Sometime before we had children, or possibly shortly after Seth was born (we can’t remember!) Jonny decided that he wanted to make a quilt. I think it must have been after Seth was born though, because it was only after his birth that I was given a sewing machine and started learning to sew myself.
I recall that Jonny was given one hundred dollars for his birthday. Like any typical guy in his early twenties, he wanted to spend the money on quilting supplies. (Was this before or after he crocheted all those granny squares?) We visited the fabric store where he bought a rotary cutter, a cutting pad, a special ruler, a basic guide to quilting, and a completely random bunch of fat quarters. Over the next few days he carefully cut all those fat quarters into perfect squares. We admired them together and then stacked them up. I’m not sure what happened next, only that those squares remained single. Maybe this was just before Jonny started commuting two hours one way to work, leaving at 6 a.m. and returning near 8 p.m. Most likely, every bit of free time he had was occupied by our fussy infant, while I struggled to finish my own degree. For many years, those quilt squares languished in a bin, brightly colored reminders of the quilt that wasn’t.
A couple years ago, Keats came across Jonny’s squares of fabric, and decided to sew some of them together. He sewed five or six random strips of similar lengths, strips that ended up back in a bin.
I’m not much of a quilter myself, mainly for lack of time and know how, but I have facilitated small quilt making projects for these last babies of mine. Keats and I teamed up to make Beatrix a first birthday quilt, and Gabe and I made Silas one. As Job’s first birthday drew near, the thought occurred to me that it would be really neat to use those strips of Jonny’s quilt squares as part of a quilt for him. I did do just that, though I only completed the quilt top in time for Job’s birthday. The finished quilt ended up being a Christmas morning gift for Job. I think it was his second favorite, after the striped vest. Of course one year-olds adore both quilts and handknits, so were I to press Job to choose his favorite, I’m sure he’d be conflicted.
Anyway, as I said, I’m not much of a quilter. This one is a little wonky, but it’s almost a rectangle in shape. It’s bright and cheerful, but most importantly, it’s made of memories.
Yanic says
I think it is perfectly simple and lovely. And with a story… makes that the best quilt!
Jen says
I LOVE this quilt! It is beautiful!
Andee says
It is beautiful and DONE! I love that it has a story too.
Elisabeth says
Quilt Christmas in my family as well! My mother just finished the quilt she meant to make for me and my husband 12.5 years ago. She found a group of women who helped her hand quilt the three layers together. I feel scared to breathe near it.
Love your quilt and its story! Enjoy the happy memories it has and will bring!
Katie at My Sweet Homeschool says
The first year my husband and I were married, we were broke, pregnant with twins, and not spending money to go out that first winter. I liked cross-stitching and after a few evenings of watching me, my husband asked me to teach him (which I gladly did) and we sat there snug as bugs in a rug, me growing ever fatter, as we sat side by side working on our projects. To this day those are some of my favorite homemade projects in the house because of the memories. I love this story of the quilt and what a wonderful present to give!
Natasha says
What an accomplishment. The quilt is beautiful and the story behind the fabric is wonderful. Happy new year to you and your family. 🙂
Ann says
I love the story behind the quilt and that so many in your family participated in it.
Heidi says
I love those simple quilts the best and what a cherished family heirloom! Everyone will have joy seeing little Job wrapped in it!
Sheila says
A beautiful heirloom.
Richard says
A blanket made of memories is always the best! I am sure that blanket will be loved by Job not to mention you and Jonny and how it languished for so long before being put together. All things in due time; better late than never!
Anne @ Sugar Baby Bakes says
What a gorgeous quilt – I know that your family will treasure it for years to come. My mother passed away several years ago, and I’m so comforted by all of the quilts that she made, especially the wonky bits!
Carla says
What a wonderful heart felt gift! A real treasure
A Little Blue Dragonfly says
The sweetest quilt. The sweetest story. 🙂
Mikaela says
Awesome story. You crack me up! Random but I felt like sharing–seems like all mothers of small children should have this recipe: http://livingithaca.com/diy/make-kinetic-sand/ Hopefully not too messy? I’ve never made it but the next time I spend time with a two year old I certainly will!
jen says
i think it’s also made by mama so it’s automatically cool.
