For years, I was a “quilter without a stash.” I bought fabric for each quilt, and I gave the leftovers and scraps to my dad. I taught my dad to sew (see My Story), and I taught him to quilt.

One day, I woke up to find I had a stash.

How did THAT happen?

Some of the fabric I obtained through fabric swaps; some of the fabric I obtained through grab bags; some of the fabric I bought for specific quilt projects. Much of it is fabric I’d never choose myself.

It all had to GO!

Recently, I saw a new design that spoke to me (see Tessellation Quilt 1-1-1-1M). I decided this design would be the first in a series of “stash buster” quilts. I MUST use up all the fabric in my current stash (before starting a new one).

The result is “Prayer Shawls, All.” I view this design as a tessellation of hooded figures looking up to the right, with their hands holding their hoods closed at the neck.

Next year (only a month away), I will free motion quilt this piece. In my mind’s eye, I see quilting lines to define folds in the cloth of each hood.