Happy 90th Mom

My mother, Clella Jewell turned ninety years old on Sunday June 10th. On the following Saturday our family and a few close friends celebrated her birthday with a luncheon. She didn’t really feel like celebrating since it has only been five months since my father died but agreed to a small gathering.

My sister Mary wanted to do something to commemorate my mom’s birthday. Mary thought a quilt square from each family member and friends would be something special she could always treasure. We decided that the squares could be turned into potholders and hung in the kitchen to enjoy the memories. I bought muslin and cut it into nine inch squares and mailed them out. Now everyone is saying what I am going to put on this. I’m not artistic. What do I do?

The square for my husband Larry and I took several turns. I settled on “The American Gothic” painting and imposed our heads onto the painting with a garden background. Did you ever go to find a picture of yourself and realize you hate them all? The hair isn’t the right style or color, you’re not smiling, and your eyes are closed. Since this is such a somber painting, I finally had a use for several of those pictures I don’t show anyone. Larry laughed and said I gave him a neck so he was happy with his part of the square.

My sister called in a panic so I did a square for her, printing a background of a gerbera daisy on the muslin, then I sewed a fabric gerbera daisy onto the top of that and in the center I put a picture of her when she was about eighteen years old.

Not done yet, I had to come up with an idea for my brother Jerry and his wife Laura. Something elegant and simple so I suggested they have their monogram embroidered on a square.

Wait…my daughter Kelly called and said her square would be a little late coming but she was going to use pictures from her childhood memories with my parents. Okay work quickly I told her. My son Michael made his square after a quilt block called Michael’s heart that he designed and my mother made into a quilt for him. My oldest son Jim did his square with a little help from Heather showing the state of California on it, the quarter horse logo, and a police shield. Heather still needs to get her square done.

My mom had a wonderful afternoon with a few dear friends, family, my cousins, and she loved her quilt squares. She said they would make a nice winter project to work on.