Family quilts hold special meaning, often because they were made by loved ones and handed down through the years. Although I don’t have the skill or equipment to create a genuinely quilted heirloom, I have wanted to sew quilts for each of our grandchildren. I decided high school graduation was the perfect occasion since I had sewn one for our daughter before she left for college in 1992.
Janet’s quilt that went to college with her
For the past three years I’ve been busy each spring making quilts for three of our granddaughters who graduated in 2019, 2020 and 2021. My daughter wanted to surprise, Elizabeth, our first graduate, with a T shirt quilt. I had no idea what one was or how to make one, but fortunately I know a master quilter who was also a best friend. Margaret flew from California to Kansas WITH her sewing machine to my rescue. In three days we transformed a jumbled pile of T shirts from Libby’s activities into a lovely keepsake of high school memories for her.
Libby’s T shirt quilt
Feeling confident, the following year I tackled the next quilt on my own. All our grandchildren have artistic abilities (said their grandmother!) but Rachel seems on a path to choose art as a career. What fabric to choose for someone with an artistic eye? With the help of a seasoned quilter at the local store I chose vivid, bold fabrics for a dramatic punch that lit up Rachel’s face when she opened her gift.
Rachel’s quilt popping with colors and patterns
Last spring’s quilt for Audrey required multiple trips to the fabric store. (They know me by sight now.) For the girl who loved her beige-white-gray bedroom, hints of color would be the ticket for her. I tried combinations of squares on the floor, drove back to the store for new fabric, laid our the new combinations, returned to the store—you get the picture. When I got the finished product back from the professional quilter, relieved tears welled in my eyes. It was just right.
Hyacinth quilting pattern on Audrey’s quilt
And what about an heirloom quilt for our family? We are very fortunate to have a friendship quilt that belonged to my great-grandmother Sarah Jane Bain Miller. Friendship quilts date back to the 1840’s and are created from remnants and signed by family and friends to commemorate special events. My sister and I counted thirty-two names of young ladies and women on this quilt, each signed in black ink, centered in a handmade square and hand stitched together into a quilt for Sarah Jane. One square near the bottom reads, “Sallie J. Bain’s Present Quilt, ‘Sunny Side’ Home, May 1st, 1869.” She was married in October of that year, so this was her wedding quilt!
Every so often I go to the closet and carefully remove Sarah Jane’s quilt just to remember her, her life on the prairie, and the loved ones that made her quilt. It’s an irreplaceable treasure. In Marcello’s Promise I wrote about Luisa bringing her wedding quilt to America as one of her most treasured possessions. If you are lucky enough to own such a quilt, I know how much you cherish it. If you don’t own a family quilt, start a new tradition by making your own or finding a class to help you. The quilt doesn’t have to be fancy or perfect—warm and cuddly may be all that’s required. Then when the season changes and there’s a chill in the air, your loved one will grab that quilt and wrap themselves in love that came from you.
Love this. What a cool Grammy you are! No surprise there. The quilts are beautiful. Think of you often.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful gift, Jane, with your granddaughters and us! I didn’t know you had sewing talents as well as story telling. Sending love to you, my creative friend!
Karen T
You’re amazing, as usual with this great story about the quilts in your family. I have one that was machine stitched from my Grandmother, and another I won at my Aunt’s church bazaar, that was hand quilted by the church ladies. I need to get them out and use them, just to feel a little closer to them.
Thanks Jane!