My Mother

My mother really likes shoes. When I was a teenager, she, with her size 4 foot, could buy sample shoes for $1 a pair: for $20 she would get 20 pair of shoes and for a similar $20 I would get 2. For the last several years she has been collecting the little ceramic shoes, and other shoe stuff like a shoe chair, lamp, etc. So, in 2003 I made her a “shoe quilt.” Now, you know how much work it takes to make a quilt, especially when you are a beginner. But I was both proud of the idea and how this one turned out.

So a couple of weeks ago I was talking with my mother and mentioned this quilt. She said she didn’t remember a “shoe quilt” but that I had made some towels with shoe embroidery on them. So this week I found the picture of the shoe quilt and emailed it to her. Would you believe that she said she has no memory of the quilt? So I guess it wasn’t a very impressive quilt, was it?

The other quilt I made her was this one (picture taken before the blocks and sashing was sewn together) :

She also collects all things chicken (note the backing on the shoe quilt). I chose the sashing colors to allow the quilt to fit in either her kitchen or living room. What I tell her is that I make utility quilts that are made to be used but she saves them hoping to be able to hang them: I don’t think they ever see the light of day. But my philosophy is that once something is given as a gift it is the recipient’s to use or not use, as she pleases.

I have been working on a gift quilt all week. I am going to do as much as I can today and then I am going to give myself permission to do something else for a while. I have a spring quilt top I finished four years ago that I really want to quilt so tomorrow it is going on the frame. And for top making, I still have some work to do on my black and white challenge quilt. I would like to get that done next week. These two quilts are for me, I think, and will look good in my room as a reminder that these spring showers (thunder and tornado warnings this morning) will be bringing flowers (I do have at least one bud on my rose bushes). Have a great day!