Un-breakable Plates

I am so pleased with the way the Dresden Plate Quilt has come together at long last. I have finished sewing the squares together, and am now working on the border, that will be sewn on last. The quilt isn't as large as I had hoped it would be, however, it is still an heirloom, and finished will make someone very happy to have. {That's Tigger in the middle of it. Wait she was in the middle of it last time. She must really like it. Smoky is in the back left side.}

  Which brings me to the topic today.

  Must we as parents always, stand by our children? I'm old fashion in this respect, and believed that it was up to me to always be there for my daughter. I thought she respected, and cared about me. After all, after almost 40 years of "being there" for her, that was the very least I deserved.

  This past weekend, I got the message loud and clear, via her daughter {my granddaughter}, as to what she really thought all these past twenty years or better. It has been in her mind she would "get all she could get" from my mother then, show up at my place, and "get" yet again from me. To see into her mind and what she had been up to, was disheartening to say the least. I can't say what the worse was, as such words aren't allowed here.

  I am glad I am able to remove myself from her presents, once and for all, and not suffer what so many others have suffered, in the parting of the ways with their children and grandchildren.

Finding the grandkids are as bad, with no saving graces, because of who raised them, was very sad. I can't allow any of them to ever use me again, no matter the circumstance, no matter the problem, and no matter the cost to them. They have finally, burned the last bridge back home, and they are on the other side of a widening river.

  Am I sad? In a way perhaps. But as I foresaw this coming a long time ago, I was prepared. At long last, I was ready for whatever the outcome. It was up to them, and they let me way down.

So, what now? There are many ways to make ones life become fulfilled in this kind of instance. If this has happen to you, or you are about to experience it, take heart. It will get better so long as you actively make an attempt to create a place for yourself, other then in your children's or grandkids life. By now you should know what makes you happy, what you can rely on, and where to go for support. The wheel turns, and it comes full circle. Maybe not in the way you wished it had, but there were no promises tied in silver or gold bows when you gave birth to that child. 

  My advice- let it go, and move on into your own. You will be happier eventually. Most of all, always assess your relationships honestly, as best you can, so you can be even in a small way prepared. Not easy, but it can be done.

  Has my life ended, because of this? No! Not even in a small way. I have always lived, being and completing things unto myself. In other words.... I did it my way, and I survived.

You can too!

So, the Dresden Plate quilt almost complete, would have been child or grandchild's, and shall now never be a family heirloom. Someone's heirloom, someday, just not my family, as they wouldn't have appreciated it anyway. And I'm not to sorry about that.

Another Name for Dresden Plate

                                                                                     

{By the way, that's Mischief- the black and white cat, and Muffin from the first quilt picture. Hummmmm they really like my quilts.}

I found some more info on the dresden plate quilt. It is also called a Friendship ring and/or The Aster Quilt. I have no idea why the different names, unless it is because it's from different parts of the country and different names were used for the same thing, unknowingly.

  This quilt has been called a truly American quilt, and was made over three decades ago, in the heartland of America. I am sure you will have seen one or two at quilt shows in the past. What makes it so wonderful is the fact no two are ever alike. Yes the circle is there, but the color choices and placement is uniquely the quilters own choice. My dresden plate will always be,..... mine.

  No-one can ever reproduce it just quite that way. Fabrics are only made for a short length of time, and are also indicative to the time frame of when the quilt is made and the era it is made in.

 So that makes this special in more then one way, and an heirloom when it's finished.

  The actual quilting style, or choice of design that is quilted into and around the plates is also something that can and does change depending on who is making the quilt up.

I am so pleased to be able to work on finishing up this quilt. I thought about all the things I've made, and the things that are not done, or finished yet. I think they will never get done unless I do them, so here at the end of my life I am finishing up all the lose ends so to speak.

  I don't believe there would be any one who will do anything with what isn't done. I would hate to think of some of this being hauled to the dump, just because no-one wanted to bother with it, or worse cared enough to take what I started, finish it, and then use it. How very sad. It speaks a lot toward where this world is headed, with the generation that has forgotten it's roots, and carries the attitude of "I don't care"! "I am to busy with me, I don't have time for you!"

  When did the caring stop? When did we forget about our neighbor in need? When did family became a dirty word? A relationship built on self centeredness, greed, or the lack of genuine caring {translate to love}, is not something I will condone. I would rather be alone. It's sweeter, calmer, less disruptive, then to try to bear out the residual effects of family that isn't any more or for that matter never really was. I may have had two girls, but they have been lost in this morass of "me,me,me". One comes around only when she wants something, the other says I only want you around when I choose the time, and place, and that won't be any length of time.

  Well, I do know one thing. Reality bites! Someday it will come back to haunt them both, and in such a way they won't be able to stop, or change. It's a karma effect of their actions. The funny part is, I won't be here to make it up to me, and they will have to live their life, with that on their plate. Forever is a long time.

  The only way as I discovered a few years back, is to try to make things right with the person, and if they won't allow it, it frees you from what would have been. Something you might want to remember. But if they won't contact you, or  won't talk to you... guess what? They bought the farm baby. So just ignoring it, till the last second, then running in the door  "Oh I'm sorry.", won't work. Your a day late and a dollar short as they use to say.

  So, remember.... what you do will effect what happens to you, someday. And if you can't live with that, don't do it. No matter how much the world changes, this is a fact that has remained thought time. Look it up, history spells it out, again and again.

  OK... I'm off to work on that plate.

That Dresden Plate Quilt

After a long and not so productive spring, I did manage to get out into the sheds, where low and behold I found that Dresden Plate Quilt pieces I started so long ago. All the plates are sewn ready to be stitched down onto the squares. Then the squares will be pieced together and the decorative edging added. That will then be laid out on the backing with the quilt batting between. After it's basted together, it will be quilted and then the edging bound.

I am working on doing just that in between the doll clothes and the continuation of the sorting project from hell. I also plan on moving the Kiln up from the old addition so I can pour and finish some dolls.                                         

  Here is the Dresden plate in progress and oh.... thats Tigger. She looks a lot like my big gray tiger stripped in the other Quilt picture.