As I sit here, sewing the binding down on my quilt {and you noticed I said MY quilt.}, I remember my grandmother doing the same thing. She was the quilter in the family, and made several over the course of years. She made me one when I was in Jr. high, and at that time I didn't really appreciate it. I still have it. A sunbonnet girl pattern, with fabric from some of my dresses ,etc. It was what one did with the scraps back then. You saved them up till you had enough for a quilt top, then you cut, sewed and stitched whatever pattern you had chosen into a warm comfortable quilt for your bed. You didn't run down to Walmart and buy a blanket, you made one.
My quilt has sat for years. After I got it basted down about twenty years or so ago, I didn't do anymore with it. Instead I made and hand quilted a Texas Star for my oldest daughter. It took me 4 months worth of back braking work to make it, and I was so proud of it. I thought it was something special to pass on to her. It ended up being the dogs bed, where they peed on it, and then she threw it away. Words will never describe how that has made me feel. I doubt anyone could put words to what that was.
Now, after all this time I am finishing my quilt. A Grandmothers fan, with embroidery between each color change, and lace around the outer edge of each fan. This was hours of work, and should have been finished years ago. Now that I am done doing for everyone else, I am finishing it at last. While it won't be quilted as much as what I might have done years ago, at least it will be finished. I think my grandmother would be proud.
My great grandmother did crocheting. I can remember seeing her sitting in the corner of the living room, her hook flying as she made doilies and other things. I didn't know her very well, I was very little when she died. But I still remember her. Some years ago I won a Grange contest for my crocheted doily. I think she might have liked that.
I have a Dresden plate quilt almost ready to have the blocks sewn together, somewhere out in my sheds. There are at least two other quilts yet to get that far. I hope to find them and finish them as well, so they can be added to the quilts from my grandmother and my grandmothers fan quilt. Someday, I hope someone will want them and take care of them, but certainly not my daughters. I don't see either one of them caring for anything I've made or done. Oh well, their lost, someone else's gain. And someone will think they have the find of the century in my treasury of quilts, and will want them. In the meantime guess who has claimed the quilt?
At least he won't pee on it!
Deirdre
