Rescued:
with gratitude to Robin, with loving memories of Carol
Designed and Pieced by
Kathy Cracroft Wilhelmsen
(Draper, Utah – 2022)
When Robin Craig moved on from the U. of U. law school in the spring of 2021 to accept an endowed chair at UCSD, she left our Quilters Unite group behind. However, before she left, she endowed our group with several huge bags of fabric that she did not want to take with her to San Diego. Inside one of the bags, in an unassuming, wadded-up plastic grocery sack, were a couple hundred half-square triangles that Robin had made from the “discard” sides of larger blocks. As our group went through this generous abundance from Robin, this sack was passed over until it finally caught my attention and came home with me.
It would be some months before I noticed it again. These lovely bits of fabric were in a sorry state of wrinkled disarray. I went on to sort, press, and square up these little lovelies. I also happened upon a mini-charm pack received from Robin in a gift exchange with our group one Christmas. Those squares, along with some from my stash, became the centers of Shoo Fly blocks made using Robin’s leftovers.
And then on August 29, 2022, Carol Lindsay died. There is an empty spot in my heart for this good, sassy, endearing friend, my quilting muse. I told her more than once that I would like to crawl inside her head, even for just a few minutes, to explore her creative process. Barbara, her dearest friend and devoted defender, was tasked with clearing out Carol’s sewing studio. I was so pleased to receive some beautiful fabrics, including pieces that would make up the solid squares, border, and binding for this quilt.
Rescuing fabric and giving it new life are part of the quilters’ ethic. It’s been such a privilege to rescue these pieces and, in the process, reflect on the many ways Robin and Carol came to the rescue for others by being who they are and doing so much good in their lives.
Quilted by Eagle Mountain Quilting
