“To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When you spend time making something with your two hands, you impart love in a way that buying never can.” – Natalie.
The Satisfying Story Of A Generational Quilt began earlier this year as I was able to finish a couple of quilt tops I inherited from my maternal grandmother. The first one, I gave to my mother. The second I finished to keep. This blog post is for the sole purpose of showing off the completed second quilt.
As with the first one, I know little about the timing or circumstances of its assembly. I have little recollection of my grandmother sewing at all. My memories are of her in the kitchen preparing meals, dressing chickens in the yard, and tending to other farm activities.
She was always busy, with the exception of her very disciplined Sabbath rests. I missed out on her season of quilt making. Of course, we were only at the farm for family gatherings and our annual summertime visits, which only lasted a week or two. None of these were quilt making occasions,
I do remember:
- her vital role at harvest time, ensuring food was plenteous and on time.
- cream separating after morning milking. followed by deliveries,
- all nighters in the chicken coop babysitting hens hatching eggs and newly arrived chicks
- wild trips to town in the Willis Jeep we now own
- her pie making. Oh the pies! and yes, fried chicken.
So even though I do not have memories of her sewing, specifically quilt top assembly, I remember all this and more when I see the quilt. There is a satisfying story in the quilt. It resides there, because she resides there.
What Is Your Satisfying Story in a Quilt?
OK, so yours may not be a quilt, but objects are powerful holders of story. But these stories must be articulated so they are not lost.
Look around. What object speaks to you? What memories wait for you to bring it out into the open? Download the FREE PDF today to get started.
Need more help? Click here for the Give Your Story A Voice workbook!
Really beautiful post, Nancy!