I Believe in Legal Angels

Finally I have returned to my I Believe in Angels series. I like to keep my angels close so I have made many angel quilts over the years. So far, I have 8 of these angels on my design wall, each with her own personality.

Those who know me or follow me closely know that I am a lawyer. I am a proud 1978 graduate of Vanderbilt Law School, and I had a very successful professional career serving as the top legal officer for my county. Now that I am retired, it is tempting to look back over a 40+ year career and only remember the good times, but I remember the hard times too. I remember the nights I cried before an exam, the times when I was confronted with a seemingly insurmountable legal problem, the times when I wanted to give up. But through it all, there was always an angel whispering in my ear urging me on, cheering when I won, consoling when I lost and helping me find my Black Girl Magic. My legal career is what inspired “I Believe in Legal Angels.”

“I Believe in Legal Angels” is created using fused appliqué sewn with a machine blanket stitch. Her dress and the border is legal fabric which sets the theme for the quilt. I made her hair on my Janome sewing machine using a decorative stitch and variegated thread. After adding the borders, the quilt measures 35x37 inches, a good size for a wallhanging.

My friend Maxine Moore did a masterful job of carrying out the theme of the quilt with a law pattern quilted into the background of the quilt. How cool is that!

After adding binding, a hanging sleeve for easy display and a label to document the quilt, I embellished “I Believe in Legal Angels” with charms, buttons and crystals. Her earring charm says “Success, Money, Happiness”. Her hair charm says “Dream”. The crystals are yellow so that they capture the tone of the quilt. I love painted buttons, and I add them whenever I can.

I signed it on the front and added a charm near my signature that says “angels watching over me”.

This quilt is one-of-a-kind. Perhaps you have a law student or recent graduate who could use a bit of encouragement. Trust me, it’s good to have an angel whispering in your ear when times get hard.