10/11/1905 - Happy Birthday Momma Newt

Growing up I only had one living grandparent. My Daddy's mother - Nettie Mae Page was her maiden name before she married my grandfather Walter Louis Newton (who passed away when my Daddy was only 23)

All day I have been thinking of her and thought I would share some memories of her here on my blog. On this day, 101 years ago my grandmother was born.

"Momma Newt" is what everyone called her. The oldest of the 18 grandchildren gave her that name and for decades that is what she went by. Even church friends and people from our small town in Kentucky all called her "Momma Newt". :C)

When I came along, the youngest of the 18 grandchildren, Momma Newt was always so worried that she would die before I was old enough to remember her. She was 69 at the time I was born. I guess that is why she took to spoiling me pretty good ;) and even gave my mother this Sunbonnet Sue twin size quilt when I was born.



She had made it growing up long before the days of electricity. So she had to use candlelight at nighttime. The blocks are made using flower sacks and she told my mom that she made it when she was a girl. I am guessing she was 9-12 at the time? She wanted me to be the one to have it since I was the youngest grandchild - the one before me was already 16 when I was born.. So my mom took the precious gift and we kept the secret all of my life so that no one else in the family would know I had such a special treasure. It was one of 2 quilts that my mom rotated on my twin size bed when I was growing up. I use to love to get Momma Newt to come look at my room when she visited and she would smile and say how happy it made her to see it on my bed and that she made it and had it on her bed too when she was a little girl like me! :c) (the SBS's are in each direction so that when the quilt is on the bed they are not upside down on one side of the bed)

Lucky for both of us she lived to be nearly 90 years old and I grew up having her in my life with hundreds of wonderful memories! I only regret that she could have seen me get married, but she died 2 years before. I was engaged already though, so she did know David before she passed away. :)

I wish I had a photo of her to share with you but don't at this time. My favorite photo was taken at Christmas time when I was 18 years old - and I was sitting in her lap! I gasp now thinking that I sat on a 87 year old woman's lap but at the time it was what she wanted for the photo.

You see, she had this tradition - b/c there were 18 of us grandkids... she had a thing with the number 18. With 23 great grand kids coming up and more on the way - she decided that 18 would be our cut off year for Christmas gifts so that she could keep up with the younger ones. So for our last year to get a gift = or rather our special 18th Christmas we got a hand pieced quilt top made by Momma Newt.

She called this pattern Birds in flight, although it doesn't look like any Birds in flight pattern I've seen while googeling it and looking for more information.... I have yet to find out it's official name. Do you know what it's called?? The blocks are put together with 4 trapezoids and a center square sorta like a "Spool" block would be made.

Anyway, what ever it's called... Cheers to you Momma Newt - Happy Birthday! - I love you and am so grateful I had you as my grandmother! I cherish all the wonderful memories you gave us!!!