Why do these two activities give me so much pleasure?  As Pat and I finished this quilt, I was considering the similarities.

You wouldn’t think that sewing and writing are alike, but they are metaphors for each other.  I plot a story in much the same way I arrange quilt blocks, choosing the elements of color, characters, and pacing.  In quilts, the design wall is my area of creation where fabrics move around until there is a harmonious whole.  Novels are more complex, but story elements are arranged, inserted, and removed to create a whole book.

Both activities are immensely satisfying, especially when they are complete and can be shared with an appreciative audience.