Monday, March 21, 2016

Quilt Qwazy

Quilt Qwazy 




Only Quilters can stretch an International Quilting Day into a week. The wonderful Marian of Seams To Be Sew has gathered a whole bunch of Qwazy Quilters to share their joy.

We were asked to share what inspired us, our first projects and why we love quilting. 


These lovely ladies - my mother and her 5 sisters - were a constant in my life and an inspiration. They were hard workers who loved to talk, laugh and a have good cuppa tea. They were all sewers and all stitched quilts. I remember being very young and stitching on a treadle machine when one of them dropped in on my mother and asked why she was letting me use the machine because I might stitch the needle in my finger. Her reply was "how else is she going to learn". I don't remember pricking my finger and I was always at the machine.

They stitched quilts for babies, brides,  family members, celebrations and community fundraisers but primarily for warmth  and coziness. Their early quilt fabric would be leftovers from old clothing or garments they stitched. Nothing went to waste.

When my mother turned 75 we surprised her with a quilt created by blocks contributed by family and friends. It became one of her treasures and she spent many hours looking at the blocks. But it was 'too good to use' so had an honored place hanging on the wall for all to see. 

Each block was different and had special memories.


In her stash my mother had a lot of embroidered umbrella ladies. These became a quilt for her youngest granddaughter.

We make Graduation Quilts for our nieces and nephews. One of the ladies became a special block in another Granddaughter's quilt as she left high school last year.

The aunts were always creating.



This Dresden Plate is one of my favorite earlier quilts. It is showing its age. Our fabric choices mature and today we would never use so much polyester. 


           This is a music quilt stitched for my musical brother.              Took me a while to collect all the right notes. 


Perfect cabin quilt for another brother.



This is my special quilt. Not fancy but so many memories because it was made from my mother's house dresses after she left us. Lives in this little shed my brothers built last year. I call it a "Stitching Shed". A little bit of heaven on the Bras d'Or. 

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One of the nice aspects of Marian's blog hops are the lovely giveaways.  The Fat Quarter Shop is giving everyone who makes a purchase a 10% discount. When you check out use the coupon code seamstobe316.  The discount is not good on gift certificates and good for only one purchase per customer.

So check out all the goodies at today's featured bloggers and at SeamsToBeSew.  And Marian always has an applique surprise gift. Make sure you leave a comment because we Qwilting Queens love to hear what you have to say.

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A Fat Quarter Bundle is the lovely gift offered by Timeless Treasures on my blog today. To enter just leave a comment on my blog and Tuesday some lucky person will win. Please make sure I am able to contact you.

Timeless Treasures

Timeless Treasures

Please join today's Qwazy Quilters and explore their inspirations. 




                           March 21
QuiltShop Gal
TeaTime Creations ~ you are here ~
Ravelly
Meadowbrook

After You leave your comments at the above blogs
Stop In To Enter Only At
Seams to Be Sew

110 comments:

  1. This is a lovely post. You family sure has it's roots in quilting. I loved seeing all of your quilts. My fav is the one that you all made for your mom, then the one created from your mom's dresses.

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  2. Love your post! You are so fortunate to have such a rich quilting background! Thanks for sharing! mumbird3(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. Thanks for sharing your history and wonderful quilts with us!

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  4. How wonderful to have so many beautiful women share their love of sewing and quilting with you! Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Thanks for sharing , it is obviously in your blood!
    Iain.ross30 at gmail dot com

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  6. Thank you for sharing! I love hearing everyone's stories,and seeing their beautiful quilts.

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  7. Liz Horgan, eahorgan@gmail.comMarch 21, 2016 at 8:48 AM

    Such beautiful quilts and all so meaningful!

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  8. Such a delightful post! Thank you for sharing your rich quilting history! Do you come up to CB to visit your little stitching shed often? Where on the Bras d'Or? XO

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  9. thanks for sharing your quilting pictures and for the awesome giveaway.

