PagesPat's Ponderings

Friday, June 5, 2020

Multi-Generational Baby Quilt

When I was growing up, my sisters and I would spend the weekend with our grandparents every month or so. During those weekends, Gram taught us how to make bread (no bread machines back then). She also taught me to sew on her 1929 Singer sewing machine, as well as crochet and embroider.
When I got married, Gram presented me, the oldest granddaughter and first married, with a handmade baby quilt. Each grandchild eventually received one, as well as her son (who was only  four years older than I. Since he lost his wife before they had  kids, he gave me his). That was over 40 years ago, and my daughter's quilt was looking the worse for wear. Each hand-embroidered panel was disintegrating.
So, throughout this stay-at-home order, among many other projects, I embroidered four panels necessary to replace the shredded ones. I finally finished it!! Instead of tracing pages from a children's coloring book like my Gram did, I used digital images from Tiddly Inks for two of them.

Another panel features a digital image from Scribbles Designs,
and the last image I can't identify, so if anyone knows the designer, please let me know in the comments.
It took me weeks to embroider the animals, as I haven't touched a needle in years. I was going to add the panels to the blanket by hand-stitching, but soon gave up on that. It still took me longer than usual, since my machine was inherited from a friend's mom. It looks like it's from the 1960's, but I got it cleaned and oiled. Of course, I hadn't sewed on a machine longer than I hadn't used a needle. But I persevered,and I think my Gram would be proud.




1 comment:

Diane Louise J said...

Lovely quilt Pat... very pretty... you've got lots of patience.
Diane Louise x