I didn't do the largest part of the work on this quilt: I pieced it and bound it, but I hired the quilting group at my parents' church (which my mother is a part of) to quilt it for me.
They got it done shortly before I went up for the last visit so I was able to bind it while I was up there and carry it back with me.
The ladies quilted it, and my mom marked it (as much marking as was done - just the borders). The "houndsteeth" are outline quilted, and the borders have a fancy pattern, almost a bit like Celtic knotwork. Here are a couple of photos that try to show it:
My mom said she had done "most" of the border work - and I can tell, I can recognize her quilting (it is kind of like mine - fairly small and even, but even more even than mine is).
One of the ladies in the quilt group who worked on this is now starting cancer treatment, really with only the hope of prolonging her life a while longer. Which is sad. So when I look at this quilt I wonder if maybe it will be the last one I have that Faith worked on.
There is something nice about having a quilt that people you know and care about worked on (besides my mom, I know all of the ladies in the group - I belonged to the same church when I lived up in Illinois and I even went to the quilt group a few times when I was free on a Wednesday). It's a way of remembering someone and thinking about them when you see the object. It's almost more meaningful to me than photographs - I have a few things my maternal grandmother made (my paternal grandmother didn't do handwork other than very utilitarian things like making curtains) and I treasure those items now that she's gone.
I can totally understand the appeal of the old "signature" quilts, where a group of people would sign squares of fabric to be made into a quilt - either for a minister who was leaving for a new congregation, or someone taking off for a new life as a pioneer, or a young woman marrying into a family far from where she grew up. There's something very tangible about the quilt.
One of my mom's good friends back in Ohio, with whom we exchange small (preferably handmade) gifts at Christmas, once commented that whenever she used or looked at one of the things that we had made for her, she would quietly say, "Hi, Gail" or "Hi, Erica" in recognition of who made it, and that that bond was still there, even if we were separated by (in my case) over 1000 miles.
THAT'S why I like handmade gifts. And why I continue to give them to certain people (who appreciate them)
4 comments:
It's a beautiful quilt. And, yes, I agree, it's wonderful to have tangible memories of people who have touched our lives. I too am very careful gifting anything handmade. It's really painful to not have it appreciated. (Or maybe I'm just too sensitive.)
-- Grace in MA
i was blessed with two very hand-crafting-oriented grandmothers. i have a quilt from my paternal grandmother (she had tons of grandkids, so i'm lucky i got this),and afghans my maternalgrandmother knit. i feel likei'm wrapping myself in their love every time i use t hem
It turned out really lovely and the border treatment is great with it. I need to get back to my sewing machine, but first I need to rework my sewing room.
Very nice - a good color combination as well.
Each of my girls have a quilt (as do I) made by their paternal grandmother and they were quilted by her church's quilting group. As she is now dead, the quilts give us a lot of memories.
Hand made soap is another nice gift to give or get!
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