Ann's Quilt

I am not much of a garage sale shopper but yesterday one of those little signs at the entrance to a nearby neighborhood said “quilters” with an arrow pointing into the neighborhood. I followed the signs and came to a home with the doors all open and a sign proclaiming the quilters sale. It was an estate sale. There were tubs of fabric through out the living room, patterns books and notions dominated the kitchen and dining room, a couple sewing machines and more tubs of fabric in the family room. Some may have thought of this as a quilter’s jackpot but I felt a little intrusive going through this women’s things and a little sad. Her family was there monitoring the sale and told a couple of us shoppers her name was Ann, they were so surprised by all the fabric and quilt related things they found that she had. We laughingly assured them it would be the same way at all of our homes. Ann had several tubs of quilts that were started.

I bought this one with the Fons and Porter quilt called Stars and Stripes Sampler. This quilt was based on a public television series they did in 2001. I could tell so much about Ann by going thru the tub today. She was very organized, all of the blocks are already cut out and placed in little zip lock baggies with the page number in the pattern book on a piece of scrap paper.

She marked in the book each block she had completeted, each block that was cut out, and a big X on the ones I guess she did not want to make.

At the bottom of the tub were spools of thread and prewound bobbins of thread in the all of the color of the quilt.

Ann must have liked applique, those blocks were all completed so she obviously did them first.

I have made my own version of this quilt before, twice. I made it for two of my friend’s whose sons joined the army after 9/11 and went to Iraq. This very patriotic quilt seemed so appropriate for these friends, while they were very proud of what their sons were doing they were so very worried about them and a quilt that you can wrap around yourself is my way of sending a hug. We are now 10 years after 9/11 and one of these friend’s son has made the army a career. He is now a married young man with two little boys under 5 years old. My friend told me a couple years ago that her daughter in law has always liked that quilt and admires it whenever she visits. My friend’s son left last month for a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and so dear Ann where ever you are, I am finishing your quilt. I know of a young mother who needs a hug.