I didn't know it was coming....


Somewhere around eighteen years ago, some gals from Marinette decided to have a quilting group.
Like a bee. Martha and Roxanne and Ann knew how to sew. As I remember it, Martha was the only one already making quilts at the time.

We met at Roxanne's house that first week. I remember it so well.

We were acquaintances at the beginning, but when I moved away in 2001....I left my best friends.

That happens when you meet once a week for eight years.
Sharing stitches, sharing coffee cake, sharing lives.


This bag was the first thing Martha taught us to make.



I learned how to use all the new tools of the day; the mats and sharpsharpsharp rotary cutters.
I learned how to sew a 1/4 in seam. Straight.
I learned how to use batting and how to assemble.




I fell in love with quilting and quilted my brains out for the next nine years.

Fast forward to last month....
Cindy came for a visit.

We walked the Orange Chair 1 K.
She tried on Sconnie gear.
We had a great weekend!

But Cindy came bearing gifts. Keith (Sue's husband) wanted to give some of Suzies purses away to the sisters.
Cindy brought them all in to the house on Thursday night but we didn't look in the bag until Sunday morning.

It was awkward to be looking thru Sue's things.
Out of the bag, Cindy pulled two very nice Brighton bags. Sue was a Brighton girl.
I liked them both, but knew they might mean more to someone else....
So Cindy kept pulling the purses out, one by one.

Until she pulled out a bag that took my breath away.



It was the bag that was meant for me.

"It was you, Ray, it was you."

I shopped with Suzy to buy this fabric and I taught her how to make this bag.
She was so quick and talented. Anything she tried she did with excellence.
I can remember explaining something really confusing to her over the phone...and she got it.
She was the amazing Suzie Q.


I had forgotten about this bag.

The moment I saw it....

I knew instantly,

it was meant for me.



Love you.
Mean it.

Donna