Voices From the Quilts

Thursday, I took a momentous step . . .  

I took my first quilting stitches

And although they are not perfect,

I felt that I would leave them

for when I finish the quilt

I can look back on these first stitches

And see how far I've come.

I'm not an avid quilter --

I'm not even a quilter

I admire quilts

But I don't "collect" them

But I do have quilts

Family quilts

And each quilt has a voice . .  . 

A story to tell

Of a person and a time and a place!

From my maternal grandmother

"Grandma" -- the only grandmother I ever knew

And the only thing we slept under when we were at her house

Were her "comforts" as she called them

And not one comfort but two or three!

The original "weighted blanket"!

This one is stitched on the machine.    In a straight line.    From edge to edge

It's a bit threadbare but it's still treasured.

Because it is threadbare -- the inside is an old wool blanket.

You use what you have -- you don't buy fabric to make a quilt nor do you buy batting to put inside a quilt!

She always called the pattern crazy quilt

because there was no rhyme nor reason to the pattern

You cut pieces and just fit them together!

Most of the ones she did she tied rather than machine stitched.

The pieces themselves, however, are all hand stitched.

(I could peek at a few of them).

I can imagine her sitting in her chair in the living room stitching this quilt together.

It's old and faded

Because it's been used and washed and used and washed some more.

Regardless of it's condition, I cherish it!

The pattern name is six pointed star

I would assume like her other quilts, it is handpieced

But I can't check!

The fabric is gay 30s fabrics

With a now ecru background and backing

And hand tied . . . as most of her quilts were!

My other grandmother

The one I didn't know

(for she passed away when I was a few months old --

a picture, however, I treasure is that of my grandmother holding me!)

The pattern name is Wedding Ring

It was given to me by my cousin Ann

And she pointed out various dresses of hers that make up the quilt

She said that grandmother hand pieced it

The quilting, however, is machine

But it's lovely quilting!

My Mother's Quilt

Alas, not made by my mother

She was not a quilter

Although she did try when I was a girl

For in a drawer in the spare room

Were many quilt blocks

in the flower garden pattern

They made great playthings

Blankets for dolls and who knows what else I repurposed those quilt blocks for

Pitched, I assume, at some time

This pattern is Goose Tracks

She bought it at a local craft show

Because she wanted a quilt.

And it is hand quilted!!!

Following in my mother's, rather than my grandma's footsteps

my quilt

I bought it!

It's hand quilted

And I found it after I had fell in love with friend Nancy's 

Civil War Bride Quilt

It's all appliqué and hand quilted

It's lovely

(but not as lovely as Nancy's -- I still covet that!)

The pattern (not the quilt) dates from the Civil War

And I guess it was quite a popular pattern several years ago

I don't normally just buy quilts

But this was at an estate sale here in town

(actually, she had lots of lovely quilts)

But this one spoke to me

It's a variation of Sunbonnet Sue

(And I've not a clue as to age)

But it is hand quilted!

I simple adore it

And I wish I had another spare bedroom

For the grands --

Wouldn't this be lovely on an antique mahogany twin bed

with crisp white pillowcases?

And although I just took my first quilting stitches

I have made quilts

TWO

in fact!

Simple six inch squares, sewn together

For the grands

To sleep under when they visit

And as homage to my grandmother, they're tied rather than quilted

Big Girl Lucy's is on the bottom - she calls it her polka dot blanket

While Little Sister Piper's is the pink one on the top

polka dot as well!

They insist that these blankets be on their beds when they come to visit.

And the quilt that those first few stitches are on?

It's a family quilt, too

Hand pieced by my grandmother

In the 30s

Or so my knowledgable quilter friends tell me

That the fabrics are definitely 30s fabrics

The pattern is Buckwheat

And the fabrics are still vibrant

Because it's been stored for 80 plus years, I am sure

Not only will it be a labor of love

But it definitely will be a family quilt

Not just our family but Daughter Sarah's husband's family, too

For the quilt hoop belonged to his great aunt

And was given to me by his Aunt Jo

so I could quilt my grandmother's quilt

How neat is that!

In a year or two or three . . . 

I'll show my finished quilt

A treasured quilt

A family quilt