Funeral quilt
01-21-2014, 02:22 PM
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 464
Today we buried my step-son. His 14 year old son requested a blanket that he had given his dad for Christmas be placed across his legs "to keep him warm". This was one of those picture blankets you buy from a photo shop, they use a picture you provide and it is worked into a lap blanket. It had the sons picture on it and had "I love daddy" printed around the borders. It was so heart breaking to see. Our grandson surprised us being there, since he was too emotional on Sunday, he said he did not want to be there to see his dad that way. He did not attend the funeral today, because he did not want to let his dad down and ruin his perfect attendance.
We had everyone here after the funeral for lunch. We had it in the "man cave" which is decorated like an English pub/ drag racing museum. There is a t-shirt quilt hanging on the wall, I made for him several years ago from some of his past racing years t-shirts. I heard him say to someone that he would like that over his casket, but not buried with him. We are both being cremated, so just used over the temporary casket. I did not think he would have ever thought that.
Our day was sad, but we have family and wonderful friends to see us through this. Everyone left about an hour ago. My husband fell asleep on the chair with the puppy on his lap. The first he has slept in several days.
sorry, I did not mean to take this great thread to a sad place. I just wanted to share a little about three men in my life who cherish quilts and blankets and each other.
We had everyone here after the funeral for lunch. We had it in the "man cave" which is decorated like an English pub/ drag racing museum. There is a t-shirt quilt hanging on the wall, I made for him several years ago from some of his past racing years t-shirts. I heard him say to someone that he would like that over his casket, but not buried with him. We are both being cremated, so just used over the temporary casket. I did not think he would have ever thought that.
Our day was sad, but we have family and wonderful friends to see us through this. Everyone left about an hour ago. My husband fell asleep on the chair with the puppy on his lap. The first he has slept in several days.
sorry, I did not mean to take this great thread to a sad place. I just wanted to share a little about three men in my life who cherish quilts and blankets and each other.
Last edited by Bneighbor; 01-21-2014 at 02:26 PM.
01-21-2014, 02:46 PM
#62
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Georgia
Posts: 346
Ironically, today is the anniversary of my father's passing in 1972. I was 17 years old at the time and I have this same type of quilt and 2 pillow cases made from the ribbons of all the floral arrangements from his funeral and those that were sent to our home. The quilter used foundation of muslin,no filler/batting.The backing is muslin and the binding is from the ribbons also.The pillow cases are as described by another poster in this thread.While we did not display ours, I remember seeing others in town display theirs on pianos, dining buffets, or in the formal parlors/living rooms. I have my daddy's memorial quilt packed safely and in my cedar chest. It is still with the colors, with only the muslin aging into a nice deep tea color. I have made quilts for strangers after hearing about them battling cancer to only learn later that they used them draped over their caskets at their funeral.The last one was a coworker of my husband's .When he returned to his home in England to finish out his last days with his mom and dad, his mother used it at his service there in the same manner. I was stunned when I learned of all these people using their quilts, not because I hadn't heard of it before, but because my quilts were full of flaws and mistakes. It is so humbling to know they loved them this way. As a side note...Bneighbor, I offer my sincere condolences .
01-21-2014, 03:07 PM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 464
Ironically, today is the anniversary of my father's passing in 1972. I was 17 years old at the time and I have this same type of quilt and 2 pillow cases made from the ribbons of all the floral arrangements from his funeral and those that were sent to our home. The quilter used foundation of muslin,no filler/batting.The backing is muslin and the binding is from the ribbons also.The pillow cases are as described by another poster in this thread.While we did not display ours, I remember seeing others in town display theirs on pianos, dining buffets, or in the formal parlors/living rooms. I have my daddy's memorial quilt packed safely and in my cedar chest. It is still with the colors, with only the muslin aging into a nice deep tea color. I have made quilts for strangers after hearing about them battling cancer to only learn later that they used them draped over their caskets at their funeral.The last one was a coworker of my husband's .When he returned to his home in England to finish out his last days with his mom and dad, his mother used it at his service there in the same manner. I was stunned when I learned of all these people using their quilts, not because I hadn't heard of it before, but because my quilts were full of flaws and mistakes. It is so humbling to know they loved them this way. As a side note...Bneighbor, I offer my sincere condolences .
01-21-2014, 03:22 PM
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Georgia
Posts: 346
Thank you. I am sorry for your loss. My husband lost his oldest son 24 years ago in a car accident. My husbands brother died in a freak racing accident 3 months ago, and today we buried his remaining son, who was brutally murdered. It was 9 degrees today and I packed 10 quilts into the back of my car. They were distributed to the guests, and as they gathered around for the graveside service, I looked around at my not-so-perfect quilts keeping warm those who love my family. The funeral director commented, later, that this was a beautiful gathering of color on a such a cold and snowy day.
01-21-2014, 03:58 PM
#67
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 67
When my daddy died 5 years ago, we didn't use a funeral home (instead doing it all ourselves at home), but used a casket that he had already purchased from a woodworker. I had made him a simple quilt years ago and he always had it on his bed, so it seemed like the thing to do to put in in the line the coffin. I had also just finished another quilt with a pretty sunflower garden theme (no picture of either quilt) and had shown it to him the week before. I couldn't bear to think of him being cold and so we used the second quilt to cover him up all nice and warm. so the quilts went with him. Makes me happy to think of that!
01-21-2014, 04:03 PM
#68
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Barnesville GA
Posts: 3,181
To answer a couple of questions, I mentioned that I liked watching Antiques Road Show, and my date told me his mother gave him a miniature casket, about 12" long or so. I mentioned that it may have been a salesman's sample, and I mentioned the funeral museum at that time. He also has a cousin or brother in law or something that is a mortician and he has helped with ... stuff that goes on in a mortuary, not to be too creepy about it. So I mentioned the funeral museum and he thought it sounded interesting so that's why we went. There were more hearses than anything, but I enjoyed looking at the cars - all the way from the Model A to the most recent, which was a 2003 Cadillac (I think) that carried Presidents Reagan and Ford to their final resting places. There were several Packards, and looking at those cars, I hate that they just don't make cars with style anymore. No style at all. But anyway, it was definitely a different thing to do on a 2nd date. Another 2nd date I went on once was to a gay bar to a female impersonator show. That was interesting as well...
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