Finito!: The Senior Quilt Part II

See all those circles?  Yep, my head was spinning sewing all of those.

 The entire quilt was free hand stitched on my machine.  I used an embroidery foot, switched the feed dogs off and moved the quilt with my hands around to create the embroidered letters.  At the beginning, I couldn't get the tension right and messed up the consistency of the stitching.  Then I learned I was using the wrong size bobbin with my mother in law's machine that I borrowed.  Unfortunately, I didn't figure it out until the last section of the quilt.  It was my first attempt at quilting and honestly, I'm just happy everything lined up and worked out the way it did, so I can handle all the imperfections.  I'll know better for Elsa's quilt next year.

 I shared inspiring quotes on little cards for the Alta girls basketball team during their state tournaments each year.  I used this one from Eleanor Roosevelt during the state tournament a couple years back.  

I still love it.

Remember the quote by Marianne Williamson? 

I stitched it all the way around the perimeter of the quilt.

 What would you attempt to do 
if you knew you would not fail?  

That was a question I saw etched on a simple rectangular, brushed nickel paperweight over 15 years ago.  I was so moved by the question, that I wanted every high school graduate to hear it before deciding their life course.  So I made a hand lettered print back in 2010 to get others thinking about it too, you can find it available here.  Chloé shared it with the senior class officers at a meeting in the summer of 2013 when they were trying to decide the theme for their future 2014 graduation ceremony.  I guess they were intrigued with the question as well.  

I know what I would have done if I knew I would not fail, 

it hasn't changed in the 15 years plus I have thought about it either.  

I would go to art school.  

(Much to my artist dad's dismay.  I've learned you just can't fight gravity.)

What would you do?

"Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams," is often recognized as being written by the notable, American writer, Henry David Thoreau (1870-1862).  It's actually misquoted.  I really like the original quote, you can read it here.  I had to add that on her quilt.  Chloé is very confident and comfortable in her own skin.  

 I love this.  It's a nicer way to say, "Behave!" to your children.

I heard it in a talk by a woman I love and respect, Elaine Dalton.  

She tells the story of where this phrase originated.

You can find the talk here.

I included a quote from Chloé's coach of three years, who retired after the 2012-2013 season
to care for her babies at home and move 2 hours north.  

She loved my girls, and they knew it.

 If my children learn anything from Matt and me in our home, 

I hope it's the above statement.

The above quote reads, "Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway."  - Mary Kay Ash  (American businesswomen, Mary Kay Cosmetics founder)

I gave this quote to the team just before the 5A final state girls basketball championship game in 2011.  It was amazing how this quote fit so perfectly with what happened that night.  You can read about the Hawk Shock here if you are a basketball fanatic.  The Alta girls basketball team beat the undefeated (48 games in a row), Syracuse Titans.
It's the kind of story movies are made from.

 Her mission call for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was issued the day she graduated from high school, probably decided around the time her Commencement Exercises were taking place in Orem.

I know, it was issued on the day of her very last high school experience.

Amazing.

 Four feathers=Four years of playing basketball for the Alta Hawks

Chloé is a dedicated team player, a kind friend and a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As her mother, I am honored she has lived under our roof for nearly 19 years.  This article that Amy Donaldson of the Deseret News wrote about her during her junior year in high school speaks of her devotion, faith and hard work.  I think I've shared it before, but it was the motive behind what I embroidered on the quilt, along with the design.

Chloé has been tying feathers in her hair before feathers were all the rage, not to mention, she was an Alta Hawk.  But to me, the feathers symbolize her growing feathers all in her preparation to fly away and leave our nest.  As far as the color scheme, she wanted just black & white and a little grey. But it absolutely made sense to me.  Things are pretty black and white for Chloé when it comes to her religious beliefs, she doesn't waver in those convictions, and will stand alone in her decisions if she has to.  And the grey area represents the compassion she has for the others around her who struggle.  

I love you Chloé.

I hope you know that as you fly away into the Arizona Sunset.