What other crafts is your family noted for?  Many arts and crafts are interrelated, as the mixed media ones are today.

What memories do you have of engaging in these activities, including cooking, with family members or teaching them to your children?

I recall sitting with my grandmother making dolls and doll clothes, as well as the quilt we made together.  She also repaired a doll for me.  Harriet had a cloth body, but molded head, arms and legs.  One of Harriet’s legs became smashed.  So Nanny made a cloth one, stuffed with cotton and stitched it onto the body.  I think I remember Harriet more than other dolls because of this incident.

I’ve found, among other memorabilia in the old farmhouse where I spent my childhood, some doll clothes I made with Nanny. 

“Write these memories down, Mom,” my daughter tells me.

There are several ways to collect and do this that I’ll expand upon in another post.  In the meantime, begin brainstorming and jot down your ideas.

(c)2007 Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

Family Legacies Extend to Arts Other Than Quilting

You’ll find a multitude of designs…floral, pictorial, historical, Sunbonnet Sue, animals, state capitals and more…to embroider or do as cross stitch. I was browsing thorough a needlework catalog and came across so many interesting designs for quilts.

 When you’ve finished the desired number, sew them together with sashing, then select a batting and backing.  You can tie the quilt at the corners of the blocks or use quilting stitches, particularly in the sashing.

Embroidered quilts also are ideal to make for babies, children or their dolls.

Post from: Blisstree

Needlework Quilts

There are many small items, as well as bed quilts to make as gifts.  Some of these include: placemats, potholders, clothing, wall hangings of many sizes and types, small appliance covers, toys, doll quilts, and more.

Do you have something special you’re making for holiday gifts?  I’d enjoy hearing about it.

Post from: Blisstree

Are You Doing Christmas Quilting Yet?

However, as I think about it, the small quilts aren’t entirely new.  My grandmother made quilts for my sister’s and my dolls.  She took the scraps from her larger quilts and other sewing, then created these tiny coverlets for us. 

We loved them and used them.  Unfortunately they wore out, so I didn’t find them with the few dolls’ clothes my mom had saved as memorabilia from our childhood.

However, these could be called the mini quilts of a generation or two ago.  We didn’t consider them art, just something Nanny made with love and gave us for our dolls.  You also could make tiny quilts, trying out various patterns, for youngsters in your life.

The following books do give you ideas for patterns and directions:

Great Little Quilts: 45 Antique Crib & Doll-Size Quilts with Patterns and Directions by Eleanor Levie.

Small Endearments: Nineteenth Century Quilts for Children and Dolls by Sandi Fox.

Post from: Blisstree

Making Doll Quilts