City quilt Nov 2020

Quilts of Many Colors

My mom made me a very special birthday gift this year: a “city quilt,” pictured above. The jewel-tone colors are so bright and pretty, and it’s big enough to fit on my King-sized bed AND for Jim and me both to use in the living room while we’re hunkered down, watching TV. (Thanks, mom!!!)

When my parents and sister came over to our back patio for outdoor birthday dinner last weekend, my mom announced it was time for gifts and then she handed me a huge black garbage bag. I knew immediately what was inside because:

  1. It was public knowledge that she had been working on a quilt for me.
  2. My sister’s birthday was last month, and that’s when she was given HER quilt.

Still, the garbage bag presentation—which was totally fine because we’re still dealing with this pandemic and it’s all she had in the house—was so ironic and funny. Never has such a beautiful thing been shoved into a Hefty bag.

I appreciate handmade gifts the most, by far: I always have. Obviously the idea that someone would use hours of their valuable time to craft something that they think you would truly love is a big part of that, but also I have made so many things for other people myself. I am well aware how much thought and time actually goes into it. (A LOT.)

Quilts are doubly special to me. They’re truly one of the best kinds of family heirloom. I have many, many quilts that were created over the years by my mom, my mother-in-law, and my late aunt, and I keep them in wire baskets in our living room and guest room so they’re always in sight (because PRETTY!) and within reach. I treasure them immensely.

Quilts

Can you have too many quilts? Discuss..but the answer is “no.”

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