Friendship Quilt

I met my best female friend when I was very young, like five. We went through elementary school together, but I didn't really take up the friendship until about 6th grade. From that point on, we were inseparable. She got married at the age of 21 (I think) and though I liked the man she fell for, it was hard to close that chapter of my life. (Before you pull out the box of tissues, I'm still in contact with her and still consider her one of my best friends). To work through the change associated with her moving on, I made her this quilt.  Each square represents one of the memories I have with her. (In retrospect, I never should have made it white.)

I used a variety of techniques from applique to iron on transfers. It was the first quilt I ever quilted and if you were to ask a long time member of a quilting guild or something, I'm sure I didn't do it right.

My favorite memory has got to be the bubble gum machine, fourth row from the bottom, all the way to the left. She had this random tradition of buying me gumballs. Every so often, we'd pass a gumball machine and she'd plunk in a quarter and hand me the gumball. I didn't particularly like the gum that lost its flavor after less than 10 minutes of chewing, but I will say this. I can't pass a gumball machine without thinking of her.

Sometimes when I'm really stressed or really sad, I call her. I don't necessarily tell her that I'm sad or stressed because I want to be strong. Even so, she has a way of returning order to my world without even realizing she's doing it.

What a remarkable world this would be if every girl had the blessing of having such a perfect friend to get her through those adolescent years and carry her into adulthood!