Even as a child I was very cognizant of, and troubled by, inequality. I could not fathom homelessness, or racism, or any sort of discrimination. I did not understand why so many people struggled and why our country did not do more to help everyone. Hell, almost fifty years later, I am even more baffled and disgusted by the ever growing wealth chasm and the deterioration of human and civil rights in America. And now with our world’s first Trillionaire (barf), extreme cuts to foreign and domestic aid, and a retreat of progressive ideals, I am left feeling even more empty. What are we doing?
In college, I distinctly remember having to explain homelessness to some Swedish exchange student friends. It was a horrible question and answer conversation that was never resolved. They were legitimately confused that people were forced to sleep on the streets, while others had humungous houses and nice cars. Every study session and coffee date led to questions about America such as “why do you have to get health insurance?”, “what are student loans?”, “why don’t you get to take a vacation?”, “why are houses so big?”. And so on, and so forth. So little twenty-one year old me tried my damndest to explain these concepts to them. Not convince them, or even defend the realities, but simply state the facts.
When I get frustrated about the state of the world, and especially how little control I feel like I have to affect change, I realize that my simple actions are impactful. That by living my life in the way that is best for me, I create positive change. And one of my most impactful actions is by using everything that I have to the fullest. When you can extend the life of your possessions, shop local, buy second hand, repurpose, trade and swap things, use the library, etc., you realize just how much there already is. I have written time and time again about the utility and purpose of fabric scraps in my creative process. Yet I am continually astounded by the amount of quilts (and tote bags!) I continue to make from the leftovers. Big and small projects — they all matter. Taking something that could be discarded and granting it a new life feels magical.
This cozy number is made entirely out of the fat quarter remnants from a large quilt I made in 2025. I could have cut these strips down into smaller pieces, but then I thought, what happens if I use the scraps in their original state. To show that they are the offcuts, instead of making a more traditional scrappy pieced quilt. It may not be evident to anyone except me that these used to be fat quarters, but I enjoyed playing with the original shape. Keeping the fabric larger also showcases more of the prints, which would not be as evident if spliced into smaller segments. It was also fun to see different layouts and movement within the quilt depending on color placement. Just because a pattern may seem simple, doesn’t mean that the quilt is boring.
This blanket is going home to a dear friend and her adorable dog as a just because quilt. I believe that everyone deserves quilts, flowers, and fresh food, so there doesn’t need to be a special occasion to gift someone in your life something. Having piles of fabric sitting in my drawers does no good when it could be out there serving a purpose and living its best life. Keeping someone cozy after a long day and being a blanket hug. Ha, I just realized that by working with scraps, I am freeing the fabric from a boring life stuck in some pile. Or gasp, the garbage. So radical!
The perfect songs tend to come to me at the right moment. And so with my rumination on scraps and being content with all that I have, the Radiohead song “All I Need” came into my head. No need to analyze that one! Well, maybe a little analysis is acceptable because it is a song about one-sided infatuation, but let’s just stick with the chorus here. I am a big, big Radiohead fan and The Bends is a top five album. In the last couple of years however, I’ve gone back and really appreciated the 2007 In Rainbows album. It is everything you could want in a record— excellent songwriting, top notch musicianship that is both spacey and grounded. Long live Radiohead.
In a world full of messaging that you need more, that you don’t have enough, that who you are is somehow based on what you own, it saves my soul to calculate all that I do have. At the same time, it is also a good time to ask myself, how can I help those who truly are in need? The gulf between those with excess (at incomprehensible levels) and those without basic necessities is growing larger by the day. Making quilts out of scrap fabric will not solve this problem. But it sure does make me feel good and everyone loves to have a quilt of their own. So for now, I will keep treading along my path, maximizing what I already have to get more cozy, comforting blankets out into the world. ‘Cuz that is all I need and want to do.
Quiltunes 