Thursday, September 24, 2015

Something to cherish

 

Have you ever been given a gift that took many years to make, that you knew about from the first day the handwork had begun?

Our Mother, AKA "Ask Mom" started a quilt years ago. I believe she started it somewhere around 1999. It was for a quilt shop sample of a Block of the Month program for a local shop that we helped and taught classes at. Before she got very far making it, the owner decided to close the shop and gave Mom the rest of the fabric to complete the quilt because she knew Mom was going to eventually give the quilt to me. I can't remember for sure, but I think our Mother was still working full time as a Legal Secretary, so she worked on it when she had time, knowing speed wasn't necessary since the shop closed. Every so often I would see her working on it, and she just loved doing hand applique. Finally the quilt was all put together and ready to quilt. mom was a wonderful hand quilter, and made the most beautiful stitches. I knew it would take her some time to get it completed, but I wasn't in a hurry. As Mom's eyes began to get worse with Macular Degeneration, I watched her progress when she would bring it out to quilt on, and she seemed a little more in a hurry to finish it. She was worried about her stitches.

The day finally came when the quilting was complete, and ready to bind. mom was having trouble sewing straight lines on her machine, so she asked if I could sew it on for her so she could get to the hand stitching. When it was done, I told her she should hang on to it for a while to enjoy in her home. That many years working on it, I knew she really grew to love the quilt. My turn would come. About a week or so ago, Mom gave me the quilt. It is so beautiful. I can see where her eyes started to fail while she was quilting, but it is still the most beautiful gift, and I have the perfect spot to enjoy it for years to come in my sewing room, where I work most every day. I can't wait to show it to my Grandaughter, Henley, as she seems to love looking all around my sewing room and house at the quilts on the walls. I sewed a sleeve on the back the past couple days, and got it hung up today. I hope you enjoy the photos of our Mothers handwork. The quilt is a pattern by the late Linda Brannock.

 

 

 

Thank you Mom, for the most special gift.

Jeni

 

 

 

 

19 comments:

  1. More beautiful than words can describe.

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  2. The quilt is the best present ever! So happy that you have it hung in your sewing room where you will be able to enjoy it. She did a wonderful job with all the applique' and the quilting.

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  3. What a wonderful gift and memory.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  4. Jeni,
    That is such a wonderful tribute to your mother. Your mother has a sweet, appreciative daughter! Thank you for sharing it with all of us!!!

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  5. What a beautiful gift and treasure you have been given. Your mom sounds like a sweetheart. Hugs,

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  6. What a beautiful gift of love and devotion. Your Mother is a wonderful stitcher. I am sure that quilt will be cherished for a life time.

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    1. Thanks Patricia, and yes, maybe even handed down to Henley some day!

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  7. What a beautiful gift of love and devotion. Your Mother is a wonderful stitcher. I am sure that quilt will be cherished for a life time.

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    1. Thank you! Maybe it will be handed down to Henley!

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  8. Lovely pictures of a lovely lady with a lovely baby, a lovely quilt and a lovely story, you should add a version of it as a label for the quilt. Thanks for sharing the story.

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    1. What a great idea, thank you! And you're welcome!

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    2. Sandi, I'll tell Mom you said she was lovely! She'll be tickled!

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  9. I made the same quilt. I just finished it a year ago. It was a lot of work and a lot of the blocks on the design wall waiting for the triangles. Nancy P.

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