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  10. What an amazing heritage you have. Thank you for sharing. kmcassie at gmail dot com

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  11. What a wonderful gift for your Mom! Love the stitching shed and great memories I am sure while making the quilt from her dresses.
    patsystitch@gvtc.com

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  12. So many quilts with such wonderful memories. Sweet stitching shed.

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  13. Such a wonderful story and such wonderful quilts!

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  14. Great stories and lovely quilts...thank you

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  15. Loved the picture of your Mom and her sisters. They looked so fun I wanted to be part of the family. You are blessed.

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  16. Marvelous,your family has quilts for all occasions! Practical, sentimental and beautiful.
    nelljeancam@gmail.com

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  17. We Quilt Quazy Queens just love hearing your wonderful family quilt history. That's quilt inspiration:)

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  18. You have a rich history of quilting, lucky! I have been a QQQ for 25 years

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  19. What wonderful memories! It seems that each of us have family members who influenced us greatly. Loved reading your journey.

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  20. Great story & great memories. Thanks for sharing.

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  21. Thank you for sharing these memories with us.

    syvisser@gmail(dot)com

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  22. What awesome memories!

    sara.arno8@gmail.com

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  23. What a wonderful quilting heritage you have! Thank you for sharing.

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  24. Very very nice I also have 2 of my grandma's quilts....We are very lucky to have familys who taught us how to create things.... happyness04431@yahoo.com

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  25. what a wonderfully rich and special history of stitching. thanks for sharing. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  26. I have great family quilt memories also and try to make them for my extended family. Graduation and baby quilts are always in the pipeline. Thanks for your stories.

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  27. You certainly had a lot of quilting inspiration in your family! It must be fun to have so many involved to share your work with them. I can just imagine all of those great quilty hugs.

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  28. I also come from a family of quilt makers. And I treasure the quilts my mother and grandmother made me. Thanks for sharing your story.

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  29. Wow a lovely dedication page of your family of quilters. All of the quilts looked gorgeous. Thank you for sharing.

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  30. So enjoyed reading about your mother and aunts and all the quilts they made.

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  31. Forgot to leave my email address: martha_ogden@yahoo.com

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  32. I am the first quilter in my family. The family sure loves to get quilts though. They keep me busy. I have one granddaughter who loves to sew with me too when she is here.

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  33. Memories are stitched into every quilt aren't they...the good the bad and the ugly. That's what life is though. Love the stitching shed. A well deserved place to stitch and reflect!

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  34. I have yet to complete a quilt but I have several started. My grandmother was instrumental in teaching me to sew although she didn't quilt. I enjoyed your family history of quilting.

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  35. I loved learning about your family's quilting journey. Definitely sound like a family I'd love to be part of. What fun.

    QuiltShopGal
    www.quiltshopgal.com

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  36. Love your story about your mother and her sisters. I am the oldest of four girls and three of us quilt. One sister and I have gone on Shop Hops together-what fun. Thanks for sharing your wonderful family tale.
    Rosemary

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  37. Beautiful quilts! The Dresden plate is still on my bucket list, but it's moved up now that I've seen yours...I really want to work on one!!!

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  38. You are so lucky to have such creativity in your family. I enjoyed reading your story.

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  39. Beautiful quilts. I enjoyed the family stories.

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  40. What fond memories you have of our family. I really admire the cabin quilt for you made for your brother. I seem to favor anything with houses of any sort on it. Nice post.

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  41. I don't have this type of creative family. I love to make quilts with piecing, paper piecing, hand embroidery, machine embroidery, and FMQ them myself. Your family quilts are beautiful.

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  42. I love looking at all of your family quilts throughout the years! Thank you for sharing with us!

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  43. This was such a sweet walk through your quilting memories! I laughed out loud when you mentioned polyester in quilts. My mom used a lot of that! Thanks for sharing!

