Earlier this week I received an e-mail message from a quilter who asked about my teaching schedule. She also told me of her plans to make the Virtues quilt for her daughter’s eighteenth birthday. She invited me to read her blog entry, “with love, from mom”, where she explains her motivation for making this quilt. It is heart-warming and it delights me because she understands and values what the Virtues quilt is about.
She talks of the future when her daughter will one day leave the nest to make her own life and how difficult it will be to let go. I understand perfectly, as do all mothers who have experienced that separation. Before it happened to me, I worried a great deal about how I would handle letting go. When our daughter was 21, she married a fine young man and within a few months they made arrangements to move to the opposite side of the country for career and education opportunities, I felt my heart would break. She was our youngest and our only daughter. From the time she could crawl she was my shadow and constant companion. We were very close and good friends.
In the end, I gave her three small gifts. They were 1) my garnet necklace that she borrowed frequently, 2) our blue willow gravy boat to remind her of Sunday dinners and family times together, and 3) a little vintage weather barometer that she had once told me was her favorite thing in our house.
Her life has been good and she now has three beautiful daughters and a son of her own who are reaping the benefits of the good relationship we had as well as the wonderful traits she brings to motherhood. Both of our lives are better and greater because of the added depth that her children add to our relationship. It is all good, and it is as it is meant to be.
The idea for my Virtues quilt came to me in the Fall of 2004 and I could not rest until the top was made. It is the gift I wanted to give my daughter and did not have. The quilt pattern was published while the quilt was still a top only. The pattern book is dedicated to her. I have decided that it is the next quilt I will hand quilt and when it is done it will finally belong to her.
tracey Says:
March 8th, 2007 at 5:22 pmVisit tracey
what a wonderful picture of your daughter! and those grandchildren? you are truly blessed.
it’s because of the love for your daughter and your talent as a quiltmaker and designer that *i’m* able to make this quilt for my daughter. for this, i thank you. you are a gem, jeana.
sheila Says:
March 11th, 2007 at 1:07 amVisit sheila
Thanks to Tracey I found your blog, and so happy to have found you. I’m an old quilter for about 50 years and love to do the old traditional patterns, and enjoy applique so much. Your work is exquisite.
I bought your Red and Green book many years ago.
Your grandchildren are all beautiful! We have seven and they are all a joy.