Confused? LOL

My mom's mom was my best friend. She had so many admirable qualities and I just adored her. She passed away almost six years ago and I miss her terribly.

My grandmother was an amazing - I mean AMAZING - seamstress! She sewed her daughters' wedding dresses and all their brides maids' dresses. She sewed her own wardrobe as well as for her two daughters. She sewed for all of us grandkids.

She quilted this amazing patchwork jacket for me when I was little. I look at it now (pictured on my own daughter) and am simply amazed. If you notice, the fabrics are symmetrical on each side of the jacket front. The arms match as well. That jacket astounds me!

My grandmother used to quilt. She mostly did panels, whole cloth quilts or simple patchwork. I think she made a wedding ring quilt for my cousin but I really don't remember seeing her do a lot of piece work.

For Christmas, my mom handed me a gift bag. Inside was a box of tissues. My 4 year old daughter thought this was a great gift. I knew it meant something big was coming. My mom slide a big present over to me. I opened it and it was one of those Sterlite containers with shelves. Okay. Um. What's up, Mom??

Each drawer contained a million treasures....

The top drawer contained blocks for a sampler quilt my grandmother started. Each block had a little piece of paper attached with the name of the pattern. Most were sashed and sewn into rows. I was speechless. My grandmother *never* did piecework like this!

The second drawer contained all of the quilting templates she used. She hand quilted on a huge rack. She would lay out the cardstock templates and trace them on the fabric and start hand stitching. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother's knuckles were bent at right angles from arthritis. It still amazes me that she hand quilted.

The next drawer contained lots of envelopes. Each envelope was labeled with the name of a block pattern. In each envelope was all of the paper templates for that block. Each template piece was labeled with the name of the block and was given a number so you'd know that they were all accounted for and none were lost. There were even plexiglass templates she had my grandfather cut for her.

The bottom drawer was filled with quilting books and magazines from the early 90's. This alone was a huge treasure. But it gets better..... each magazine was marked. She put check marks next to the blocks she wanted for her sampler and wrote "done" when they were complete. She made notes in the margins just like she used to do with her cookbooks... any modifications or thoughts about the recipe would be noted.

It was an absolutely amazing gift to receive. Seeing my grandmother's distinctive handwriting was enough to bring tears to my eyes. But seeing how she planned out this sampler and worked on it left me without words.

Right now, the sampler looks like it would fit a twin bed. I plan to go through the magazines and find the blocks she hadn't made yet and add to the quilt to make it queen size. I also want to have someone embroidery the names of each block onto the blocks. I'll never remember the names and I want to make sure the next person who receives the quilt has that knowledge as well.

It's taken me a while to write about this. Every time I try to write about it, I am overwhelmed by the gift. I love my Grandma and miss her every day. I'm a boo-hooing, runny nose mess now that I've written it all out.

Wow-what a nice story! I'm misty eyed too! What an incredible legacy to have of your Grandmother's! Please post a pic of the finished quilt when it is done.

How lovely! You will have such a treasure when your joint-effort quilt is finished. Like Natalie Cole singing with her father. :) Very sweet!

I needed a box of tissues after that ! What a wonderful Christmas surprise :mrgreen:

The blocks are amazing and for you to be able to see what Grandma wanted by the notes she left - WOW - what a treasure - Please keep us posted on your progress

Oh, dang.....you win, you made me cry tonight. I, too, lost my grandmother...20 yrs ago. And I miss her every day. Every time I sit at the sewing machine I think of her. I wish I had some of the stuff she had worked with --- Oh - I DO have her scissors....they were made in Germany and they're still the best scissors I've ever had.

You are so lucky -- what a neat mother to give you all that!!!

grandmothers are the best. I feel the same way about mine. and she has been gone many years. what a priceless gift you received!! enjoy it,and the tears. Im sure she is !!!

Pass the kleenex!!!!

You have been blessed.

What an amazing and touching gift. Your Mom is very special to share these treasures with you :D:D:D

What a treasure!

That is the Best Christmas Ever!

