Originally Posted by ctsgjs

Several years after my Grandpa passed away, Grandma had a stroke and had to go to a nursing home. She was a seamstress all her life, making clothes and quilts for the family, and even taking in sewing jobs and alterations for the public. She even made bridesmaid and prom dresses, and cheerleader uniforms. All on a treadle sewing machine! Anyway, when she went to the nursing home and her house was "dismantled", a quilt was found between her mattress & box spring. It was a large foundation-string-pieced lone star. My dad (born in 1921) said he remebered playing by her sewing machine as a small boy while she sewed quilts using newspaper as the foundation. An appraiser told me the fabrics were from the late 1800s & early 1900s, so I'm sure it was made when she was a young housewife. The old quilt was faded and worn, with quite a few rust spots, but was still lovely.

So, at our next family reunion that quilt plus about 4 other smaller ones were given away in a drawing amongst her granddaughters and my name was drawn for the star! I was thrilled. However, Grandma was very angry! She just couldn't see why we were all so excited over that old, worn-out quilt that wasn't good for anything except keeping the mattress from getting poked by the springs! She wanted us to throw it away!!!