A Shared Love of Quilts

More than once a girlfriend has offered to show me her quilt collection, with the suggestion that any of the unlabeled quilts could be used in my short story collection.

So, I took a break recently from my quilt fabric design project to take her up on this most generous invitation. And am I ever glad that I did! The overnight visit gave us a chance to catch up and spend some quality time together. It was also an opportunity to hear her stories about growing up in Pennsylvania as we bonded over our shared love of quilts.

Most of her quilts were purchased approximately 20-30 years ago; and she bought what she loved. Although not a quilter, she gravitated toward large quilts that had intricate, repeatable, all-over patterns with an inspiring variety of hand quilting.

Several showcased expert quilting and meticulous stitching – no other fabric was needed.

Family quilts, made by her grandmother, highlighted lovely stitching and use of color, often with embroidery details on appliqué flower petals or leaves. Look at those French knots!

Several also included redwork embroidery, cross stitch and feather stitching.

One quilt had signature blocks from January 24^th, 1871. For now, I consider that to have a partial label so will not include it as inspiration for a short story. A few of her quilts with red fabric have become threadbare as the dye has broken down. Thankfully, there is no fabric bleed; it is more of a degradation over time, which is normal. It was wonderful to see that the bulk of her quilts are stored and those that are displayed are out of direct sunlight.

There was one quilt that felt unique and special. When we unfolded the double wedding ring quilt, her dog became very animated; insistent on being on the quilt. We tried to move him a couple of times, but he wanted to be on that quilt. He settled right down when we made a snuggle spot for him. I took it as a sign that this should be the first quilt from her collection that I will write my next short story about. The story line is already mapped out but I am still choosing names for the newlyweds who may be the recipients of the quilt.

It was an honor to spend time with my sweet friend and hear the stories of each quilt. I just loved that she remembered where she purchased each one, how each spoke to her, where she displayed them in her former home and seeing how she has cherished them all these years. She was also able to see the quilts through my eyes, as I put a pattern name to a quilt, got excited to see the expert stitching and appliqué, and comment on the micro-stitching on narrow binding. Both of us felt a strong connection to the quilts with their differing size, weight and feel. At the end of the day, we had a deeper understanding for our shared love of the quilts in her sentimental collection. It was time well-spent and I am truly thankful for her generosity - so very, very much!

"Quilts are the stories we wear, the memories we create, and the warmth we share." ~Anonymous 

Yes, we gently re-folded each quilt to avoid permanent creases when placing them back into storage. If you haven’t looked at your quilts in some time, may I suggest that you call a friend to help you unfold and re-fold them. Then, spend some time talking with each other about your quilts and share some stories about those precious keepsakes.

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JUST FOR FUN

And here is my friend's pup, just as happy as could be to be part of our quilt showing.

Like many, I am used to having a kitty walk on a quilt when you spread it out or begin working on it. It was a real treat to have her dog jump up and want to be on this quilt.

Perhaps pink is his favorite color!

Thank you for stopping by.

XOXOX