These were the first words I saw.

and

There was a “Super Secret Surprise” in the agenda of our 4th year anniversary FVMQG party this September meeting. I’ve recently stepped down from the exec so I just assumed there was a workshop being announced or something.  Then Cathy the president of the guild asked Cynthia and I to come up to the front. Um, okay. I think I sat there a bit stunned. Cathy explained to the group how 4 years ago Cynthia and I started the Fraser Valley Modern Quild Guild. Then out came two big bags with quilts in them. Cynthia’s quilt is on the left and mine is on the right.

I think I started to shake. It was very emotional and overwhelming. You see, I’m an introvert. Usually after our meetings or any gathering with more than two people I’m beat. The next day I do what I call turtling. I’m more than happy to spend a day or two by myself . I usually need and require this to recuperate, then I’m good to go. Which might be a bit weird since I’ve pretty much led every meeting since we started our guild 4 years ago and, I must add, it has always been my favourite job. I know, I’m a conundrum! Anyways I guess what I’m trying to say or explain is this is why I haven’t blogged about this yet. This was BIG! Capital B, capital I, capital G. This really meant a lot to me and it’s taken me a while to process it and honestly I’ve been savouring it. I’ve been looking at it everyday, looking at each star, reading the messages it’s a lot to take in. Needless to say, it’s very significant!

Prior to this I’ve only been given two quilts that have been handmade. Both were made by my Auntie Caryl. The first one she gave me was when I was 12. Needless to say I didn’t comprehend it’s significance. Later in my 20’s I sure did though but not at the moment it was given. The second quilt was given to us, again by my Auntie Caryl, after my first son was born, so I saw it as more his than mine (and being a baby he didn’t really comprehend it’s significance at the time either!). This same Auntie made my boys both their own quilts when they were a bit older and I think I did a good job of letting them know how special they were and what went into making them.

I was shocked at the wave of emotion I felt receiving this quilt. I have never, never felt the power of a whole group making a quilt before. Especially one that contained such sweet and loving messages. Isn’t that what we all really want, to be seen, to feel like what we’ve done has made a difference at least in some small way.

They put such thought into the fabric they selected, from the colours, to the fabric designs and they considered our preferences (in my case, there were a lot of polka dots). Isn’t that the other thing we all want? For someone to hear us to pay attention… and pay attention they did!  I love my quilt and I love my guild!  I’m so thankful for meeting Cynthia, I’m so glad we decided to start a guild, even though we hardly new each other at the time. I’ve learned so much from her I can’t even begin to tell you. I heart her!!! AND I’ve learned so much from the women in our guild too. Geeze Louise they know stuff!!! (BTW-we still have a position open for a token dude!)

This guild has given me so much, even beyond this quilt. I’m so grateful and honoured for knowing them and for the work they do so joyously! I heart them too!

Okay I have a confession… my last name isn’t really Flower. But I did at one point think it was! I remember the moment very clearly, I was learning my last name and I misheard “flower” instead of “Fowler”. The joy that rushed over me that I had the most beautiful name any little girl could have wanted was quickly deflated.  Sorry Dad, but really any name than “Flower” would have been paled in comparison, no matter what.  It’s true that when I married my husband I added his last name to mine but sadly, you guessed it, his last name wasn’t “Flower” either. What can you do? Well you can start a website and give yourself any name you want. Done and done!

This is my latest drawing.  It’s called “Hello Cynthiaf nice to meet you too!”

This isn’t drawn from her stash but from her very own (first) fabric line for Robert Kaufman called Kona Modern Quilts. The fabric bundle I drew from was called Berry and there are two other colour ways called Melrot and Pacific.

Yup, Cynthia is pretty amazing! Just like it says on the back of the drawing, we “met in person for the first time as we drove to a Modern  Guild meeting in Vancouver”. Holly the founder of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild introduced us online so we could car pool together-thank you Holly! That was the summer of 2010. At the meeting we were to bring a tool to talk about as an ice breaker. Cynthia brought fabric that she had designed on Spoonflower.  Since then I’ve watch her exciting evolution. She now designs fabrics for Robert Kaufman!

We hit it off like crazy and it turned out to be  a pretty important meeting. On the ride back we decided that since the drive to Vancouver took as long as the meeting we should start a guild in the Fraser Valley. We figured we couldn’t be the only ones in the Valley interested in Modern Quilting, and we weren’t!  That September we had our first meeting at Quilt Essentials (boy I miss having that store around). A year later we moved out to the Fraser Valley University and we haven’t looked back. I couldn’t have asked for a better, more inspiring, sweet and wonderful partner in crime!

It goes even farther than that really, Cynthia and her husband Norm, of  Green Couch Designs (oh and we can’t forget Starr either, the cutest ball loving dog ever) built this website for me! Didn’t they do the most fantastic job? I’m just thrilled!

Thank you Cynthia, thank you Norm, thank you Starr!

Also a big thanks to Sew Sisters for their across Canada blogathon! It was the exact motivation I needed to wrap up and get this site done (I expect there will be a few hick ups over the next little bit but such is life, right?) As well a big thanks to our BC hosts Cathy from Blueberry Patch and Felicity from Felicity’s quilts. Two amazing ladies I’ve had the privilege to meet in person!