Thursday, April 19, 2012

Quite a bunch of Quilters

If there is one thing that my extended family has in common, it's the fact that several of them are quilters. This is one trait that I myself do not possess.

As far back as I can remember, my great aunt Ruby was sending me quilts. I got one as a wedding gift, one for each of my first two daughters and one just because. These weren't the kind that were done on some quilting machine either. These were hand stitched with love. I remember the look of her arthritic fingers and wondering to myself, how can those hands quilt so beautifully?

Over the years, my Mother became quite a quilter. Every year she would go to Florida and during those long winter months (she hated going to Florida) she would work on a quilt or two. This woman was a "Jackie of all trades" when it came to crafts, so she would work on several different projects. The difference in the quilts my Mom made, were that she would either embroider the tops or sew the squares using scrap materials and such and have someone else do the quilting. Never the less, they were all beautiful also and there we all would stand hoping that we were next in line to get one of her handmade quilts.

I remember the look of pride on my Mom's face when my niece Stephanie made her first quilt. I can still see the two of them in the photos holding that quilt up. I'm not sure, but I don't remember Steph ever making another one.

In this family, I know of at least one more aunt and two cousins that are quilters.

When my Mom passed away last year, I remember sitting with all us girls in her bedroom and picking quilts one by one that she had left in the top of her closet. Every one of us got at least one, some of us got 2. My sister and I each got an antique quilt that had been made most likely by my Aunt Ruby. Alissa was the next one in line for a quilt from her Grandma and that one didn't get done and had to be sent away for the quilting and that should be back any time now. I know that will mean a lot to her.

It just amazes me what can become of a needle, some thread and scrap material. I have never been a crafty kind of girl, but at least I know that in this family ... we do have quilters!


2 comments:

  1. For as many crafts as mom spent hours teaching me...sewing, knitting, crocheting and painting...the quilting was never my thing but I did envy the beautiful quilts mom turned out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wonderful--so lovely--new follower

    ReplyDelete

Comments...I love them long time.