This was the second quilt I made and the first lap-sized quilt. The pattern is an even grid of white solid fabric and a green print with gold and cream leaves. It is bordered with a row of white and then the print. The backing of this quilt is a brown low contrast print with lighter brown leaf motifs, bound in the same material.
From the print fabrics I was inspired of vines and branches. The color green reminded me of the green of grape vines leaves and grapes before they are ripe. The brown print reminded me of the branches of the vine. This quilt was intended as a gift for my mother as the verse chosen is one of her favorites.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5 TLV)
At the start of this chapter, Jesus sets up a vine metaphor to represent God, Jesus, and His followers. He starts by mentioning that a branch that produces no fruit is pruned off the vine. He then reveals the metaphor is this verse. He is the grape vine. We are the branches that produce the grapes. If the branch (us) stays connected to vine (Jesus) to receive nutrients (abides), it grows and produces grapes.
A quick detour. I have my own grape vine, it's four years old this season. I got it as a little twig in some dirt where it promptly died for the summer, was abandoned behind the garage, then miraculously came back to life the following spring, and was planted in the garden with a nice trellis. We named him Lazarus and we were sure he was toast that first year, all brown, coarse, and dry. Since returning from the dead, Lazarus the vine has grown with gusto. This year, Lazarus has decided he has enough vines and nutrients to produce grapes. Lazarus, in context of this verse, is a very good Christian. He has a bunch on every vine that are growing at an alarming rate. At the same time, Lazarus is still growing his vines and trying to grab onto his neighbors.
It's quite a coincidence, when I made this quilt, Lazarus was dead in his tomb. The following spring, he rose. When I see this quilt, I think of my enthusiastic vine and how it is growing a bountiful harvest. I then think of this verse, and how Jesus illustrates that vines who abide in the branches, as Lazarus is exhibiting nicely, will produce grapes. If I want to produce fruit like my vine, I must keep myself in Christ. He will provide me with all the nutrients and water that I need. If I try to reach out too far and break away from the vine, I will shrivel up and die. If I stay in the vine, I receive all I need and produce fruit. It's an amazing deal.