during the early seventies and there was money for extension courses back them. They agreed to carry it for two semesters and both were filled quickly. It was those students who really helped me form the Etobicoke Quilters Guild. After that I brought my classes into my home and taught for the board of education as well. But my contact with quilters over the years has had such a great impact on me, as it has others here as well, that I think of quilters as a whole as a warm and fuzzy group of women... most of them, that is...lol. I still think of your son having his first Canadian Thanksgiving turkey dinner and helping to split wood, the price to pay for a good meal...and then, sharing lunch with you and your DH. It's all very special.
Rosey
Well said Fran, I'll never forget the excitement I felt when I found the WWQP ! It was (and is) such fun to interact with quilters from around the world. You were the first person to contact me personally, and to give me the low down on abbreviations used on the BB.! We had birthday clubs and comfort blocks going hither and thither...I think there must have been more hours in each day back then !!
What an absolutely lovely post, Fran! I'd been having a 'cranky' day as things were not going exactly as I wanted. However, reading your post reminded me of all the wonderful things that have happened via WWQP contacts. I really miss being able to post easily. At least making comments still seems to go pretty well.
I think I found WWQP about 1995-1996. We'd just gotten a new computer and soon I was hooked on all the glories of Internet. As Fran and others mentioned, some close friendships developed over time. I've counted myself very fortunate to meet some face-to-face. Many not met in person feel almost like extended family as we emailed back and forth.
Not sure where my time goes but I don't write, email or stay in touch as well as I used to. :-( We all change, don't we. And as Marion said, there must have been more hours in each day back then. LOL!!
Love the picture of little Van. What a sweet, sweet baby. I'm absolutely thrilled that you will (hopefully) soon live closer to him. That's such exciting news about the house swap! My fingers and toes are crossed in hopes the plans progress smoothly!!!
Hugz, Mary in Oregon
Your post Fran made me feel the same as Mary. I wish the comments and posts all appeared together so no one would miss out. Sometimes I forget that the comments can add to the conversation so wish they were immediately visible to all.
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