How well I remember Grandma's quilts. I even used to "help" when I was little. When older I actually helped stretch them on the frame set up on 4 wooden chairs and even did some of my first hand quilting. The quilting frame sat on these chairs in the NE corner of the front room (now called living room). It would be tipped up against the wall if the chairs were needed for company. I have pieces of Grandma's quilts and her stories. Also have a picture of Grandma, Aunt Christine and Aunite Annie quilting my butterfly quilt. Like Twila, our wedding quilt is quite frayed at the top. When Grandma Holey gave us a postage stamp baby quilt for Heidi, her comment was that it was made to be used and all three of our children did use it. Heidi now has it in Germany with her. Corey has his quilt from Grandma Swenson in Australia with him and his boys use it. Yes, I and at least three of my sisters quilt. My kids have taken their quilts to whereever in the world they have lived. At church our Lutheran World Relief quilts are made from whatever is available. A lot of the fillers and backings are bedding from hotels/motels that they can no longer use due to stains or holes. We recycle the things were cannot use to rags, other groups or even to rag rugs. Fabric can be recycled into so many "new" items. Even doll clothes and quilts, baby undershirts,sleepers or jackets. Just recently a motel gave us many pillowcases. We cut the tags out and the open end with the logo off and now our highschool sewing classes will put a decorative fabric on the opening end and add pillows and then a local group will add them to Christmas boxes for the homeless and needy. Quilts have a very special place for me and our home is home to only home-made quilts and afghans. I make memory quilts for two local high school sports teams as raffle fundraisers. Sorry for the rambling. Quilts just bring to mind both Grandmothers and their generosity. I will send you a copy of my devotional Iwrote about quilts. Your cuz, Susan

What fun to read about and to see the family quilts in your article! We also have quilts made by each of our grandmothers. After our engagement, my grandmother came to Oregon from North Dakota to stay with my folks for several weeks. I was away at college for most of the time, but was home to see the dining room set up with a quilting frame with "our" quilt on it. Several of the ladies from church came to join my mom and my grandma in the final stages of putting all the pieces together into a large bedspread size quilt! Mom recognized more of the prints than I did since Grandma had done most of the small pieces at her place. My husband and I used that quilt for our bedspread for several years, until some of the pieces got quite ragged. Then I felt some regret for having really used it, and for washing it numerous times. But other quilters assured me that was just what Grandma wanted us to do!

Some years later, Mom and I worked together to put the backing on another quilt top Grandma had made. And there are still a few left to be finished and passed on to the next generations. I better get busy!

I doubt I'll ever actually make a quilt top, but I must have some aspirations because I have a drawer full of scrapes of fabric from Mom and from my own family!

I've always admired the idea of reusing and recycling; quilting adds the element of beautiful art and memories to "Go Green"!

Another good feeling about quilting is seeing all the quilts that the church women have made to send to those in need. Every pew is covered with the colorful display on one Sunday each year before they are packed and sent to various destinations.

Several quilts are reserved to give to the graduating seniors at a Sunday service in the spring. Each senior is "wrapped" in a quilt and sent off with a reminder of the love and prayers of the congregation that go with them on their new adventures.

Well, I'm not a quilter but obviously I do have a lot of affection for them and for their masterpieces!

Thanks for the memories! Twila