Thursday, February 02, 2006

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog!



These are two of the quilts that my grandmother made. I'd guess them to be from the 50's. They are both wool, are incredibly warm and I love how she put them together. The one with the smaller squares has some velvets in it. My mom remembers that some of these pieces came from her and her twin sister's coats and suits. Some of the the black wool bled through to the back, but for some reason, I think it's kind of pretty. It would probably drive someone else crazy. As we have already determined that I am crazy... what's a little faded wool? I have the remains of a third wool quilt in my possession, and I am thinking that I need to make re-assembling it a bigger priority. She had large scrappy wool blocks of about 12" sashed in feed sack. The feed sack disintegrated, so I took it all apart and am hoping to replace the feed sack with more wool- not easy to find cream-colored wool.

Things I learned in WV...

  • When traveling, always pack a few T-shirts. We had a relative heat-wave and I had to borrow from my Dad.
  • "Sissy" isn't always a put-down. I had forgotten that all girls in WV are called "Sissy" at some point. Whether you are an older sister- most likely cause, or just a customer.
  • Swinging from vines isn't just for Tarzan. And it is a lot of fun to watch once you decide that you have enough sons to lose one or two.
  • Pride and Prejudice- the A&E version is probably too long, but I never tired of watching Colin Firth.
  • When Grandmother makes cookies twice in one day- dieting is a lost cause.
  • Corn grown in your own garden, dried, shucked and popped- topped with real butter and salt, tastes nothing even remotely like that stuff in the microwavable bags.
  • 38 is an age that seems old when dangling by your own questionable strength over a 20' ravine strewn with moss covered boulders.
  • Moss is soft, but there is entirely too little of it covering those rocks when you slip on that same moss.
  • Wood fires can provide enough warmth to heat a house to the point of leaving the windows and doors open in January.
  • Sudoku can be addictive and I would consider it an entire waste of time if it didn't force me to work with numbers- something I usually avoid.
  • Counting to 36 is apparently proof positive that I avoid numbers. I somehow managed to make only 35 log cabin blocks for my coal mine quilt- when I needed 36. I distinctly remember counting and recounting...
  • Toilet tanks can drip a copious amount of condensed water when flushed incessantly. Sorry Dad.
  • My four-year-old daughter has way more energy than I ever realized.
  • I have too much stuff.

Well, I need to go tackle some of that "stuff." It's good to be home.


13 comments:

Tracey said...

WELCOME HOME!!! I had to laugh at the vines comment especially. I end up swinging on those things STILL from time to time. I just can't help it!

I wish I would've known that you were heading to WV! I'm only a couple hours away from the Pa/WV line. Heck...a day trip woulda been FUN for me and the girls!!

Pamela (Peni) Teel said...

Glad you're home safely. Didn't we have FUN! Sorry about the cookie sabotage. And don't worry about the t-tank water.

I'm playing with 2-inch strips today. Decided I need to sew up a few to get the nerve to try egg-money quilts.

Love you so, Mama

Laurie Ann said...

Sounds like an adventure. I would think 38 would feel too young when hanging over said ravine ... too young to die! :) Welcome back! Sometimes I have trouble counting too. I still don't understand how I ended up with one extra of my twirling stars blocks! Oh well, that's how orphans are born. :)

Kairle Oaks said...

What a treasure it is to have those one-of-a-kind quilts that were made by your grandmother. Although my grandmother didn't quilt, she sure could crochet up a storm! (I couldn't possibly count the number of afgahns that she made while watching Wheel of Fortune every night!) Every time I wrap up in one of her afgahns I feel like I'm getting a warm hug from her.

Crystal Boudreaux said...

LOL!! I got a kick out of reading your "life lessons". Real life is funnier than fiction :) Sounds like you had a great family time. I'm jealous.

Sarah said...

Congrats on getting "yo mama" into the blogging world! Now do I have to watch what I say? Your list of things you learned in WV cracked me up. I could make a list of things I have learned from WV people! It might not be too kind though, except when talking about you or your family! But that was a whole different lifetime right? Miss you so much it hurts!

Love - Sarah

Lucy said...

He nina, what is WV??? It sounds you have had a very great time! and yes I love your quilts. They are realquilt for using and crawling in with all the history !

Finn said...

I think both quilts are truly awesome, and so "real". Like real people made them and real people used them. You are one lucky duckling nines!!
If you can't find cream colored wool as fabric, how about a cream colored wool blanket?

Love the What I learned segment..LOL glad you are back among us..Hugs, Finn

Carolyn said...

Looks like you learned a lot in West Virginia! It sounds like a wonderful time with your family. Thanks for sharing the quilts, I like the back of the wool one too!

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

Welcome Home!! I love the quilts, and how great that there are family stories and memories attached to them. That makes it even better. I loved reading your 'factoids'. I 'd love to try some of that home grown popcorn!

Bonnie

Catherine said...

It sounds like you had a great time in WV. I visited once in college...would love to go back and explore some more. Those quilts are fabulous. I am always jealous of people who inherit handwork...no one in my family did any that I know of...welcome home, catherine

Tonya Ricucci said...

The wool quilts are wonderful - I like the black bleeding thru to the back too. Love that you're fixing one up.
The A&E P&P is too long? You wound me, but I forgive you.

Darcie said...

Good to have you home again, Nines! Ad so great to have your Mom with us now. How fun! (Guess we'd better be good now, huh!)

Your quilts are spectacular!!! I can just feel the wool one in my mind.

(My...it certainly is a tall chair that is behind all of those quilts!) LOL ;-)