If you have ever read the children's book, The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polocca you know that it is the true story of how Patricia came to own a beautiful quilt that was passed down from her great grandmother. The quilt was hand made and used to get married under, wrap new babies in, and be a comfort for Patricia's great grandmother at the end of her life. I have always loved this story, partly because I can relate to it so well because my own mother was a quilter. I have several quilts that she made and I truly cherish each and everyone of them. It has often made me sad that my own children will not get to experience the gifts she possessed in the area of quilting and creating. However to my surprise this is not exactly the case! My mom had a sewing room in our house growing up. I could always find her in there working tirelessly on her latest project. It often seemed like Santa's workshop! The room was filled with cloth and thread, just waiting to be made into the next great creation. I remember she had a corner on one of her shelves with some of my favorite fabrics on it. I often admired them and one day asked her if I could have a quilt out of them. Her answer was, "maybe someday." Little did I know that the "someday" she was talking about would come years later after her death. When my mom's sewing room was cleaned out I often wondered what happened to that fabric that I loved. I assumed it was given to friends who would use it to make something special to remember her by. However, to my surprise two special grandmother angels used that fabric to make a quilt for my own angelic daughter. My wonderful step mom,Cindy or "Granny C" as Ethan and Ella like to call her, found this fabric and must have known it was special. She used it to make Ella her very first quilt. On the inside of the quilt she embroidered the words to Ella Suzanne from your Granny C and Granny Suzanne. It gives me goose bumps just thinking that in her own way my mom made sure her granddaughter had a special quilt from her. It is truly one of the best gifts anyone has given me! Late at night when I go into Ella's room to rock her back to sleep I wrap us both in that quilt and I can feel my mother's arms wrapped around both of us. Even though she can't be here with us, I can feel her spirit gently rocking both of us saying everything is as it is meant to be. That quilt is like a little piece of grandmotherly love that I know Ella will cherish forever. It is her keeping quilt. I know that someday she will rock her own daughter and granddaughter in this quilt and my mom will be there with them all rocking them gently and wrapping them in her love.
