Heritage

Heritage is defined as - valued objects and qualities such as cultural traditions, unspoiled countryside, and historic buildings that have been passed down from previous generations.

I’ve said this before, but I was blessed to grow up in a large, very close family! My mom was one of 5 girls born to a dairy farmer. My great grandmother lived with them for a time as well. I was blessed to grow up on the farm, next door to my grandparents. I was there almost every day!! 3 of the 5 girls lived within 10 minutes of their childhood home, all still attended the same church, etc. Most Sundays after church, we all gathered at my grandparents in the afternoon. One daughter moved about 3 hours away, but her in-laws also lived in the area, so they came home to visit often. We always got together for every holiday. It was a very “joyful noise” when all of us (almost 40 total) where all in the same house. Then, at Easter, it was extra special because my grandmother’s sister and her whole side of the family also joined the festivities. Let’s just say that we always prayed for good weather at Easter so that we could take advantage of outdoor areas!!

I say all this to lead into the fact that my large, close family has been this way for generations! I was raised to appreciate the simple things in life and to cherish family. We were big on family history and learned to appreciate family heirlooms!

Heirloom is defined as - a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations.

Almost every piece of furniture (aside from like couches and comfy chairs) in my house growing up (and honestly my house now) has a story behind it. I know who’s it was, who made it, when they got it, etc. And that is truly special to me!

I have a collection of American Fostoria. This all started from a candy dish given to my grandmother by my great grandmother (who I was named after), in which lemon drops where kept in all my life. I have the Silver Service that my grandmother had that originally came from my grandfather’s side of the family. I polished it just about every summer growing up! I have an old milk can from both my grandfather’s dairy and my dad’s grandfather’s dairy. I have an antique, working Singer treadle sewing machine in the cabinet from my husband’s grandmother. My aunt has my grandmother’s and I hope to get it one day. I have at least one quilt made by both my mom’s grandmother and my dad’s grandmother.

All of this is why I love quilting. To me, quilting is tradition, my heritage. Not everyone in my family quilted, but most at least sewed. My mom and aunt’s, along with my grandmother, made all their clothes growing up. We still actually have many of those outfits. My sister and I would wear them for decade days during homecoming week in school, and my niece now uses some of them for dress-up play.

It has been instilled in me to appreciate antiques, family heirlooms. Quilting creates heirlooms! It brings me such joy to make and gift a quilt and see the joy on the recipient’s face and know that it will be loved and cherished and hopefully passed on through generations. My 4-year-old already has a love for quilts I make and has to still have every single one I have made for him. I love the joy on his face when I finish a new one. There are times he wants to cuddle up in just the completed top, haha.

So, the next time you cuddle up under a quilt, think about who made it? where did it come from? What is its story? Or the next time you are making a quilt, just remember that it will be cherished for generations to come!