My mom gave me my grandma for Christmas
#91
It's the best gift you ever could have recieved. My Grandmother made a crazy quilt with tons of hand embroidery and she told every one that I was to have it because I am the GD that sews and would appreciate all the work she put into it. When she passed away, the quilt disssapeared. My Grandfather was so afraid he had accidentally thrown it out. He apologized to me everytime he saw me for 2 years. He felt so bad. Then my cousin fessed up. She had taken the quilt without telling anyone because she wanted it. Then she cut off all contact with my family. About 10 years later, my mom recieved a box in the mail. Grandma's quilt was in it. My cousin's conscience had bothered her enough that she sent it to my mom and asked that mom get it to "who ever was suppose to have it." I was close to my grandma too and I cried like a baby to see the quilt again. I treasure it.
#92
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 794
Originally Posted by rubia
Confused? LOL
My mom's mom was my best friend. She had so many admirable qualities and I just adored her. She passed away almost six years ago and I miss her terribly.
My grandmother was an amazing - I mean AMAZING - seamstress! She sewed her daughters' wedding dresses and all their brides maids' dresses. She sewed her own wardrobe as well as for her two daughters. She sewed for all of us grandkids.
She quilted this amazing patchwork jacket for me when I was little. I look at it now (pictured on my own daughter) and am simply amazed. If you notice, the fabrics are symmetrical on each side of the jacket front. The arms match as well. That jacket astounds me!
My grandmother used to quilt. She mostly did panels, whole cloth quilts or simple patchwork. I think she made a wedding ring quilt for my cousin but I really don't remember seeing her do a lot of piece work.
For Christmas, my mom handed me a gift bag. Inside was a box of tissues. My 4 year old daughter thought this was a great gift. I knew it meant something big was coming. My mom slide a big present over to me. I opened it and it was one of those Sterlite containers with shelves. Okay. Um. What's up, Mom??
Each drawer contained a million treasures....
The top drawer contained blocks for a sampler quilt my grandmother started. Each block had a little piece of paper attached with the name of the pattern. Most were sashed and sewn into rows. I was speechless. My grandmother *never* did piecework like this!
The second drawer contained all of the quilting templates she used. She hand quilted on a huge rack. She would lay out the cardstock templates and trace them on the fabric and start hand stitching. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother's knuckles were bent at right angles from arthritis. It still amazes me that she hand quilted.
The next drawer contained lots of envelopes. Each envelope was labeled with the name of a block pattern. In each envelope was all of the paper templates for that block. Each template piece was labeled with the name of the block and was given a number so you'd know that they were all accounted for and none were lost. There were even plexiglass templates she had my grandfather cut for her.
The bottom drawer was filled with quilting books and magazines from the early 90's. This alone was a huge treasure. But it gets better..... each magazine was marked. She put check marks next to the blocks she wanted for her sampler and wrote "done" when they were complete. She made notes in the margins just like she used to do with her cookbooks... any modifications or thoughts about the recipe would be noted.
It was an absolutely amazing gift to receive. Seeing my grandmother's distinctive handwriting was enough to bring tears to my eyes. But seeing how she planned out this sampler and worked on it left me without words.
Right now, the sampler looks like it would fit a twin bed. I plan to go through the magazines and find the blocks she hadn't made yet and add to the quilt to make it queen size. I also want to have someone embroidery the names of each block onto the blocks. I'll never remember the names and I want to make sure the next person who receives the quilt has that knowledge as well.
It's taken me a while to write about this. Every time I try to write about it, I am overwhelmed by the gift. I love my Grandma and miss her every day. I'm a boo-hooing, runny nose mess now that I've written it all out.
My mom's mom was my best friend. She had so many admirable qualities and I just adored her. She passed away almost six years ago and I miss her terribly.
My grandmother was an amazing - I mean AMAZING - seamstress! She sewed her daughters' wedding dresses and all their brides maids' dresses. She sewed her own wardrobe as well as for her two daughters. She sewed for all of us grandkids.
She quilted this amazing patchwork jacket for me when I was little. I look at it now (pictured on my own daughter) and am simply amazed. If you notice, the fabrics are symmetrical on each side of the jacket front. The arms match as well. That jacket astounds me!
