Fox

Earliest quilt memory. That was as a child in the '50s while taking a "drive" with my family. We had driven into the country, and I spotted what I thought was the most beautiful sight in the world. It was only for a few seconds, but I got my head out the window of that '54 Chevy to see appliqued and pieced quilts hanging on a clothes line with a "Quilts for Sale" sign stuck in the ground beneath them. My mother gave a disparaging remark, and my father continued driving. I gathered that I shouldn't care for handmade quilts. When I met my husband in the '60s I had another reason to celebrate...not only did he loved me, but he had two grandmothers that quilted.

mayday

no, I'm the same and o/here not many quilted, they made rag rugs from old clothes but we slept under wool blankets and cozy eiderdowns, first saw quilts wholecloth at a house sale and loved them.

mayday

PS we also had a feather filled "duvet" laid on top of mattress that was so comforting to snuggle in , downside was that it had to be shook daily to straighten it and level it out.

Dolphyngyrl

Making a doll quilt at girl scout doll camp, i think i was 11 at the time

fleurdelisquilts.com

My earliest memory is of playing under the quilt that my grandmother, mom and other ladies were quilting in her living room. She always had a quilt on a frame hanging from the ceiling. I "got" to thread needles onto a spool of thread for her since she struggled to see the needle eyes. I'd thread about 10-12 needles onto one spool, and she'd use them all by week's end. The quilts were all utility quilts--heavy, rough quilts that weren't necessarily pretty. They were made of large blocks of fabric and quilted to last. My grandmother had an old wringer-type washing machine and it had a load with a quilt went in. Of course, they were probably washed only once each year during late summer to get the musty smells and dust out. She hung a few on the line and beat them with a small broom in the spring before putting them away. We'd play under the quilts while they aired out, pretending they were tents.

nana2

My mother and her sisters would exchange quilt patterns. They were traced out on newspaper. At my grandmother's house there would be a quilt frame hanging from the ceiling (let down during the day/evening for quilting and pulled up at night) In our rural homes quilts were always a part of of lives. They kept us warm!!!! My mother was not really fond of the need to make quilts and when double blankets came out we got several of those. Also no one even thought of piecing these quilts by machine, they were all hand pieced. Feed sacks were used to make our clothes and the scraps were always saved for quilts. No one I know ever had a stash of anything but scraps from clothing.

chrisqlt

There was just one quilt at our house while my sister and I were growing up. We think it was made by our Great Aunt. My mother kept it with the rollaway bed in case we had company, but also if we were sick we would be covered with that. That quilt became synonomous with "comfort" to me along with tea from Mom's best cups or other comfort measures offered. My Mom wasn't a sewer but I have always applauded her willingness to get supplies my Sister or I needed for sewing or art projects we dreamed up. Because it meant so much to me that she did that I tried to do the same for my children. I started quilting because I wanted quilts in my home and couldn't afford to buy antique ones. Since I've been in our current house I reproduced the quilt from my childhood...30's baskets on point with sashings and bright blue setting blocks. It's still a top right now. I want to copy the quilting in it as well. Now there's a UFO that needs finishing! I like to think my Aunt smiles down on us for reproducing her quilt. My sister made one too! I'll post pictures if I see how that can be done.

Dee

I was 5 and my grandma put a hand tied scrap quilt on me along with a feather bed quilt she made. I was so warm and cozy and felt so loved.

Alondra

One night my grandmother came in from the town she lived in in East Texas. Since the bus got in about 9pm, it was probably close to 10pm when she got to our house. They woke me up to give me the new quilt she had made (a mini Dresden Plate). I was so thrilled. Next morning, we pointed out each fabric and where it had come from... Papa's shirt, her dress, my father's shirt, my cousin Linda's piano recital dress, etc. I still have that quilt - a bit tattered and smelling of mothballs, but present. :) Also, her house didn't have central heat, so in the winter, we had to use up to five quilts, and I was very particular about which patterns were in "my" quilts. Picky-picky. But how I loved those quilts.

joyceinoh

I love these quilt stories. :thumbup: Keep em coming :P