I struggle with stuff.
I enjoy the hunt for new treasure, the surprise of finding. Conversely, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by my “stuff” and like I am not treating the things I already have very well, as they get lost in the sheer volume. I often dream of a spartan loft that showcases a few key pieces but it’s not who I am. All this to say, that I’m trying to reconnect with my current stuff instead of finding the thrill in the not yet obtained. This is funny following my last post, I know, but that was DAYS ago!
Day 1: Quilts in the Closet
One of the benefits of coming from a southern family is quilts. I was fawning over some quilts on ebay but decided instead to dig my quilts out of my closet and give them some sugar. A couple of puffs on my inhaler later, I was reunited with these little babies. My goal is to carefully launder them and use them (it’s tough in a household filled with full on dust mite allergies which is why they were in the closet in the first place). I’m not a hardcore utilitarian but I do believe the quilts should be used and in doing, create memories for my boys that connect them to their past. I have strong memories of using the basket pattern quilt on camping trips in our old VW when I was a kid.
I want to thank my Granny and Great Aunts Nancy and Nellie for these beautiful quilts. My Granny made a couple of them and I think Aunt Nancy and Nellie’s mother made the others. My Granny grew up on a farm raising 4 kids and working hard, she never learned how to ride a bike but took a plane to Thailand (in 1969) to meet me when I was born. She had guts and grace. Aunt Nancy and Nellie were big time Tar Heels fans. Didn’t miss a game that I know about. Aunt Nellie was funny as hell and Aunt Nancy was tough as nails and they took good care of each other and of us. One of my favorite memories was eating homemade cheese straws watching Miss America with them at Myrtle Beach.
It’s such a lovely day, I wish I had a clothesline to drape these over…
This shot reminds me of Ikat fabric:
The camper quilt, it’s green striped wool backing will forever remind me of my brother and I sleeping on long car trips. Remember back before carseats and rules? Before we got the VW, my dad used to put a mattress in the back of the LTD for us to sleep on during our drives to see our grandparents.
I’ll try and photograph some of my parents wonderful quilts when I visit them this summer. Maybe they need me to take a few off their hands. I’m a helper.