Squaring Corners

Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.

Confucius, Chinese philosopher (551-479 BC)

My initiation into the secrets of quilting commenced today with a lesson in squaring corners. There is some profound meaning in squaring corners -- I'm not sure what that meaning is, but I know it's deep and I'll keep searching for it. No doubt my new project will give me plenty of opportunities for practical reflection.

I'm proud of today's learning achievement. Look closely, as every quilter will do, and you will see a mitred corner meeting perfectly at a sharp point. Like Confucius, the instructor walked me through the first corner and then left me to figure out the other three for myself. Thank heavens for the indispensable tool, accurately called the "ripper-outer", which enables second and third attempts for perfection. Come to think of it, there is also something philosophical about ripping out one's work -- one's soul. Ah, there is much to learn. Stay tuned.