Treasures

Some time ago, my aunt mentioned that she still had several afghans that my grandmother (who passed away five years ago) crocheted. When I said that I'd like to have one, she invited me to come and see them. So earlier this week my sister and I headed to her house. We ended up choosing one for ourselves and then one for our other two sisters. For my oldest sister, we chose this one. It is actually my favorite because this is the kind I remember most from childhood -- multi-colored granny squares joined in black -- and I like the size of the squares. However, this one needs some repair that only a person who crochets could do, and my oldest sister has that skill. (My youngest sister who went with me chose one very similar to this but with larger squares.)
This is the one for my sister in South Carolina. There actually wasn't much of a choice left. It was this or one other that my aunt wasn't even sure that my grandmother had made. This afghan is lap-sized and is shaped like an hour glass.
This one will live at my house. It also needs some repair, but only where the blocks are joined together, and I can do that by hand with some yarn and a large needle. The inspector once again has to check out anything new coming into her house.
I brought one other thing home that was sort of a surprise. My grandmother lived a number of her retirement years up in the mountains in Hiawassee, Georgia. James and I made frequent trips up there as newlyweds, enjoying the beautiful scenery and mountain air. While there, she took a quilting class, and made a few squares. I did not know that she had ever quilted. My aunt offered us some or all of the squares, and my sister and I each took one. I have no specific plans for it, but I collect fabric, and this counts!
This was my choice because of the quilted turtles that you can see better in this close-up.
I never knew my maternal grandmother (she died when my mother was a teenager), but I know that she was a seamstress and quilter. Some years back, my mother gave me two quilt tops that she had made, and asked me to finish the quilts. I did, and Mama kept one and gave me this one back.I had a difficult time deciding how to finish it because, as you can see, the Sunbonnet Sues are not evenly spaced. I ended up quilting around each of them and then tying the quilt in the sashing. Neither this quilt, nor the square made by my paternal grandmother, are anything special in terms of artistry or workmanship. But they are heirlooms that I treasure, simply because my grandmothers held this fabric in their hands. And the touch of family is really what it's all about after all.