Tuesday 18 March 2008

A Quilt for Grandads Chair

Thanks for your kind comments and ideas yesterday. I got on and started quilting as soon as I'd blogged though, or I would certainly have tried something different.

I meandered around in alternate squares, and it actually looks ok. I'm rather pleased with myself, this is the smalllest meander I've done to date.

It looks OK that is, so long as I don't try to lay it flat! LOL There is lots of extra fabric and wadding that has been pushed to the edges. So I haven't quilted the border at all, I just left that bit alone. I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that quilts shrink when they are quilted, seems mine has grown as I'm sure I had it good and flat before I bound it!
Anyway, here it is on Grandads chair, it looked lonely and bare sat in the corner on it's own, now it's bright and cheerful.

The chair has a story too. My fathers mother died while Dad was still a young boy. So one of my aunts stayed at home when she married and looked after Grandad and helped to bring up the younger children. Once Grandad had retired from his work he was lonely at home. It was not so bad in the warmer months when he could get out to work in the garden, but in the winter and later when he got too old even for that he sought out Auntys company, she would invariably be in the kitchen busy washing or baking and cooking. She said Grandad made the place look untidy hovering in the corner by the door. She hated to see him at the table empty handed, but couldn't keep on plying him with tea and cakes. So, she bought this chair, it sat in his corner with a small shelf built in beside it for his cuppa. I don't really remember Grandad, to me he is a shadowy old man who was sat on the swing, and I was too shy to ask him to move, when I came back with my big cousin he had gone. That was the one and only time I met him. When Grandad passed away my Dad brought this chair to our house and in time it has become mine. Now my Dad likes to sit in it here at my house and keep me company while I potter about in my kitchen.

Today I wish you Happy Memories.



5 comments:

Hedgehog said...

Love the story about the chair! Good luck finishing up the quilting.

Shirley Goodwin said...

Ah, a chair with a story!

Gina E. said...

Awww, that is such a beautiful story, Lou. And your quilt is just perfect there.

Gina E. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
black bear cabin said...

what a lovely story about grandpas chair...and it looks much happier now that it has a cozy quilt to keep it company :)
thanks for sharing
lisajo