Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
Is my idea too selfish? >

Is my idea too selfish?

Is my idea too selfish?

Old 05-19-2014, 08:54 PM
  #1  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
Default Is my idea too selfish?

I will start this by saying I am a grandmother, who just recently lost her grandmother. (Yes, that is 5 generations) This is the grandmother who taught me to sew, and to love fabric. My aunt called today when she returned from Montana, where she had to go clean out grandma's house, to tell me she found a big brown paper bag full of squares that grandma had cut and set aside to send to me, but had never taken it to the mail for whatever reason. (Grandma would send me her scraps, cut into squares, for me to use in charity quilts.) My aunt has the scraps at her home in WA for me. Yippee!

This is where the selfish comes in. All of the other scraps have gone into charity quilts, but I want to use these scraps to make myself a lap quilt and to make other gifts for her other grandchildren, as a remembrance. Do you think it would be wrong to use her "charity" scraps this way? I am really torn and would love to hear your thoughts on this.
madamekelly is offline  
Old 05-19-2014, 09:02 PM
  #2  
Super Member
 
nanacc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,507
Default

I think she would be pleased that you wanted to keep these in her memory. I do not feel that this is selfish of you.
nanacc is offline  
Old 05-19-2014, 09:22 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
beaglelady's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 454
Default

I don't think it is selfish at all. I think it is very kind of you to make gifts for her grandchildren as a remembrance of her. I can't imagine she would mind if you made a quilt for yourself in her memory. I think she would be honored and touched. I am sorry for your loss of this special lady.
beaglelady is offline  
Old 05-19-2014, 10:56 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Terri D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 462
Default

Not at all selfish. You and other family members should hold onto those fabric memories of your grandmother.
Terri D. is offline  
Old 05-19-2014, 11:18 PM
  #5  
Super Member
 
Knitette's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: The Granite City, Scotland
Posts: 1,635
Default

I don't think it's selfish at all, but I can understand why you have twinges of guilt - I probably would too. It's a funny old thing.

I don't think you need to, but if it helps you, make another quilt from your own stash for charity and label it, 'In Memory Of.........'

Or if you don't have the time, you could give a small donation to a charity she would like, as she was clearly a charitable woman.
Knitette is offline  
Old 05-20-2014, 01:53 AM
  #6  
Super Member
 
citruscountyquilter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Hernando FL
Posts: 1,662
Default

If I were you I could not bear to give away the last box of scraps from my grandmother to someone who couldn't care less about the sentimental meaning of the fabric. I would take your grandmother's fabric and make something for yourself and your family who would understand and cherish the meaning behind the fabric. If you're really feeling guilty about having fewer charity quilts to give then use some of your fabric to make some charity quilts but I don't think that's really necessary.
citruscountyquilter is offline  
Old 05-20-2014, 02:11 AM
  #7  
Super Member
 
Libster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 3,745
Default

Your grandmother obviously loved you very much and showed it by teaching you to sew and sending her scraps to you. As a grandmother myself, I feel that she would love that you want to keep a remembrance of her, as well as share with her other grandchildren. Put your mind at rest, you know she loved you.
You will cherish your quilt always and it will be a little piece of her that you can hold on to.
Libster is offline  
Old 05-20-2014, 02:16 AM
  #8  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 290
Default

First I want to say that you are not being selfish. Make your quilt and the gifts for the others. Name your quilt Grandmother's Legacy and offer to teach any of the others how to quilt. Your Grandmother passed along her talent and love of quilting to you. Now it is your turn to pass that along to another generation. To me this is a way to use her last package to you and pass along what she has already passed along to you.
Auntie V is offline  
Old 05-20-2014, 02:20 AM
  #9  
Super Member
 
Mary O's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Friendship,Wi.
Posts: 1,007
Default

Scraps is not a dirty word.Just fabric in small pieces.....Who is going to know ?
Mary O is offline  
Old 05-20-2014, 02:32 AM
  #10  
Super Member
 
CookyIN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,544
Default

I'm so sorry for your loss. You and your grandchildren will cherish the items made from these scraps as no one else could. They are special to you, and you should embrace them as a special gift from your dear grandmother to you. Have no guilt! You've both given so much to others through the years -- her with her scraps and you with your charity quilting -- that you both deserve to enjoy this last bit of scraps as a gift of love and memories between the two of you.
CookyIN is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cmw0829
Main
103
02-27-2012 10:27 AM
Arizona Sunrises
Pictures
189
01-31-2012 11:18 AM
DonnaB
Pictures
67
08-05-2011 02:21 PM
sunnycat
Main
154
01-22-2011 01:50 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter