Anyway, when they came they brought me lots of gifts - or rater stuff they didn't want at their home anymore. :P Like my wicker basket I had in my room as a girl that I treated as my "cheater" chest... a corner china hutch with my mother's china she bought when she and dad were stationed in Germany, all of my High School albums and other memorabilia and also a box full of fabric that use to be my mother's.
Old Fabric that had been stored in a trunk for some 20 or 30+ years in a damp basement... and I somewhat thumbed thru it last summer when Clara was showing me all that she had found while going thru mom's stuff and I remembered at the time I thought, "ooough yuck! that sure does stink and oh my - what ugly fabrics! I'll never use this stuff... well maybe for foundations for sting quilts... Oh, is that a quilt top in there??? ... oh yuck this stuff stinks!" and then within 2 minuets later piled it all back into the box they brought it and closed it up and have not touched it since.
Well, since Heartstrings accepts any quilt - and they are working on a RWB project....It reminded me of that "stinky top" in that box from last summer and so I emailed Mary offering it to her.
"...I have a very old UFO top that I believe my mother made and considering donating...however it is very ugly and old and smelly...? I guess worst case I could ship it and if you didn't think it was usable "YOU" could throw it away for me since I just can't. LOL"
So late yesterday afternoon David called and said he was bring home Jack-In-The Box for supper and Nora and Paul Thomas and I had been outside swinging on her new swing set with the monitor as Olivia napped... (she is the best napper baby! *sigh*)
I thought to myself - where did I put that box with the stinky quilt??? When Olivia wakes up I will get it and bring it outside to take a photo of and can send Mary a photo of it before I ship it...
So thankfully it was in the first place I looked and I brought it out along with two other pieces of fabrics to take photos of outside before David arrived with supper.
so then today I wrote back to Mary:
Hey Mary – I have good news and not so good news....
Good news is – that yesterday, I remembered exactly where I had stored away "the box" my daddy brought to me of my mom's stuff when he visited last summer… and was able to quickly find it and brought it downstairs with me and was able to get a photo of it to show you. And even better news – I didn't smell anything! :)
The not so good news is – although the sewing isn't great – seam allowances different sizes… that it was MADE by MY MOM ;) and surprisingly not the "ugly" that I had remembered it being at all when I looked at it yesterday. So I am not gonna be able to donate it – I just can't let go of it and I am sure you will understand. Mom's been deceased since 1999 and I only have 3 of her quilts – this will be my 4th after I get it quilted.
....Oh and there was some ugly fabric in the box too – yards and yards. Here is one piece of the prettiest ugly… golden yellow and navy patchwork design. If you know of a blue/yellow heartstring it would work for I will donate as backing. Just let me know if you think you can use it…. There's roughly 4 yards of it.
Good news is – that yesterday, I remembered exactly where I had stored away "the box" my daddy brought to me of my mom's stuff when he visited last summer… and was able to quickly find it and brought it downstairs with me and was able to get a photo of it to show you. And even better news – I didn't smell anything! :)
The not so good news is – although the sewing isn't great – seam allowances different sizes… that it was MADE by MY MOM ;) and surprisingly not the "ugly" that I had remembered it being at all when I looked at it yesterday. So I am not gonna be able to donate it – I just can't let go of it and I am sure you will understand. Mom's been deceased since 1999 and I only have 3 of her quilts – this will be my 4th after I get it quilted.
....Oh and there was some ugly fabric in the box too – yards and yards. Here is one piece of the prettiest ugly… golden yellow and navy patchwork design. If you know of a blue/yellow heartstring it would work for I will donate as backing. Just let me know if you think you can use it…. There's roughly 4 yards of it.
And yes, Mary did understand :) as I knew she would. She replied with Sue Frank's address for me to mail the navy and golden yellow patchwork fabric to - I am glad that it will be put to good use... and knowing the variety of Heartstring quilts - there is probably and Blue & yellow quilt in the process of being made that this fabric will be perfect for :) I will also send the other large stash pieces that were in the box... and at that time take photos - I promise all of the other stuff is really UGLY!
So now it seams I have discovered a long lost treasure... my mom's Log Cabin. I wonder who she was making it for? (She gave all of her quilts away) I wonder how much larger she had planned to make it. I discovered a few more blocks in the box but not enough to continue the barn rising setting pattern... however the size that it is - is big enough for a picnic table. I wonder how come I didn't remember ever seeing her work on it - as I always helped her when quilting... was she secretly making it for me for one day??? Did she work on it after I was in bed? Questions I will never get to ask her...
And look at this other 4 yard piece that was in the box too... white with red, blue and gold plaid... Was this what she had planned to use as the backing perhaps? Or just another piece she had found on sale and had in her stash? I think even though the top doesn't have any golden yellow, this piece will work just fine as a backing!
See, I'm all about "cheap & easy" LOL
I wish I had thought to measure it yesterday… it's about the size of a picnic table top. Maybe a nice meander with stars would be just what it needs? Nothing fancy, just something..."cheap & easy" :P
Edited to add: I measured it and it is 43.5" x 73.5" (the blocks appear to finish at 7.5" each)
OH how I would SO LOVE to use it to watch fireworks on this year when we take our trip home to Kentucky… (sigh) David's aunt Connie's home is right on the lake and that's THE prime location to view the fireworks each year... not to mention that is where the party is :) and we get to see lots of family and friends!
However I doubt there is anyway I could find a longarmer this close! (sigh again!) I'd have to have it back to me before we left for Kentucky…June 28th... only 5 weeks away!
OH how I wish I had taken a closer observation of it last year when Daddy gave me the box… if I had noticed the quilts potential then I could have had it done by now!
Nevertheless, now I have something I have always wanted - a Log Cabin and Red White and Blue at that!!! And the most special part is that my mother made it! My stinky quilt isn't so ugly after all! Thanks Mom! :c)
Love from Texas! ~bonnie
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what a great story about the quilt. I lost my mom in 2007 and I know it is difficult to let go of something your mom has been working on with so much love and attention. I think you made the right decision by keeping this quilt for yourself and not donating it... enjoy it!
ReplyDeletehugs from the Netherlands
Winda aka Dutch Quilter
That is one of the nicest stories I've ever read. I am so happy you posted it.
ReplyDeleteI lost mom in 2007, too (see first comment). Mom was not a quilter or crafter. I would have loved to have had something she made.
What a treasure!
I am happy to read you are keeping the quilt. It looks like a lovely quiit and what a great wrap for the 4th of July fireworks. Have a great Holiday week-end.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dear, pretty story, and the quilt is also special. What a nice connection you now have. 8-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! The ways that quilts link us to one another through the generations is such a tender and precious tie. You're richly blessed!
ReplyDelete