Quilting

I love to sew. I love to quilt. I remember learning to quilt on my grandmother’s pedal sewing machine. I believe I was around 7 years old when I made my first quilt.

We didn’t have central air and heat when I was growing up, so, during the wintertime, I would sleep in the feather mattress with those heavy quilts piled on top of me. Finding that warm spot and knowing that those quilts were hand sewn by my grandmother gave me an ultra feeling of warmth.

As a child, when the ladies were over to quilt. We were to be “seen and not heard”. But our ears were open! I remember the ladies talking about going to the Mercantile on a certain day because the new flour would be out. That simply meant new fabric would be in. My first pair of good step-ins was made from flour sakes. I remember Maw made me a matching top and step-ins to sleep in. I thought I was the cat’s meow!

Maw once said, “You know, a quilt has many meanings. It’s a thing of beauty, it’s a thing of love, it’s a gift that lasts forever, it’s a piece of yourself when you give it, it keeps you warm, it will wrap around you to give you comfort in your life’s storms and if you close your eyes, it’s like God just wrapping himself around you when you are sad or lonely.”

I love making quilts for someone special. About 15 years ago, I listed 25 people who had made an impact in my life. Many, I’d not spoken to in years. Out of the blue, they received a quilt made especially for them. Most sent loving thanking you notes telling me how special that was for them. It was more special for me to finally give something back to someone who had helped or befriended me during my life.

I saw then and there, my grandmother was right. Giving a quilt is giving love! Pass a good one!