by Natalie Wynd
I had the immense pleasure of being able to travel through a small part of our vast land over the school holiday break. The breathtaking scenery that changes with every turn is clearly orchestrated by a God who wants us to enjoy our time in this broken world.
Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 state; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose and “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart.
We all know what a patchwork looks like, and when we travel through farming country we get to see God’s patchwork, an intricate everchanging, combination of brown, green, blue and splashes of colour. It is a view that I will never get tired of looking at.
3D printing, however, we may not be as familiar with. Objects can be created within a computer program and then printed in plastic. Like patchwork, 3D printing is created in layers, the difference however is that patchwork is created from the top and 3D printing is created from the bottom.
With patchwork, we start from the top, creating the story or pretty images, connecting various shapes and colours to create the final complete picture. Only once the picture is complete, do we add the supporting layers and stitches.
3D printing however, starts at the bottom, and depending on what object is being created, the first passes of printing may look like indescribable lines, often not connecting and located in different parts of the printing area. The supporting layers are put in place first, with the finished object not being fully visible and able to be appreciated until the printing is complete.
What if we were to combine patchwork and 3D printing, what if we were to take smaller sections and fully complete part of the picture before moving onto the next part. As with most crafts, patchwork has evolved over the years, with many variations on the way fabric shapes are combined, and what shapes can be used, how they are sewn together and in what order. There is a trend moving toward the quilt as you go concept, where a single block is completed, starting from the top with the coloured shapes connected, then the supporting layers and stitching added producing a complete block. This is then connected to the other complete blocks to create the finished piece and the final picture.
We know that God wants what is good for all of us, God wants us to love Him and spend time with Him. God’s plan for us is like a patchwork quilt, done section be section in complete, picture, supporting layers and stitches. Our life is being constructed as we go, in a method similar to the ones quilters use. Sometimes it feels like our quilt square is falling apart, that the coloured pieces won’t line up correctly to be sewn together, that the edges are unravelling and creating chasms/rips that cannot be fixed. Sometimes it feels like our quilt square will never be complete, that the supporting layers are nowhere to be found, that our quilt as you go block won’t ever be done, ready to join up with the rest of our story. When we lean into God’s will, and call on our lives, those chasms will close up and the seams will join with ease, the colours will connect and compliment the others. Let God be the centre of your design process and marvel at the amazing creation He can make with your life when you let Him be in control of the quilting process.
Natalie is a Pastors wife from Dalby, mum to five aged between 18 and 5. She has a passion for nutrition education. She loves Jesus, craft, sewing and coffee with friends.