Saturday, July 3, 2010

I'm finally almost recovered. I have done more than just sit and stare at the walls. I have done all the day to day things in the house PLUS made two baby quilt tops. I have a short amount of time to get them quilted before Ray takes them to Mobile to the parents. I hope I get to go along with him, but it is still up in the air.


While in Houston for my family reunion on my mom's side I chatted with my great aunt Mary Lou. Aunt Mary Lou is the same age as my mom and lived down the street from my Great Grandma Tarver until Grandma died. From doing some research for my family tree I found that my Great Grandma was the only quilter in the family, that is until I started quilting.
Anyway, long story short I asked my Great Aunt if she still had any of Grandma's quilts or any pictures. I was floored when Aunt Mary Lou said if I came to her house she would give me one of Grandma's tops. Immediately I turned to Ray and asked if we could make a detour and drive to my Aunt's house (about 1 1/2 hours away) I explained why and he said sure.
So I have a top made by my Great Grandma. It isn't fancy, and some may think it isn't very pretty, but I think it is beautiful. My Grandma made scrap quilts. My mom told me when she was young and would go to visit her Grandma no one sat idle. If they were in the kitchen they were cooking or cleaning or canning, etc. If they were "resting" in the living room they were stitching.


After Grandma got "old" she didn't work with small scraps she worked with large ones. My Aunt Mary Lou had and has a business doing home decorating. Grandma made many tops with all of the out of date sample books. That is what my top is made from.  I have been thinking about how to quilt it. I want to hand quilt it, but it may be too thick. I think I want it done with the Baptist Fans quilt pattern, but do I put a border or do I leave it without? So many decisions.

Well now that life is getting back to some normalcy I hope to get my self back to posting.
Linda G, I hope you agree this was a really cool surprise!

Later,
Diane

1 comment:

Linda said...

A way cool surprise. And I love it. I wouldn't put on a border because she didn't have one, whether she didn't have time or wanted one you just don't know. And I think quilting it with Baptist fans is terrific. Also, yes, it is probably way too thick to hand quilt. Thanks for the surprise!!!