My great-grandma was an amazing quilter. My best memory of her is sitting in a chair, surrounded by bags of colorful fabric, scissors, and paper templates. She had lots of kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And she made beautiful quilts for all of us.
This darker green nine patch quilt was the first quilt I received from her. I don't ever remember it not being on my bed, so that means I've had it since before I was 4 years old. I remember laying on my bed, looking at all the different fabrics and colors. ( I still do that now.) Sometimes I played with dolls on the quilt, and each 9-patch block became a different "room", and the sashing became the "hallways" of the "doll house".
This lighter green quilt came along a few years later. Do any of you quilters recognize this block and know it's name? I think my great-grandma found some of her quilt template patterns in the newspaper. I should go to the Kansas City Star Quilts web site and see if I can locate it. They published quilt patterns in newspapers all around the country.
Because of her, I grew up loving quilts. Her specialty was scrap quilts and to this day that is my favorite type of quilt.
* * * * *
I decided to make today's post quilt related in memory of CC. I was just getting to know her through the Sunbonnet Sue patterns she posted on her blog. Rest in peace friend. My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to her family.
The Colorado Lady is having a giveaway in memory of CC.
I'm linking to:
Vintage Thingie Thursday at The Colorado Lady
Alphabe-Thursday Color Summer School at Jenny's
53 comments:
That's a sweet post. I love quilts. The light green one one is particularly pretty.
What beautiful treasures...you are blessed to have them!
Have a wonderful ViNtAgE tHiNgIe ThUrSdAy!!
Sarah
Beautiful quilts...I can so see how you visioned that quilt into little rooms and hallways...kids today just do not have imaginations like kids of yesterday....these are beautiful quilts. Loved them. Have a great VTT!
What an amazing woman! Beautiful quilts and lovely memories of her.
I love quilts. I have made a few, mostly small ones for the children (which are beginning to wear out now!)
Thanks for sharing!
Best wishes
Anna
Anna's Rainbow Mystery
P.S.
You left a comment on one of my earlier Alphabe-Thursday posts where I showed one of my quilts.
Anna's Qs
what a lovely post and what gorgeous quilts..your Great Grandma was an amazing woman! :) x
Your quilts are lovely, and so special coming from your great-grandmother directly to you.
Beautiful! I love the picture of your great grandparents, too. I have been running into quilts quite a lot this week. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me it's time to make another quilt!
How lucky you are to have something from your grandmother made with so much love in every stitch. I think my favorite is your nine patch. I have always been most attracted to scrap quilts. I have two quilts started and hope to finish them this winter.
I have quilts made by my grandmother that I love too. One has hankies on it and the other is embroidered.
Cool post!
How lucky for you to have such great memories.
The quilts are beautiful!
Melinda
I love these quilts and their history. Growing up we always had quilts. My mom started quilting several years ago so they're back in my life once again.
I know that pattern but it's just not coming to mind! Nice way to end the rainbow summer over at Jenny's.
What beautiful quilts and I love that you have these pieces made by your Great Grandmother. Treasures for sure!! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story.
Jane
Beautiful quilts...true family heirlooms.I just love your story about the 9-patch quilt and doll house rooms.
Your post is a lovely tribute to both your Great Grandmother and CC.
Beautiful quilts! Love the chartreuse!
Your quilts are beautiful and your grandmother sounds like she was a very special person.
What wonderful quilts!! My g-gma was also an avid quilter and as a child I slept under one of her gorgeous creations. I picked that over any other type of bedcovering of the day because I simply loved it...I still prefer a quilt on the bed :)
Blessings!
Gail
What a beautiful story and quilts! I have one that my grandma made and I have the quilting rack she used to work on it. I know I will never use it but I just can't seem to get rid of it! Thanks for sharing your memories!
I love quilts...and your post was beautiful!
I keep thinking I can still learn, maybe this winter I'll give it a try!
M.E.
These are wonderful treasures and memories to hand down to the next generation. Tell them all the stories you can from your family history. I have this thing about quilts. I love yours very much. I have more than I need or use, but still want all I see.
What treasures! Loved the old pictures, thanks for sharing it with us!
Her quilts are beautiful! My grandmother made quilts for all of us, as well. She did everything by hand and it wasn't until I started quilting in my 40's that I realized how much work that was. I still have two of them and I treasure them.
xo
Claudia
Your Great Grandmother's quilts are so lovely! I was noticing that unique pattern you're inquiring about. I hope someone recognizes it. I don't think I've ever run across it.
Your story mirrors mine. I grew up with my great grandmother's scrappy quilts on my bed. I so loved looking at all the different fabrics. It made me happy. It is because of her that I quilt today. I'm not fortunate enough to still have those scrappy quilts--they were loved to death--but I did inherit two Dresden Plate quilts she made.