My grandmother used to quilt. She mostly did panels, whole cloth quilts or simple patchwork. I think she made a wedding ring quilt for my cousin but I really don't remember seeing her do a lot of piece work.
For Christmas, my mom handed me a gift bag. Inside was a box of tissues. My 4 year old daughter thought this was a great gift. I knew it meant something big was coming. My mom slide a big present over to me. I opened it and it was one of those Sterlite containers with shelves. Okay. Um. What's up, Mom??
Each drawer contained a million treasures....
The top drawer contained blocks for a sampler quilt my grandmother started. Each block had a little piece of paper attached with the name of the pattern. Most were sashed and sewn into rows. I was speechless. My grandmother *never* did piecework like this!
The second drawer contained all of the quilting templates she used. She hand quilted on a huge rack. She would lay out the cardstock templates and trace them on the fabric and start hand stitching. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother's knuckles were bent at right angles from arthritis. It still amazes me that she hand quilted.
The next drawer contained lots of envelopes. Each envelope was labeled with the name of a block pattern. In each envelope was all of the paper templates for that block. Each template piece was labeled with the name of the block and was given a number so you'd know that they were all accounted for and none were lost. There were even plexiglass templates she had my grandfather cut for her.
The bottom drawer was filled with quilting books and magazines from the early 90's. This alone was a huge treasure. But it gets better..... each magazine was marked. She put check marks next to the blocks she wanted for her sampler and wrote "done" when they were complete. She made notes in the margins just like she used to do with her cookbooks... any modifications or thoughts about the recipe would be noted.
It was an absolutely amazing gift to receive. Seeing my grandmother's distinctive handwriting was enough to bring tears to my eyes. But seeing how she planned out this sampler and worked on it left me without words.
Right now, the sampler looks like it would fit a twin bed. I plan to go through the magazines and find the blocks she hadn't made yet and add to the quilt to make it queen size. I also want to have someone embroidery the names of each block onto the blocks. I'll never remember the names and I want to make sure the next person who receives the quilt has that knowledge as well.
It's taken me a while to write about this. Every time I try to write about it, I am overwhelmed by the gift. I love my Grandma and miss her every day. I'm a boo-hooing, runny nose mess now that I've written it all out.
Many very happy memories. Blessings abound.
#94
I, like Nana up North, never new my grandparents. They were gone before I was born. But, I am so blessed with a granddaughter who has taken up quilting and has a real flair for it. When I buy material, I think, will Sarah like this if I don't get to use it. She's all grown up now and lives in Colorado so this Spring, I'm going to pack my car full of goodies for her and take a trip. And, wonder of wonders, Sarah is 28 years old and I now have a new granddaughter named Ali who is so much fun to sew for. I am so blessed as a mother and grandmother. Your gift also brought tears to my eyes, Tears of everlasting joy. Thanks for sharing.
#96
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Ohio... wanna build a cabin in the woods and live off the land... and quilt all day!
Posts: 990
I was the executrix of my mom's and gram's estates ~ of course, no one even batted an eyelash at the sewingroom stuff... so I kept it all. Still have lots of pieces of both, and especially cherish the tools (scissors / thread cutters) I use all the time that gram used for years... What a gift, you got my tears going...
#97
Sharon, What a great story. So glad you shared it with us. I also miss my grandmother who passed away 12 yrs ago, because I'd love to share with her all the quilting & sewing I've done -- all because she took the time to teach me how to sew (on her old treadle machine) & quilt (by hand on a big old frame). I think she would be thrilled to see what machines can do these days with embroidery & such!! There's not a day goes by that I don't think of her & consider myself blessed to be her grand-daughter.
#99
OK, now you have me in tears. What a beautiful story to pass on to family along with the quilt. It was my mother that left me her sewing room and I still come across things I remember as a child. Wonderful memories!
#100
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fort White, Fl
Posts: 2,689
Did you use the whole box of tissues? I know that this will be the most unforgettable gift you will ever recieve. Your mom is a very gracious lady to have given up her mom to you. I to had a grandma that was a good friend and confidante to me. She taught me all about unconditional love and that I was an important person on this earth. I miss her terribly but I have the memories of hours of cutting squares with her and tieing quilts for hours.
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