The Quilt...

This quilt, has the most wonderful story...A few years back, I was pounding the roads, trying to put together a load, for Heart of Country, in Nashville... I went to a friend of mines shop, in southern Iowa, and asked her if she might have any old crazy quilts... Nope, she said, but she'd keep her eyes peeled! A few weeks later, I ran into her, at a show, and she grabbed my arm, and said she'd found an old crazy quilt, but it was pretty rough, and directed me to an old basket, where she had it with other textiles... as I pulled it out of the basket, another dealer, from the area, gave me a look, and then the quilt, and rolled his eyes, like, you have got to be kidding me... I'll say it's a little rough... and walked on... I fell instantly in LOVE with it... I asked my friend how much, and thanked her for finding it... She was thrilled I loved it, and said 35.00. It was worn, but when you hang it up, it's amazing...teeny tiny little pieces, it almost makes me dizzy, looking at it!...apple greens, and pinks, perfect for the Spring booth backdrop, at Heart!!! I didn't care if it sold, it was a calling card! It would draw people into the booth, I just knew it... it would sing beautifully!!! When I got it home, I started really examining it... It had 2 little flags, a tiny little tea cup, 1900, Mc Kinley, Freddie and Lyle, and just all sorts of wonderful little embellished pieces! I took it down to John's shop, where I was to be loading the Big Truck, in a few days, for the show, and my friend Val, popped in...I had to show her this little treasure! I was pointing out, all of the darling little pieces, but was searching for the tiny flags... We looked and looked, and then I saw something, that I had not seen before...Derby, Iowa... I nearly dropped... My Father, was born and raised, in Derby, Iowa... He was raised by his grandparents, and would slip into another world, when he would tell stories about his wonderful childhood... I would go right there with him... like I was there myself... His Grandmother was his best friend... He loved her so. Dad was born in 1913, and Derby is a tiny town... I'll bet, my Great Grandmother knew this quilter... Probably knew my Dad... Now, If I would have been a purist, like the other dealer, who rolled his eyes, look at what I would have lost... I whisked the New Member of our Family, up to the house, introduced it to my Family, and said, if something should happen to me, do not sell this Quilt... This is a Family Treasure... We have nothing from my Dad's side of the family, or Mom's either.... This Quilt is it... What a Gift... I share this story often, and carry a picture of it on my cell, as a reminder to those who live for perfection...

Be sure and read the next post, it has a wonderful little message...

Barb C.