It's not uncommon for the hand quilters to charge by the spools of thread (Some charge by the yard, and some long arm quilters charge by the bobbin). My other grandma had a baby quilt she embroidered quilted by another woman, and that's how she was charged. I have that quilt.

I have other quilts from my grandma, but the Double Wedding Ring is my favorite. She even made me a quilt for my baby dolls. That's in my hope chest.

I'm fortunate to have a lot of quilts. I didn't get gifts other than a dollar or two in a birthday card, five for Christmas, and a roll of pennies when we visited, but I have quilts. That's more precious than any money or tangible type of gift others received.

Oh, Denise, what a wonderful memory. I wish I could sew, but my mom was really good at it, so I didn't need to learn. (Not so helpful, now that I have her machine but not her.) She never quilted, but her grandmother did. Since Grandma lived to be 102, I knew her. Grandma made pillow covers and embroidered towels for me and tried to teach me how to tat. Over the years, she gave three quilt-tops to my mom.

After Grandma died, my mom found a group of women who would finish the three quilts by attaching backing and doing the quilting by hand. They charged by the spools of thread they used and donated the money to charities. My mother let me pick the one I wanted, and I picked the Double Wedding Ring. It's beautiful. Every time I look at it, I see my mother and her grandmother.

I don't want to go camping anymore, but I love camping stories, James. I can see your parents' friends after changing around the sleeping bags (in the dark probably) and then drip, drip, drip… You're always thinking, so what do I need to worry about having started?

That is such a cool memory, Barb! And your imagination…that's what you really wanted to see. You've got to go on safari sometime.

I thought buying a pre-cut kit would be easier, especially for a Double Wedding Ring quilt--I didn't pick an easy one--I was in over my head. I brought the kit to my grandma's house and asked for her help. She offered to make it for me, and I said yes. (I was under the impression I was paying her for her services.) When it came time to see the finished product...I'm in tears over this memory...I tried to pay her. She had made a lot of Double Wedding Ring quilts which went all over the country. She refused. It was a gift to me.

It's my most-treasured possession. That and her wedding ring.

Denise

You and Nancy shine right out of that book, Laura. It's lovely.

Awwwwww. Tiny Julie fingers!

Your answer made me smile. 🙂