The tree has been up for a couple of weeks now and I finally managed to get 'grandma & grandpa's' quilt under the tree. This is a very special quilt to me. It was my first quilt. I remember drawing it out on graph paper while at college. I should have been managing the bookstore at the time, but instead, I was sidetracked with this great idea for a quilt for my grandparents. Originally the design was 1 1/2" squares alternating in a red and white design. A checkerboard.... I decided to cut 2" strips and then sew them together. Looking back I was actually ahead of my time in the concept. Way back then, quilters cut everything by hand with a scissor. I quickly abandoned the 'squares' idea when I couldn't get my first two strips to line up. (1/4" seams surely weren't accurate) opps... Luckily I didn't cut apart my sheet of red and white stripes ... this quickly became the center of my quilt... red and white stripes bordered by white and finished with a red ruffle. Big enough for a double bed. Spending the summer hand quilting my first masterpiece with a large quilting hoop I braved the muggy heat poking my finger. Sounds miserable, but I loved it. My stitches were big and uneven, but my grandparents loved it when they opened in on Christmas. This quilt graced their bed from that day on. When grandma passed away, grandpa gave me the quilt to remember grandma by. Grandma loved Christmas, so my first quilt is now the perfect tree skirt. I remember grandma's big silver tinsel tree, her homemade divinity and the smell of a turkey in the oven when I grace our tree with grandma & grandpa's quilt.
The tree has been up for a couple of weeks now and I finally managed to get 'grandma & grandpa's' quilt under the tree. This is a very special quilt to me. It was my first quilt. I remember drawing it out on graph paper while at college. I should have been managing the bookstore at the time, but instead, I was sidetracked with this great idea for a quilt for my grandparents. Originally the design was 1 1/2" squares alternating in a red and white design. A checkerboard.... I decided to cut 2" strips and then sew them together. Looking back I was actually ahead of my time in the concept. Way back then, quilters cut everything by hand with a scissor. I quickly abandoned the 'squares' idea when I couldn't get my first two strips to line up. (1/4" seams surely weren't accurate) opps... Luckily I didn't cut apart my sheet of red and white stripes ... this quickly became the center of my quilt... red and white stripes bordered by white and finished with a red ruffle. Big enough for a double bed. Spending the summer hand quilting my first masterpiece with a large quilting hoop I braved the muggy heat poking my finger. Sounds miserable, but I loved it. My stitches were big and uneven, but my grandparents loved it when they opened in on Christmas. This quilt graced their bed from that day on. When grandma passed away, grandpa gave me the quilt to remember grandma by. Grandma loved Christmas, so my first quilt is now the perfect tree skirt. I remember grandma's big silver tinsel tree, her homemade divinity and the smell of a turkey in the oven when I grace our tree with grandma & grandpa's quilt. 
I got teary eyed reading about your precious memories and making this quilt. I'm your newest follower!
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