Nancy M says
What a great story!!!
Sandi says
You quilt already has a wonderful history and story to go with it. Look at all the hands that participated in creating it. You quilts looks great! Hugs,
Dana says
I love the design of both squares and stripes! I’m in the process of cutting up men’s shirts (both my husband’s old shirts and thrifted ones) I need to keep this design in mind! So clever!
TarynKaeWilson @ WoolyMossRoots says
That’s so special to have that quilt finished! And a wonderful story to go with it.
Ruby says
That is darling, I love all those bold colors. What fantastic men you have in your life, Ginny, both big & small. Your husband is so awesome! (I think I make that comment a lot… 🙂 )
Kendra @ A Sonoma Garden says
How great that so many were involved in the making of this quilt! I started a quilt when my first was a baby (10 years ago) out of my husbands work shirts. Our cats loved climbing up our clothes in our closet and ripped holes in the sleeves of almost all my husbands blue plaid & striped dress shirts. I cut them all up to make my newborn son a quilt out of his daddy’s shirts….however 10 years and two more children later it still sits in a drawer waiting to be finished. Maybe I just need to give it another four years and one of us will finish it!
Carlin says
I love this. This year I’m feeling inspired to cut up my scraps into pieces and make a quilt. No matter the outcome. Yours turned out lovely.
Tania says
I love your sense of humour and the thought of Job being conflicted by the choice of favourite handmade gifts tickled me! What a lovely tale of how his quilt came to be.
Judy says
I love it!
kirsten says
Ah, I love this story! And the quilt turned out beautifully. I love quilts more for their imperfections and how that shows the love of the person who made it.
LifeSheWrote says
“Of course one year-olds adore both quilts and handknits, so were I to press Job to choose his favorite, I’m sure he’d be conflicted.”
This made me laugh out loud!
Beautiful story and beautiful quilt!
Bianca says
I really like the quilt. I am inspired to get my squares out and sew them together in strips. It is less intimidating than trying to make a more complicated quilt.
Congratulations!
Laura says
It’s perfect, I love the bright stripes of colors in between the blocks. You did a great job, and what a wonderful story!
Mary says
I am a quilter.
Sometimes there are imperfections in a home made quilt and to me that is part of the charm and the not made in China and purchased at a big discount store part. I love that quilt. It is beautiful. (I have a quilt top I started in 1975. This gives me hope that someday I might come back to it and complete it. Or not.)
Sheila says
Yes, complete it and show us!!!
Susana Galli says
The story is precious, and isn’t that the best part in a quilt?
Laura says
I LOVE the story behind the quilt!! So wonderful that there are such memories and meaning. Beautiful quilt too
Jennifer says
I think it’s beautiful and I like the randomness of the colors and shapes. Your husband and mine are birds of a feather and I’m sure they’d get along. Mine taught me how to knit! He understood the books and videos much better than I did and then he showed me how to do it. He also sews by hand and on the machine. On our first date, he came to get me in a shirt that had one button obviously replaced with a different one. He told me he’d sewn it on himself. How many 21-year-old guys do that? I was instantly smitten. 🙂
Missy says
I really like the long stripes of color!
Katerina says
It is absolutly beautiful and the story behind it!!!!!K
Jennifer says
Your quilt is really lovely. I think quilts are the perfect thing to be imperfect. It will keep Job warm just as well and the story of how it was put together adds to the love.
Tracey says
It looks perfect to me!
Alice R. says
Made with love; it looks pretty good to me. I grew up in a household where handwork was appreciated. Mom told me it wasn’t supposed to look perfect: machine made is perfect looking, that’s how you can discern the more valuable things made by hand.
Lori Watson says
I think it’s beautiful!
Kris Sherrill says
What a wonderful story about a beautiful quilt. And a marriage that’s evolved into what it is today. Thanks so much for sharing your stories here. I look forward to each of them. That quilt will be around many many years to keep all those little bodies and souls warm.
Mat. Anna says
I think the best quilts have stories like this. 🙂 And it’s truly lovely.
Kris says
Wonderful gift! It’s beautiful and so full of love and history.