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  44. THANKS FOR SHARING! MY PASSION AS A QUILT QWAZY QUEEN IS TO MAKE BABY QUILTS FOR OUR LOCAL CHARITIES !
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  45. Great to hear about your journey. It's all about stitching with a little thread and a whole lot of love.



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  46. I had two grandmothers who sewed. One made quilts, the other made clothing, home decor, curtains, drapes, window treatments, upholstery. Thanks for the chance to win!(celiaambrose@hotmail.com)

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  47. What a wonderful story of your family. They really created some beautiful memories!

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  48. Thank you for sharing all those quilts. I'd love to study and hear the stories for all those blocks in the quilt made for your mom; such fun. Remembering mom is the next best thing to having her here.

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  49. Thanks for sharing your quilting journey. Love all the pictures!

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  50. That was a really nice story. Love the Stitching Shed.

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  51. What a lovely photo of your mom and her sisters! And what a lovely quilt the family made for her.

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  52. Such a beautiful story- thank you for sharing it with us! I love the idea of a quilt from a loved one's clothes- such a useful way to keep those things near to us. Lovely!

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  53. Wow - you and your family are certainly creative and prolific quilters. Awesome!

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  54. How wonderful to have all that family history with sewing. I don't have that, but when I married I got a MIL who is an accomplished seamstress and quilter. So I have learned a lot from her in the last 30 years.

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  55. Love the family tradition of quilts, trying to continue it in my family. New Follower here, love blog hops they let me meet so many new quilters. crystalbluern at tds dot net

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  56. Good family memories. Love Timeless Treasures collections. Thank you for having this giveaway. 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  57. Wonderful selection of quilts and I love the picture of your mom and her sisters and her 75 yr old quilt. How wonderful to have that inspiration behind you.

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  58. How I wish I had mementos like clothes from my Mom to make myself a quilt!

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  59. How I wish I had mementos like clothes from my Mom to make myself a quilt!

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  60. Thanks for sharing your stories and quilts...so much fun.

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  61. What a wonderful blog post. Happy quilting.

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  62. Thanks for sharing your family memories.

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  63. Lovely quilts. I made a Sun Bonnet Lady for one of my nieces as a wall hanging. I also love your stitching shed, I want one!

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  64. Love the stories. Thanks for sharing.

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  65. Lovely story and an awesome quilty shed.

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  66. Your mom and aunts look like a great bunch of ladies. Thanks for sharing your memories with us, they are special. vickise at gmail dot com

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  67. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your quilt history and seeing all the lovely pictures and quilts. What a quilt legacy! Please leave my name out of the draw...just wanted to say hello and admire your quilts!

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  68. Gosh, your mom and sisters are so lucky to have each other to share so many memories together. And so nice for you too! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the chance.

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  69. How wonderful to have all your beautiful memories. No on in my family really sewed. I love your shed, I would live in it! I need a few brothers!

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  70. Your mom looks delighted! I recently surprised mine with a quilt for her 78th. Precious. Really enjoyed your post today!

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  71. Oh, you are on Cape Breton Island! I would love to visit there someday...thank you for sharing your story. Your quilts are great!

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  72. Looooove your story & pictures! The quilts are Beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing! :)

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  73. I so enjoy seeing everyones "trunk" shows...what a wonderful thing to be crazy about! Thanks for sharing.

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  74. I really enjoy hearing the stories behind quilts, it makes them extra special.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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  75. Thank you for sharing these beautiful memories and quilts. What a wonderful legacy there is in your stitching family. Heart warming ... <3 Pat

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  76. What a wonderful story about "Family". Thanks for sharing. raydeer@memlane.com

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  77. What a wonderful post. I have been sewing since I can remember and the story of your mom's quilt made me think of the quilt I made for my mother. I still have it and each block brings back wonderful memories.
    Rina

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  78. What a Blessing to have such wonderful roll models and how lucky your family is to be on the receiving end of such beautiful treasures (your quilts to each other).