What a beautiful gift your mother gave you! Wow, now I need a tissue!

what a great mother you have- my tears join with others as we recognise the love she feels for you

Thank you, thank you, thank you. For sharing this beautiful story and pictures, too. You deeply touched my heart on this rainy English morning.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. I am sure your grandmother will be watching over you as you complete the quilt she started. Happy quilting.

What a great gift from your grandmother! She sound like the most organized person I know. Keep us posted on the quilt. Can't wait to see it finished.

Such a beautiful story. You are so blessed to have such memories, and the treasure you received. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story.

What a wonderful gift,what a thoughtful mom.

WOW!Your mom really did give you Grandma for Christmas :D
Loved your story even though it made me cry,the pictures were great,your little girl is so cute in your jacket,and the picture of your little boy with your grandparents is so sweet.
Please keep us posted on the quilt. :D :D

What a blessing! Thanks for sharing your story. It was a great way for me to start my day...

what a wonderful story made me stop and think about all the great things my own greatma left me with boy i sure do miss her

Your story has touched me so much..... I didn't have a grandmother. My dad was an orphan and my mom's mother was bedridden till she died when I was 15. I'm trying to be the best grandmother that I wished I had as a child. I've been so lucky to teach my granddaughter how to sew and spin. I now have a great granddaughter, too. We have a special bond and I hope she will enjoy my 'stuff' when I'm gone like you are enjoying your grandmother's things.

Thanks for sharing

Wonderful story. I lost my favorite Grandma when I turned 18. I still miss her. That was 45 years ago!

...and when you have finished her quilt, she'll be able to wrap herself around you and hold you close.

Your lovely story has left me weepy.

(I have my grandmother's scissors, also. I remember when she gave them to me - the enormity of the moment... what it Meant. A woman doesn't give away her scissors...

("These are the best scissors," she quietly said. She was smiling and her eyes were glistening and she looked closely into mine. I was only able to manage a, "Thank You, Gramma," and hold her hand.

(The scissors are shiny stainless steel, just a few stains on them; and, in tiny writing, she has her name, "Hazel," written on a torn scrap of paper and taped to the 'joint' of them. They hang on my pegboard. I just used them yesterday. She was right, you know... they Are the best scissors.)

Oh what a wonderful memory. I have tears, too. Thank you for sharing. It makes me realize how important it is for us to leave memories like this for our children and grands. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful grandma memories with us.

That is such a sweet story. :)

I loved my grandma too.

What wonderful memories! All you received should be cherished, including the box of kleenex.

Thanks for sharing these heartwarming stories. I read the first story misty eyed. The scissors have me weeping. I've only recently come to appreciate all of the treasures my grandmother had. She died when I was 13. I often wonder what happened to her treadle machine and featherweight. I'm fortunate to have a box of tatting she did and a set of mother-of-pearl handled crochet hooks.

What a wonderful story. Kinda reminds me of a book i'm reading. You have a very thoughtful mother.

What a great gift!

It's amazing, your treasure is priceless.

WOW,

I am setting here misty eyed also. I just lost my grandmother of 94 and a half years at christmas...It has been hard.


Tammy

WOW!! What a wonderful gift! Thank you for sharing this truly amazing woman with us!!

OK I am leaking too. What a treasure your mother gave you.

What a wonderful gift. Definatly one that can't be beat. Thanks for sharing the wonderful organizing tips.

Your story is so touching. Be sure to let us see your progress as you finish your grandmothers sampler.

What a wonderful lady your Gramma was! You are so blessed to have had her in your life - thank you for sharing her with us!

WOW!! What a special Christmas gift your Mother gave to you! My Grandmother taught me to sew on her treadle sewing machine over 50 yrs. ago and she was also a quilter as is my Mom now. I remember helping her "paint" animals (from a coloring book) on squares as a child and never saw the finished product until she passed away 40 yrs. ago. I now have those blocks that's been made into a quilt by my Mom. She also had many other quilt blocks started and my Mom finished them for me and my siblings. We now are the proud owners of two more quilts from our grandmother. I had so many tears when these were given to me on different Christmas days and will always treasure them as my gandmother was also a very special person. I'm crying with you as this brought back my memories too!

AWWW now I'm crying- love it