What lovely quilts. How lucky you are to have them and what a wonderful grandmother she must have been!!
Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
Your quilts are beautiful, Gayle. I know they are beyond treasured to you because of your great-grandmother being the one who made them for you. I loved you sharing about how you played with your dollies on the quilt and how each square was a room and the dividers were hallways, etc.
My mother-in-law was also a quilter...and one who did her work by hand. She loved to do applique, but her scrap quilts were wonderful, too.
Thank you for sharing your treasures with us!
I never knew any of my grandparents. They all died before I was born. How wonderful that you - and everyone in your family, it seems - have the treasure of your grandmother's quilts. How special they all are, true works of art.
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Oh how beautiful...aren't you fortunate to have some that were made by a family member!
What wonderful treasures you have there. The quilts are just beautiful and I'm sure was the quilter.
I am bless to have a quilt from a great-grandmother from each side of the family. Someday I'll do a post but I want to gain more info on my Dad's granny.
God bless ya and have a beautiful day!!!
Those are incredibly special and so pretty, your great grandmother was so talented.
I love your scrap quilts. That must have been fun playing on the 9-patch one.
Your Great Grandmothers quilts are beautiful. Have a blessed day. Debbie
What a lovely post. Those quilts are treasures, just like the memories they prompt.
I enjoyed your previous tea party post too - wouldn't I love to have been a guest!?
She sounds like she was a neat lady, and it's touching that her son took the time to figure out her password and let friends know. I also love the quilt that is being given away in her memory.
Your great-grandmother seems to have been a very accomplished quilter, herself!
=)
Such a lovely tribute to both your great-grandmother and CiCi. How wonderful to have quilts, handmade by your great-grandmother!
Happy VTT,
Sally
Those quilts are gorgeous!
I love quilts. I always wished I knew how to quilt.
What wonderful family treasures she has given you. I have a quilt made by my great-grandmother, and I am just amazed at the skill required to do such a quilt by hand.
Teresa
This was great. My mom is a quilter, even owned a shop and taught classes at one time, this one really had me reflecting!
What beautiful quilts your Great grandmother made you. Reading thsi post brought back many wonderful memories of my grandmother's quilts. She would host quilting bees, and when I was a young adult I was invited to one, and it was such a great experience for me.Thank you for this memory.
Blessings,
Sue
Your quilts are beautiful. I have one of my great granny's quilts and some time in college I lost the other one. It breaks my heart and kind of makes my mom mad. (But don't worry, Mom still loves me!) Scrap quilts are my favorite too. I would love to be able to quilt. One day......
I love quilts! Yours are so pretty and even more special that they came from your Great Grandma! What treasures.
These are beautiful and have held their colors so well. Your family must have taken great care of them.
I don't know that pattern (but I really like it!)--however, there's someone selling scanned copies of what appears to be all or almost all of the patterns published in the Star on eBay. I was thinking of buying one myself. The auction title is "vintage quilt patterns on CD" if you're interested. How wonderful that you have these family quilts!
I am in awe of quilters! and these are all so beautiful! How special that they are from your grandma. And I love your sunbonnet sue on the header!
thanks for visiting me!
gail
adventuresininnkeeping.blogspot.com
A beautiful post...loving all the wonderful quilts/artwork.
My Granny was surrounded by fabric also. She crocheted rag rugs....real ones. She tore old clothes up and her rugs were all beautiful. Hers never curled up on the edges like mine do!
My favorite quilt pattern is 9 Patch.....just a nice square that can say a lot.
Quilting isn't anywhere near as popular over here, though I do remember my mum having a go once, when I was young, I do love the thought of a quilt made from scraps of fabrics which have stories of their own.
I love the quilts your great grandmother made and gave to you. I especially love the second one. I'd love to know what the pattern is,as it would make such a lovely scrap quilt. Please let me know if you find out :-)
What a blessing to have such wonderful memories...and such gorgeous quilts! A legacy that has lived on with you. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful story.
What a beautiful heart-warming link to Rainbow Summer School.
I'm glad you still have your Great-Grandmas love around you in every stitch of those beautiful quilts.
I'm so sorry about your friend. It sounds like a tragic loss for many.
Good luck on finding the name of the quilt pattern. Those are my favorite kinds of quilts, too.
Thanks for the sweet and beautiful link.
A+
I'm way behind, but just wanted to say your quilts are beautiful! Such great memories of your grandma. Do you still have the other two quilts she made you? I'd love to see them!
Oh, I love the quilts! They said my grandma used to make quilts and sell them for $2 and $5! Of course, that was a long time ago. You are lucky to have those quilts.
I LOVE Sunbonnet Sue!! Thank you for sharing this sweet little quilt!
Oh what a lovely post about your great-grandmother. Thanks for sharing!
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