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  79. Thank you for sharing. How wonderful for you to have such inspiration from your mom and aunts. My mom was my inspiration also. I have four sisters but I am the only one that sews.

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  80. I love your quilts. I need to make a music quilt for my husband, he play guitar. That is one he would love.

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  81. This has been a fun hop around - your blog included! Always an adventure.
    Thanks!
    Jules
    bestlock(at)aol(dot)com

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  82. Thanks for your lovely post. And now for the answer to the question: Qwazy, me?? I'll try anything and have been known to spend alot of time touching my fabric collection. Also like to dress up at quilting events!

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  83. What wonderful memories and inspiring people you have/had in your life! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  84. Your quilts are beautiful Thanks so much for the wonderful inspiration

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  85. How wonderful to come from a quilting family! I don't have any family members who quilt, but I'm teaching my five-year-old granddaughter to sew. So I hope she will eventually be my quilting buddy.

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  86. Beautiful projects to go with those very special memories.It is so wonderful to be able to share something you love with others in your family.

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  87. Very lovely quilts! I especially like the last one in the Stitchin Shed. Thanks for sharing!

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  88. Lovely family memories and quilts. Thanks for sharing.

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  89. Great post filled with wonderful memories and beautiful quilts.

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  90. What a wonderful quilting journey shared within your family.

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  91. A great story which I'm glad you shared. Thank you for showing all these lovely generations of quilts.

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  92. It was great to read your quilty story. Love seeing the love that is passed down through families. My love of quilting came from my grandmother.

    debbygrawn at yahoo dot com

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  93. Nice way to look back and see how sewing skills, styles, and fabric choices change over time.

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  94. Wow! A beautiful history of your family and quilting... Something to treasure indeed!!

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  95. What fun history there is in quilts and our lives. jarvenpa1ne(at)gmail(dot)com

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  96. My grandmother made quilts the old fashioned way - completely by hand.
    Thanks,
    Peggy
    Peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

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  97. What a wonderful legacy. I have one quilt made by a great aunt that I treasure. otherwise, no one in my family sewed or did anything crafty or artistic. I have sewn since age 6 but all self taught. pjrquilter (at) msn dot dom

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  98. oops pjrquilter (at) msn dot com

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  99. What a wonderful story, you were lucky to have such beautiful ladies to give you inspiration and knowledge.

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  100. A wonderful peak into why you love to quilt. How wonderful that you all shared the same love.

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  101. Wow! You really know how to inspire! Incredible stories! My mom wore "house dresses" too, but they were so worn out when she passed away a quilt wouldn't have held up.

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  102. Great post. I love the history of your love of quilting. Thanks for sharing.

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  103. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos of your wonderful mother and your aunts. What a gift of love and beauty they all gave over the years.
    Your stitching shed looks like a wonderful place to make more quilts and retreat from the world.
    My email is: bestbelle2010@aol.com
    Thanks!

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  104. What a lovely tribute to your mother! Thanks so much for sharing your story. It brings back memories of me own mother and all that she taught me.

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  105. What a lovely tribute and great legacy! pbstrand@msn.com

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  106. Thanks for sharing such a lovely story :)

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  107. My apologies for commenting so late, but what an amazing history Rhonda, thank you so much for sharing it. I loved reading about it, seeing the quilts you've given, made and scraps used from other places..

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  108. I am impressed about all the quilters in your family. Not strange you are making lovely quilts. The quilt for your mother's 75 years anniversary, and the Graduation quilt is very special. It must be wonderful to get a quilt like that, it is filled with memories and love.

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  109. What lovely family history. Thanks for sharing it. I have 2 quilts that my great grandmother made. They are very special.

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  110. And to continue the tradition, Fran, you inspire me (your youngest sister). I love your quilts, and someday, my attempts at quilting may equal yours. :-) LOVE this post!

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