Monday, January 10, 2011

My Quilting Heritage

I was working on a quilt for my Dad's 70th birthday this weekend, with lots of old family photos and warm wishes from his siblings, wife and children. Stitching it on my Mom's 1980's era Bernina made me feel like she was connected to the project too. All I have left is to add the label, which is a step I like to skip but I realized how much I wish I had labels on all the family quilts I now own. So I will get the label on so someday some of his grandchildren may stop before letting the dog sleep on it!

But here is what I know about these quilts.....


These two rail fences were pieced by my great grandmother Lindig and given to my Mom for her high school graduation. I added borders and tied them a few years ago so I could use them on these beds that I got from my other Granparent's home.






This red and white quilt was made by my Grandmother Marshall. She and her sisters made mostly utility quilts, this one is one of the few that looks like it was made from new fabric. Its got a very thick batting and is hand quilted in a baptist fan. The blue and white quilt under it is my very first quilt...there isn't a real binding on it and the polyester batting sometimes beards through but I still like it.



My great grandmother Hamm and possibly my Grandmother Lindig made this for my Mom when she was a baby. It has different nursery rhymes embroidered into the squares and is super sweet.


My Grandmother Marshall gave this scrap quilt to my Mom and Dad when they were married in 1965. We had two and nothing made you feel better when you had a cold than to lay on the couch under one of these with our big Siamese Thai on top.


And my Great Aunt Wilma Lindig made this quilt probably with her mother. I haven't seen this pattern before although Fannye once told me she thought it was called 7 sisters. Uncle Lee and Aunt Wilma never had children and really spoiled us when we were little, I love that he decided to give us each a quilt when she passed away.




9 comments:

Karen Newman Fridy said...

Those are all so neat...what a treasure to have those family quilts!

Salem Stitcher said...

Wow. You are blessed to have such a collection of family quilts. They are all wonderful and special.

Now go put that label on your Dad's quilt!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Yes, you MUST add labels, my friend... just look at you, guessing at who made what and when of your treasured family heirlooms... if that's not the proof of what you NEED to do, I don't know what is!

Your collection is wonderful, and so are the memories that go along with it.

JillO in MT said...

Put a label on your Grandmothers quilts with what information you know about them. It will help future generations.

Impera Magna said...

I agree... you must label your family's quilts... not for you but for future generations. While I wasn't as fortunate to inherit quilts, I'm making sure all the grandchildren have at least one quilt each. I'm also going to help my daughter-in-law label a quilt that was handed down in her family. She gathering info about her great-aunt now.

Lila said...

So cool!!!

Becky G said...

Can't you just picture your forebearers sewing on those quilts? How precious... thanks for posting the pictures...

Carrie P. said...

Oh, that is great that you know the history of your lovely quilts. I have some from my husband's grandma and we know nothing about them. Sad.

Teresa said...

I love all your family quilts. I am a first generation quilter so we do not have any family quilts that have been passed down. But I have collected a few old ones through ebay and thrift shops. I always wonder who made them and where they have traveled over the years. You are very fortunate.