I guess I can post this since it's quilt related....
With having so many fires lately and sitting by them, my thoughts have gone back
to when I was a little girl. My greatgrandmother on my mother's side was "momo
Ossie" and she lived with her sister, "Aunt Bernice". Momo Ossie's husband died
when she was younger and Aunt Bernice was never married.
They lived going toward Baton Rouge, LA, north of New Orleans out in the country
where there were a lot of strawberry farms at that time.
I remember going to their house in the fall and winter and they had a fire in
the living room and their quilt frame was lowered from the ceiling. ALL winter
long they would make quilts. Aunt Bernice would sew on the treadle machine and
momo would always be hand quilting while she was sewing or sometimes they would
both be quilting, mostly in the evenings. There was always a large quilt on the
frame and in the evenings when they were finished, or when they had company and
wanted to visit, they would raise the quilt frame up toward the ceiling and tie
it off over on the wall. It was sort of a cleat I think.

By spring time, they had made MANY quilts of all sizes and colors. We always
went there for Easter and many times around this time of year. The folks from
New Orleans and Baton Rouge would come out to pick strawberries and they would
go past their house. They would hang their quilts on the clothesline and put a
sign out QUILTS FOR SALE. They also sold eggs, pecans, jams from local
strawberries, etc. The "rich folks" from the city would stop and by their
quilts. This would give them money to restock their fabrics and supplies and
extra spending money. They were always so happy when they sold a quilt.

Of course, they made all of us kids one and our parents. I still have mine, but
some were just worn out with love and use. Momo Ossie lived into her 90's and
Aunt Bernice lived to her late 70's. After Aunt Bernice died things were never
the same. Momo Ossie had to move near one of her sons and lived in a tiny little
trailer next to his house so as to keep her independence right up till she died.
She always continued her quilting and gave them to family. She always made pecan
pies up till the end and loved to cook chicken n dumplings and all kinds of good
food.

Those have been my thoughts lately and just wanted to share them with you, my
quilting friends, as I know you have fond memories of your own.
Thanks for listening.
Sandra

What wonderful memories! Thank you so much for sharing them.

What wonderful memories to have! Makes one wish we could go back and relive......

Those are very wonderful memories! You should write those kinds of things down. I don't know if you have children or not, but those will be the kinds of things they would love to have way down the road to combine with their own memories of you.

Your post reminded me of these two older woman who live down towards Amite, LA. They have a little stand out in front of their house where they sell strawberries and other goodies, though sadly I haven't seen them there the past couple of years. We always stop and buy strawberries from them on our way back from the Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula.

Perhaps one reason I'm having all these memories come back is because my daugher is about to have my first grandbaby ANY DAY NOW. She's due on Jan. 20, her birthday. Thanks, I will write them down. I have started a journal this year. I haven't done that in a long time.

P.S. I'm originally from Bogalusa, LA.

What great momories. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Print these memories out and put them with you other important papers. Your kids will find it someday! :D

What a beautiful and meaningful story, Sandra! Thank you for sharing. It brought tears to my eyes.

I'm so glad you shared your memories with us. Your recount was really interesting. I love the smell of snuffed out candles and the smell of coal burning stoves, takes me back to my childhood.

And now I know where you live, lol. I just asked you when I replied to your PM.

I've heard a few stories women using the "lower the table from the ceiling technique". Didn't know if it was a local thing or not. Glad to hear it's not. And how wonderful that quilters shared across distances, even "way back when"!
Thanks!