Repair Quilt - Aviary Meadow Version

Repair

Dec 17

If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that God has left for you to complete.

— Rabbi Tsvi Freedman

Design Inspiration

Back in 2021, I’d unfortunately fallen into a rather dark and hopeless place. It felt like the world was crumbling around me, and what was there for me to do about it? In a desperate and simultaneously serendipitous moment, I learned more about the concept in Judaism known as tikkun olam, which translates from Hebrew to “repair the world.”

In particular, I learned about a Kabbalistic origin story that tells of God filling glass vessels with sacred light and sending them around the world. Unable to hold its power, the vessels shattered, with the scattered pieces trapping some of this holy energy. The belief is that it is our duty to restore the world by seeking out and gathering these shards of glass holding this divine light. A beautiful story that encourages us to find perfect beauty - even in imperfect & unlikely places - and use it to heal ourselves and others.

The term tikkun olam is used today to reference the calling of each individual to help make society more just and peaceful through tzedakah (justice and righteousness) and g'milut hasadim (acts of loving kindness). Ultimately, it is the responsibility of each of us to mend what is broken in our world, in whatever big or small ways we can. Having grown up with many Jewish influences, I wanted the Repair design to honor this healing message, and to celebrate those of this culture who’ve modeled this love & constructive optimism for me.

Repair Quilt Pattern | Six-Color (Download)

$14.00

Details & Techniques

This dynamic quilt offers plenty of opportunity to play with both color and overall design, with blocks that can be oriented differently for endless possibilities using six fabrics. You can also turn your Repair block into a quilted tote bag using this tutorial on the blog!

True to its inspiration, the Repair quilt was originally designed to have improv-cut or “wonky” units (see the super-scrappy version here!). This Six-Color version includes instructions for a “proper” block style, for those wanting to perfect their skills and get precise points.

This pattern features half-rectangle triangles (HRTs)…a fun and versatile technique to master. If you’d like a bit of extra guidance, we offer an HRT workshop to help you perfect your skills!

Want to color your own version? Create your own mockups of the Repair quilt on PreQuilt!