Stitchnripper

Nobody in my family quilted. Only one aunt sewed. She recently passed and the treadle she used is waiting for me very far away. the treadle was my Grandpa's. He worked at one time in one of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factories. My mother mostly knitted and she could do some beautiful complicated patterns. I remember her sitting on the couch, cigarette nearby in ashtray, with her current project. Sometimes she would take a break and eat one side of a box of Mallomars. She said it would make her sick, so she would wait a while and then eat the other side and feel sick, but, I guess enough cigarettes fixed her right up!!

MadQuilter

When I was 17 I met my maternal grandmother who was working on a Cathedral Window quilt. I had no concept of the work involved and while I thought the piece was pretty, I also thought she was nuts for doing that work. Now, that I am a quilter myself, I wish I could go back and take a look at that quilt again. Other than that, we did not have quilts in Germany where I grew up.

homefrontgirl

One of my grandmother's was excellent at crochet and embroidery. She made me a ripple-stitch (now called chevron) afghan all in pink when I was about 6. She also loved to embroider flour sack towels. I have no idea where the afghan ended up, but I still have several of the towels. One even has a crochet lace border! I know she was member of the local quilt guild, but I never saw her quilt nor were there quilts in the farm house. My grandparents homesteaded in western South Dakota, so maybe the quilt guild was just a way to enjoy some company? I'll have to ask my aunt. She's the one who does quilt.

This summer I bought a scrappy quilt at our family reunion auction. It was made by my cousin and she backed it with my grandmother's chenille bedspreads. It's now my favorite quilt.

ccthomas

I have inherited my grandmother's hand stitched sun bonnet sue quilt. It has a black running sttch. My sister so has one. Her quilt has a herringbone black stitch over each block. It is not quilted but I love it. She died in 1962. So this quilt is getting some age.

Innov8R

My paternal grandmother's house was filled with quilts. They had a guest bed in the living room with a beautiful quilt on it. Somehow the pretty quilt made having the bed there "acceptable." I remember that all of her quilts had muslin backgrounds and there was a lot of that Bubble Gum Pink and green that she finished all her scrappy quilts in.

My maternal grandmother died when my mother was just a girl, but more than 60 years later a quilt surfaced--brand new--that grandmother had made for mom. Luckily, her sister took care of the quilt for her and it made it's way back to us, reminding us many years later how my grandmother tried to do the best for her baby girl--the last of 12. My grandmother and I kind of met in that quilt more than a half century after her passing. I cherish it and the heritage of a strong resourceful grandmother.

mjkgquilt

My Maternal Grandmother's sisters made a yellow and white Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt as a wedding gift for my parents. I remember playing with it in the backyard when I was 11 years old. The quilt had been used and loved. My Mother helped her Mother strip the down from goose and duck feathers. They made pillows and feather beds. My Maternal Grandmother made me a feather bed when I was born. It was used by my sister and a couple of cousins. I have it now along with a feather bed from my adult bed and several feather pillows. Would like to find a company or someone to refresh all of the feathers.

sewbizgirl

LOL! Stitchnripper! Too funny...

EmiliasNana

My grandma did everything, including sewing, but didn't quilt. She did tie whole cloth quilts with thick puffy wool batts however. We lived in Wisconsin, so they were needed LOL. I think my love of sewing and her quilts inspired me to make pieced quilts. She left me her sewing cabinet and Singer treadle, so I know she would be proud of all that I have accomplished. She died 25 yrs. ago before I really got into quilting though.

carolinacurl

Such touching and heartfelt stories. Thanks all for sharing!

beckyboo1

My great-great grandma was a quilter and my grandma made a quilt for me when I was kid that was from pieces she had. I still have it and it hangs next to my bed (it's twin size). Several years ago, my daughter noticed one odd piece. In all the years it was on my bed, I had never noticed. I think it makes the quilt that much more special. Btw, my mom, my aunt and I all quilt now. We all piece on our machines though. It's a wonderful skill passed through generations.