oops! :oops:

When I was 10, we moved into an old farmhouse. My sister and I shared the grand adventure of sharing the room over the barn. It was not heated, so it was pretty chilly in the winter. I remember my step mother bringing us a quilt, her great grandmother had made. It was a true 'crazy quilt' with no squares, just all over patches and fantastic embroidery. It was all velvet. It was pretty similar to the one I recently saw that sold for $70,000, but much bigger. I remember being so warm under it. It probably had home made wool batting since they were sheep farmers. I do remember it weighed a ton. Unfortunately we lost it in a barn fire years ago.

My abuelita (grandmother) would sew blocks together on her treadle machine while I played around her feet with my dolls. I was three. Nice memories.

I could have written this word for word. My quilting grandmother was born in the 19th century, and her quilts were mostly calicos and some solid woolens, and always very scrappy. I remember studying the colors and patterns and loving to watch her and my aunt sewing together. When gma passed away in 1956 we lived a few hours away. By the time we got there, not a single quilt was left. She had a huge family: 10 kids and 34 grands. Obviously, I was not the only one who loved those quilts. I may not have a quilt of hers, but I have something more valuable from my experiences with her, an appreciation for this wonderful hobby.

The first quilt I remember was made by my Grandmother. It was a Little Dutch Girl, somewhat like a Sunbonnet Sue. Their dresses were made from material from my aunts' dresses which my Grandmother also had made. My sister and I always loved to see if we could remember any of the fabrics that had been used. The little girls were appliqued on white squares and had pretty yellow borders.

It's funny, I'm the only grandchild that quilts but am also the only one who did not receive a quilt from my grandmother - guess she thought I did'nt need one of her's since I could make my own - boy was she wrong! - I came across a UFO of her's not too long ago (a red and yellow drunkard's path) that I need to complete so that I will have one of her's even though it will be partly mine.

I am lucky enough to have a quilt (a plain roman stripe) that my paternal grandmother made (she died when I was a year old so I never knew her) and just recently my dml gave me a quilt that was a gift from her sister. The quilt had been made by Aunt Margaret's mil not too long after they were married (1930's) and is a star pattern that I had never seen before. It had been in her cedar chest for years before she decided to get rid of it and I am so glad that she thought of me! it is beautiful and I am so thrilled to have it!

As for my earliest memory, I can't remember not being around quilts - used to set under the quilting frames watching the needles move in and out of the fabric. was always fasinated by that. made my first quilt when I was a senior in high school - a well loved nine patch (ugly - ugly) but am very happy to still have it - have thought about cutting it up and making teddy bears of it but just haven't gotten up the nerve to do so - it currently waits my pleasure in our extra room - maybe I'll cut it down and give a twin blanket to new dgs - that would be a way to pass it on - just thought of that

I remember when my mom would be sewing a quilt or we were covered with one she had made us, we would look at the fabric and remeber, hey I had a dress with this fabric, I had shorts with this one, oh I loved this skirt. It was fun. And of course the many times we would thread the needles for her. Now I ask my son, can you thread this needle for me?

When I was 13 I went with to my sister and brother in law's parents home. It was winter they lived in upper Minnesota in an old farm house with only a wood cooking stove no other heat. His mother spent most of her time up stairs sewing quilts just to keep them warm at night. They were dirt poor and wouldn't take any help not even from their own son. All of her quilts were made from men's ties and were beautiful. I have a few of her quilt tops that my brother in law asked me to finish for him. The tops are very heavy as she sewed the ties on to muslin squares when sewed the squares together. Oh they did later have better heating for the house.

How wonderful all the stories! We are truly making memories as well as quilts. Hopefully someday there will be stories of our quilts & the love & joy they gave to our descendants. Keep on quilting! LOL As if any of us could stop!

When I slept at my paternal grandparents there were hexagon quilts on the bed. On occasions she would have me draw round old cardboard templates onto newspaper and cut them out. When I was older, about 7, I was allowed to tack the fabric onto them. I spent hours with my Grandma doing this while she was sewing the hexagons together with the minutest of stitches and telling me tales of when she was young (in the Roaring 20s she was a "flapper" and danced on the stage.) This was all I knew of patchwork and never attempted it myself. I came to patchwork afer being talked into attending an evening class in September 1997 by a friend who wanted to make a hexagon quilt. However the class was all about rotary cutting and fast machine piecing which appealed to me and my friend didn't return the following week!