Two Trips Around the World

The other day Nadine from Friendship Threads reminded me that I had mentioned blogging about my Trip Around the World quilt sometime. So today seemed like a good day. I got them out of the trunk and hung them up out in the sunshine. These are not really quilts. They are actually what we call "comforters", and are knotted instead of quilted.

If you would let me, I'll tell about the one on the left first, because it has a special story.

In the circle I am in, men and women piece patches together into quilt tops using new scraps or parts of blankets and clothing that have had little wear, then knot them into comforters. These are then donated to our "disaster relief service" for people who are in need. Unfortunately, the ones who have been faithful at keeping this going in my immediate area have either passed away or grown very old. It is hard to find anyways who wants to donate their time to make the tops or knot them together. Here we are at one of our last get-togethers putting knots in a comforter that my friend Laura made. This is not the blanket I'm telling about, but I just wanted to show you how we put them in this antique frame and tie the knots. Laura is on the left. She is 93. Her hands are blurry because she works so fast.
Anyways, when I was cleaning out some of my mother's things several years ago right after she passed away, I found a box full of square patches all neatly cut. They were 100% polyester, and I noticed a lot of prints were very familiar. Pants that she used to wear, fabric from a dress she had made, and stuff we used to make summer tops and shorts.. Here is a picture of my mom about 30 years ago, wearing something made from that fabric.

In the box was a note. It said "Give these patches to Laura to make comforters. There should be enough for two."
So I did.
Several months later I was taking a trip to the place where we deliver all the blankets we made, I had a cleaned out our closets and had some clothes to donate as well. So I asked around to see if there was anyone who had things to send with me. Laura said she had about 6 blankets done. She gave them to me in plastic bags.
Well when I got there, before I went into the building I looked into the bags. And when I saw that two of the comforters were made out of my mother's clothes, I simply could not part with them. I felt guilty knowing that Mom would have wanted them to go to the needy. So instead of keeping them both, I donated only one of them, keeping this one I am showing you. I gave the organization some money. But now I wish I would have kept both blankets!

So anyways, this second blanket that is hanging on the clothesline is very very old. Pretty, isn't it? Wish I had somewhere to display it properly.

It has been in our family for years, but no one remembers who made it. It is SO heavy and made of wool. There is some staining on it, but I would have no idea how to clean it, or even if I should clean it. The fabric is pretty fragile. So I just take it out and admire it and love it a little, thinking about who might have made it and the clothes it was probably made from. The I refold it and put it away in the trunk.
So that's it for today. I better go get busy on some things I'm making. After I make some coffee. Have a great rest of the day! And thank you Nadine for reminding me about these!