My amazing Guild, the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild, has issued a challenge, a word challenge. Make a quilty something with words. I have had a million ideas about this challenge and came to final decisions on what I would make about a million times, and yet, up to this time last week I still had not started anything. Then this happened....
As I was cleaning new clothes tags out of my underwear dresser drawer (bad habit #569) I pulled this out
I was immediately mad. WHY do my clothes need to have neon pink sings on them to announce to the world that they are bigger than "regular" clothes. Why do I have to go to the back of stores to the "Plus" Section. Why are those clothes so different from the "regular" sizes and why do they cost nearly double?
Listen, I am overweight. I'm not in denial about it, I don't love it, I would like to be healthier. But why do I have to feel such shame about buying clothes for myself, and why can I not have the same styles as everyone else. There are two "plus" sized clothing stores in my Province so we are all dressed the same, not too many options.
Here is the thing, I am more than a "Size". My pluses are not about how many x's are on my t-shirt tag, they are about the great things about me. Without going on and on, I'm creative, loving, a good listener, I have a thing for waterfalls and root beer Popsicles, I'm a dog person and sometimes I'm funny ;) THESE are my pluses, not my size.
So how to transfer these feelings into a quilty thing? Make pluses! Each plus on this quilt represents something about me that I love. It has nothing to do with the fact that I am a size 24 (did I just say that out load??), and everything to do with me being more than a size.
Why pink? Well, the tag was pink and frankly I have a had an obsession with pink this last year and maybe that obsession was all leading to this. So I hit my pink stash and picked a bit of all of my favorites.
So there you have it! A finish with a little personal meaning. Now it's your turn, lets see what you have finished, link up below!
Thanks so much for dropping in. Cheers to our finished piles getting bigger than our WiP piles!
Adrienne
I can't tell you how much I love this quilt and the meaning behind it for you. I love that it's pink, I love the plus signs... very cool finish!
ReplyDeleteYou and the guild you built were a big plus to me when I lived in Halifax. I didn't play a big role in the group but even now I love following you all online. Just being involved in MMQG added a lot to my life in NS. Thanks for being awesome!! (Tracy)
ReplyDeleteTears in my eyes! Love this, and the story. I hear you, sister.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great story as to how you made the quilt, and I agree with you.... Just let us be ;-) and umm Rootbeer popsicles? Yumm now I want one!
ReplyDeleteYeah!! Awesome finish with a great message.
ReplyDeleteGreat finish! I love how you explained the meaning behind it! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt and I love your story, I feel exactly the same way!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI Love your quilt. I Love your inspiration, and how you turned something that bothered you into something Positive.
ReplyDeleteA lovely finish! Thank you for hosting today.
ReplyDelete-Soma
I really love that each of the plus signs in the quilt represents something that you love about yourself. This is positively beautiful and a wonderful quilt and post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo many great messages packed in a little quilt. Good job turning it into a positive. Thanks for hosting TGIFF!
ReplyDeleteLove your plus quilt. I follow the maritime modern guilt guild and love what you started. Great guild and post and you are you and from what I read your are awesome. Hope to meet you next in September 2018 when I come home.
ReplyDeleteOk, At least one more plus- you are one kick ass friend!!
ReplyDeleteCheers for you Adrienne for having the guts to make this quilt and blog about it. I love it and all it stands for! Although health is SO important because your loved ones and friends and ME! want you to be healthy and around past 100 right, this post made me choke up because you are so right on so many things: TWO freaking stores in your province? At the BACK of a store? and neon pink tags, as you say, to announce it to the world? Especially a world where the big-boobed (of course) Twiggy/Barbie shape is still revered? And where girls are bombarded with image must-be's which seriously effs them up...(I'm a mother of two girls who worry non-stop about their weight, and the 'fattest' of my 3 sisters who are all 4-6" taller than I and weight 10-20 lbs less, I kid you not). I love what you wrote about your pluses. Fist pump! Thanks for hosting TGIFF and with such a powerful quilt. And tell me puh-LEEZE how you got your hands on that IKEA text backing I have coveted for 2 years and can NEVER find. :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything said in the comments! It isn't like we don't know our short comings or what we should do better with our bodies. Its bad enough having pressure at every corner let alone having a big neon pink sign to point it out!! I love your statement, your quilt and you spirit!
ReplyDeleteI am way behind on reading my blogs but am glad to have seen yours. I love your quilt you made. I am plus size too but I don't let it get to me as I am a many, many years cancer survivor and I want to enjoy life! I read in my local paper yesterday that a third of the world is overweight!!! So I am one of a billion!!! Keep your blog posts coming as sure enjoy reading them. survivor972002@midco.net
ReplyDeleteI love your Plus Size quilt! Kudos for channeling your feelings into this bright, cheerful and meaningful quilt! You have many, many "plusses" and I am glad you know it. Yay you!
ReplyDeleteThat is just beautiful, as are you.
ReplyDelete