Quilting lesson, part 4

"January 31, 2002:  Received 18 birthday cards.  Snowed lightly all day.  I baked six loaves of banana bread.  Have received 66 cards.
February 1, 2002:  Clear this morning.  19 cards today.
February 2, 2002:  18 cards today.  Took banana bread to Evena S., Zoya, and my neighbors Bernice and Dale A.  Helen called for my birthday -- so did Raymond and Arlene P., also Jean and Marjorie.  Nancy came the middle of the afternoon.  Brought groceries and then washed floors, vacuumed, etc.  I took my shower."

The total cards would be over 100 at this point and spoiler alert -- she got more after February 2.

How nice to make gifts and deliver them around the time of your own birthday. 

On to more quilt information.

Quilts have had a place in history.  I found these stories in quilt magazines. 

One quilt in history concerns an Irish family by the name of O'Hara.  The father, Thomas, came to America first.  After two years and three months he was able to send for his wife and two daughters, Jenny and Patty.  The grandmother had given each of the little girls a fine handmade quilt to wrap up in on their sea voyage.  When they arrived at Ellis Island, Jenny had a bad cold and was kept there until she as over it.  After two weeks she rejoined her family but with new clothes and no quilt.  The law was to destroy the clothing of anyone held because of sickness.  The family was very upset over the loss of the quilt as the grandmother was very frail and died before she could make another quilt for her granddaughter.  Girls became involved in school and new friends and soon forgot the disappointment.  Several months later a woman came to the door -- had written description of pattern and materials -- searched stores for similar material, etc.  Quilt not too different from the original -- made Jenny realize the kindness in the new country.

Another quilt story involves an 8 year old girl who had difficulty with multiplication tables (no calculator then!) [teacher to home, etc.]

This quilt story is told by Mary Louise Kitsen whose ancestors were from Arnsdorf in Austria.  People used quilts more as robes than covers.  As a child Mary's grandmother had a favorite "church" robe which had bright red material that was "soft" to the touch.  (churches not heated).  She used this robe on the Christmas Eve in 1881 when the Pastor, Josef Mohr first sang "Silent Night" to the accompaniment of a guitar-like instrument.  The church organ had been damaged by mice gnawing at the organ bellows.  The lady likes to imagine the little congregation, sitting in the cold church, with snow falling outside, many wearing "quilted robes" listening to the new song and then singing with the pastor.

Oh, phooey.  Apparently Grandma didn't need more notes for the multiplication story and so all we have are these bare notes.  I am curious as to what that story is.  Maybe I can find it.

Here is a photo of the Baby Blocks quilt that was given to Tom and Merilyn.  I like Nancy's quilt-modeling pose.