Reflections on the Sixth Week of Summer – Fluffy Cluck 

    On Tuesday, I joined my friend Marion as her guest for the Free Spirit Quilt Guild picnic at guild leader Kim's country place. The forty-two acres with trees, ponds, gardens, and lawns tempted me to explore, but I stood beside Marion under the pavilion roof to watch Kim.

   She arranged contrasting fabric diamonds into an eight pointed LaMoyne star. Picking up two diamonds, she put right sides together and said, “Sew from the bottom of the diamonds and to the mark in the corner. Don't go even one stitch past.” Stopping exactly at the mark was tricky, but making the contrasting fabrics alternate challenged my three-dimensional geometric skills. I pinned fabrics, peaked at the result, pulled out the pin, and tried a different side for the desired effect.

    Our second project had similar challenges–aligning pieces. I made a pincushion in the shape of a chicken out of blue fabric printed with white chickens sporting pink combs and beaks. First I caught the comb, variegated pinkish maroon yarn, in the seam with the beak. I ripped out the stitches and resewed. On the second try, the prairie point triangles for the beak shifted out of place. The chicken looked like it'd been punched in the face. I ripped and sewed again. With beak, comb, and tail in proper alignment, I attached round black buttons for eyes. Those shifted when I filled the body with ground walnuts making the chicken cross-eyed. Not guessing that the chicken would bring yet another difficulty, I set it with the other pincushions on the chalkboard “roost” at the front of the pavilion and wrote my chicken's name in chalk.

    The third project, dyeing a square of white fabric with ink, presented a different challenge. I dug through a pile of plastic stencils for a set butterflies. In the process of inking blue, red, and purple butterflies around the edges of the fabric, a drop of red ink fell in the middle. Camouflaging the “oops” with an array of polka dots would spoil the calming effect of the butterfly arcs. Instead I used another stencil and turned the mistake into the center of a flower. I hustled to fill the butterfly outlines with dots and lines while the group set food on tables.

    Satisfied I'd overcome the sewing challenges, I filled my plate with servings from five of the pot luck offerings. The pavilion buzzed with chatter of fifty friendly quilters. Conversations switched from “The seams do swirl in a clockwise direction” and “That fabric is beautiful” to “The Jello is super sweet because I made it with Orange Crush” and “She made the cake with apples and zucchini.” Stomachs filled, but most of the food remained uneaten–too much sampling from the snack table while we sewed.

    After supper, I took a walk through the grounds with Marion. We stood on the bridge across the largest of four ponds. A fountain splashed, a breeze tossed our hair, and a flock of geese flew west. I could've stayed on the bridge till sunset, but we went back to the pavilion for the guild meeting.

    Mid agenda, Kim lifted each chicken, gave its name . . . Chicken Chicken, Tie-dye, Chick fil A, Polka Dot . . . and made a comment. When she came to mine, the group chuckled because she said, “Fluffy Cluck. Don't repeat that name fast.”