My previous post was all about my grandmother, but (duh!) I didn't even think to include a picture of her!! Ridiculous!
Here's my pretty Grandma earlier this month at the big celebration we had for my mother's 75th birthday. Grandma stayed all afternoon and had such a good time. She enjoyed so much getting the chance to visit with relatives and friends.
She and Grandpa had six children -- my mother is the second. Their 4th child died in infancy and the remaining 5 have given her 15 grandchildren, of whom I am the oldest. We 15 grandchildren have grown the family with (I think) 26 great-grandchildren, and we can add 5 great-great grandchildren. What a clan!
Grandma made clothes for the children and herself, and also made household necessities like curtains and pillows and aprons. Of course, what she enjoyed most of all, though, was making quilts. She began quilting in the 1930s and continued into the 2000s - I would say it's just been in the last 4 or 5 years that she's lost interest in it. So that's 70 years of quiltmaking - the old-fashioned way. She could crank them out pretty darn fast, too. And she was a stickler for small stitches and accurate cutting on the grain. She would not use pieces that were cut off-grain, and I've known her to remove stitches if they weren't up her standard.
And, so there. You have now met my grandma, one of the most special ladies in all the world. She is a treasure and a blessing to me!
Happy Quilting, Friends!
She and Grandpa had six children -- my mother is the second. Their 4th child died in infancy and the remaining 5 have given her 15 grandchildren, of whom I am the oldest. We 15 grandchildren have grown the family with (I think) 26 great-grandchildren, and we can add 5 great-great grandchildren. What a clan!
Grandma made clothes for the children and herself, and also made household necessities like curtains and pillows and aprons. Of course, what she enjoyed most of all, though, was making quilts. She began quilting in the 1930s and continued into the 2000s - I would say it's just been in the last 4 or 5 years that she's lost interest in it. So that's 70 years of quiltmaking - the old-fashioned way. She could crank them out pretty darn fast, too. And she was a stickler for small stitches and accurate cutting on the grain. She would not use pieces that were cut off-grain, and I've known her to remove stitches if they weren't up her standard.
And, so there. You have now met my grandma, one of the most special ladies in all the world. She is a treasure and a blessing to me!
Happy Quilting, Friends!
Grandma is also my hero and inspiration. I have the honor of owning 2 quilts that I pieced and she hand quilted. She is one of the most remarkable women I know. Jayne and Grandma and I drove to Paducah KY, to the quilt show and that was a treat! Jayne and I "tried" to keep up with this "super" grrandma! I hope I can grow up and be like Grandma!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to be anonymous! My name is Kay Wallace, and I am proud to post this! I am computer challenged, so probably missed a step!
ReplyDeleteI knew who you were! Thanks, Kay! :-) Grandma is truly amazing, isn't she? We stopped in to see her this evening, which just pleases her so much. She said she was expecting me. Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteYou're obviously proud of this remarkable lady. Sounds like she's a true matriarch of the family. I caught up on your blog and read your previous post about your grandma and the treasures from under the bed. Such a wonderful story.
ReplyDeleteAny guess how many quilts she's made in those 70 years of quilting? I would guess a lot were used and loved till they fell apart. How fortunate you are to have such a creative lady in your life.
She wouldn't think she's anything special, but I know differently. Grandma is entirely special to me, and special in her remarkable production of quilts. After she didn't need to make quilts for use in her home, she began making quilts to give to grandchildren. Soon after, folks around town heard about her skillful hand-quilting and began asking her to quilt for them. She charged for this, but probably not nearly enough! She quilted some quilts for me, too, in that time. The idea of counting all the quilts is daunting, but I think there is a way it could be done. She kept records of stuff like that. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you posted a picture - such a sweet lady. I know you treasure the time you have with her. blessings, marlene
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