Quilting Frustrations

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The Frankenstein Quilt

by Cindy Thury Smith 1985

I started out with a simple block design—
And thought I’d add just one or two more lines—
To come up with a quilt that’d be all mine.

Then I started playing with complex borders and sashing—
And through my mind new ideas kept flashing—
Until now my hopes have gone a-dashing!

I’ve created an impossible pattern, a monster—
Anyone who’d try it would be a fanatical quilter—
Who’d probably end up cussing out the designer!

Since I created it I’d better give it a try—
As I ripped out stitches I kept asking myself why—
If I ever get it done I’ll take this one with me when I die!

Now it’s finally done and lies displayed on our bed—
Hundreds of hours, yards of fabric, and miles of thread—
One of those, “It’ll never work” ideas that just popped into my head.

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Quilter’s Birthday Song

by Cindy Thury Smith

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Have you finished that quilt yet?
Happy birthday to you!

How old is your stash?
How old is your stash?
Did you pay plastic or cash?
How old is your stash?

Did you see the new Hoffman?
Did you see the new Hoffman?
Did the price make you cough, man!
Did you see the new Hoffman?

Have you bought the new book?
Have you bought the new book?
So many UFOs, shouldn’t even look!
Have you bought the new book?

Will you make the show deadline?
Will you make the show deadline?
One hour left, plenty of time!
I can make the show deadline!

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The Quiltin’ Times are a-Changing

by Cindy Thury Smith 1999

For our Great-Great Grandmothers, in quilting times past—
A frugal quilter had to scrimp, make every scrap last—
Today wasting fabric is not such a crime—
Today what’s scarce is a quilter’s TIME.

Patterns used to travel with pioneers going west—
Now we swap and share instantly on the Internet—
Once templates were traced, fabric carefully scissored—
Now we slice multiple layers, we’re all Olfa wizards.

At one time a two fabric quilt was a sign of status—
Now Watercolor quilts have hundreds of prints comin’ at us—
Quilters used to gather at small local quilting bees—
Now we congregate at conferences, national teachers to see.

Like our Great-Great Grandmothers our lives are busy, we’re stressed—
But with the beauty of our quilts, we feel we are blessed—
As with Great-Great Grandmother, our quilting serves many goals—
To give us warmth, grace our homes, and feed our souls.

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