Quilt Memories

What better time than during Quill Cottage's "I Remember Laura" quilt week to honor my mother, Barbara Sweeten. When I was growing up, she didn’t make quilts. However, she did make clothes. I don’t have too many photos of the outfits but this one on an Easter Sunday shows my sisters and me in creations sewn by Mom. I only wish I had a photo of me in the skirt made from Peter Maxx fabric. At that time, I felt so “mod”!

It wasn’t until we were all grown that Mom discovered the joys of quilting. For the last 20 years, she has made countless quilts both for sale and for gifting. An early memory involves my niece Jenn. When she was about 18 months old, her handmade quilt was stolen at a sports event. (I can’t imagine what kind of person robs a small child of their blanket but that’s another story!) Mom faithfully made Jenn a second quilt, doing her best to recreate the blessed first. When Jenn saw the quilt, she made the sound babies make when they are relieved and happy. Her friend, returned!

Most of those baby quilts made for her grandchildren are in tatters now, loved literally to pieces. The quilts have covered the beds of my nephews—one of whom is now serving our country in the Navy. They covered dorm room beds. Above is a photo of my daughter’s first day of college—she is covered by Grama’s love in the form of a colorful orange signature quilt. They have covered the bed of my younger daughter, who traveled three summers with a youth circus in New England. A tattered “blueberry” quilt comforted my niece Samantha when she chose a rocky path away from her family. She is home now and has taken ownership of her father’s quilt, one that my mother made for my brother-in-law following his father’s death. The quilt is made from his dad’s old flannel shirts.

A new generation is now forming and my mother is at work creating new pieced tokens of love. I know that my little bride will read this post so I am not going to describe her bridal quilt—let’s just say she put her order in years ago and now it’s being honored. A great grandchild is on the way as well. My sister Beth is going to be a grandmother in true fashion. That little tyke will probably come home wrapped in one of Grama’s creations.

It’s not just our family who have benefited. Whenever Mom knows of a baby being born, she makes a quilt. Sometimes it takes a while for its completion. Mom works full time and her health causes her to get pretty tired during the week. Yet, her sewing room continues to be filled with bags of little shapes of fabric, just waiting to be sewn into works of love and art.

When it comes to Little House on the Prairie, my mother comes to mind again. She taught my sisters and me the love of reading. I vividly remember escaping the day in the pages of Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I remember reading those books to my sister Cindy who is seven years younger than me. I’m of an age that remembers when Little House on the Prairie first came on television. We had little parties each week with our neighbor Mary Ruth, making fudge and counting M & M’s as Pa Ingalls taught Laura lessons on life; lessons of sacrifice; lessons on the love of family; lessons of service to others. My mother has taught us those lessons too, in the form of quilts. I love you Mom!

For more quilt stories and Laura Ingalls Wilder, visit Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage. Thanks to you, Miss Sandy, for hosting such a meaningful blog-a-thon called “I Remember Laura”.