My favourite quilt is this Grandmother's Garden quilt I finished last spring for my daughter. It took me parts of eleven summers from 1993 to 2003, when I joined the little hexagons together using the English paper piecing method, and a final intensive period from January to April last year.
It all started during a summer holiday at my childhood summer home where my family later lived all year round. I was spending some time there with my three children so they could have their share of the lovely peace of that place. Nothing ever seems to happen there, so I needed something to do with my hands. My family rarely throws anything away, and so I found loads of fabric scraps put aside to be used for rag carpets like this:
Instead of cutting fabric strips for the loom I started drawing card hexagons, cutting the fabrics and basting them together. My then 9 year-old daughter Kaija was my eager helper. She liked blue colours, so we concentrated on nightgowns, pillow cases and summer dresses in her favourite shades.
Some of the fabrics were worn, some leftover bits from my mother's sewing for her own mother and our Greatauntie Saima, herself, her four daughters and two DIL's, and her six granddaughters. At home I added some fabrics from my stash. The project went on for years.
Last year I started blogging to help me finish the quilt. This weekend last year it was exhibited at my sewing group's spring exhibition. The label is hand stitched, with translation here.
I hope the 2,226 little hexagons from our four generations of women will always remind my daughter of the skills these women have, every one talented in a different way. She is one link in that long chain of generations, and I'm sure the love for making things with hands will be passed on to the next generation through her.
I hope the 2,226 little hexagons from our four generations of women will always remind my daughter of the skills these women have, every one talented in a different way. She is one link in that long chain of generations, and I'm sure the love for making things with hands will be passed on to the next generation through her.
26 comments:
What a great way to bring back memories. It is beautiful.
This is a wonderful quilt! With such great memories. I love it!
oh my goodness! what a beautiful quilt and beautiful memories!
What a wonderful quilt so full of memories and inspiration. Great job!
I'm so happy you joined the quilt festival so everyone could share this lovely quilt. Such a terrific story to go with a beautiful quilt. A wonderful heirloom for sure.
This is so beautiful, Ulla, - and what an amazing amount of work you put into it. I have only just started to sew hexagon patchwork myself, - I see I have a long way to go.
Congratulations.
What great memories and history all wrapped up in one quilt. Kaija must really appreciate the work involved since she saw it progress first-hand.
Such an amazing story and an even more amazing quilt!! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely beautiful!
What a sweet story, and what a beautiful quilt! Thanks for sharing.
Your quilt is beautiful and so full of your families history, it is amazing! Lovely, lovely quilt. It is almost to nice and labourintensive to be used. I am sure it will be well looked after. You did a fantastic jobb! 11 summers!
Thank you for stopping by my blog,too
; )
I remember seeing this last year and thinking what an amazing piece of history it is. A true treasure.
What an amazingly beautiful quilt...I love the history behind it!
What a lovely quilt, and what wonderful memories it must evoke. Great job.
This is a true heirloom, a keeper of memories, - so glad you got to finish it!
Thanks for sharing!
That is so so precious as well as beautiful. I thik you would love reading the Lucy M Boston books where a grandmother is saying how this square came from so and so's dress and this from a maid, to a little boy. They are such a visual memory.
Well done Ulla for finishing it. I know how long it took me to paper piece the Sudoku quilt over papers so I admire your tenacity.
Great quilt and the effort you put into the quilt shows. What a special gift.
Wow! That is truly awesome and what a commitment!
Carin
Ulla, this is a beautiful, beautiful quilt! What a wonderful family heirloom you have made and given to your daughter!
Ulla, what an amazing quilt - and the story of how you made it is precious! Thanks so much for showing it!
Cheers!
Amazing! I love all the special memories in your quilt. Your daughter must cherish this quilt :) Thanks for sharing!
it's just beautiful. what an effort it must have been to select which fabrics to use.
The tradition, the tenderness, the connectedness, and your comment that you started blogging to finish the quilt...well...I have one I want to finish to, thank you for the beauty and the inspiration.
Amazing work, very much admired so many hexagons
Really nice quilt. Great use of color. Thanks for sharing!
SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Wow! I wish I had thought to do that when my daughter was a kid. No wonder this quilt is your favorite.
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