Every night, Maya sleeps with these two blankets. The one on the left was made by my Grandma (her Great Grandma) Rigby. Hand stitched, even. I used to swaddle her in it when she was a baby. She now calls it her "circle" blanket because of the circular flowers in the pattern. The other blanket was given to her by Grandma Judy. It's her silky blanket, and is always snuggled close to her cheek while she sleeps. She has slept with both since birth, and asks for them every night.
These two blankets are Hayden's. The red one on the left was another Grandma Judy gift. This blanket was his comfort when he was a baby and he still has it on his bed at night. The other blanket is another Grandma Rigby blanket. That one has been a favorite for forts and also for Friday night movies. It was hand stitched as well.
And the one above was made by my Grandma Margaret for my wedding. The colors matched my wedding colors. This is a special blanket to me and stays put away, for the most part. When I do pull it out, I tell stories of my Grandma. How she made this for me and how many hours it must have taken. How being in her presence made me feel warm and loved, much like the blanket makes me feel when it's around my shoulders.
Almost every blanket in our house has a story. One made by an old boyfriend or girlfriend, one that won awards at a State fair by my Great Great Grandmother, one given by a neighbor who I barely knew, one that we use as a picnic blanket, one that we always share because it is the warmest one in the house. The blankets and quilts define important moments in my family's life.
Moments that I cherish. Moments that I want to replicate. Moments I want to pass on to my children's children.
These two above are quilts that I have made. The one on the left I made when I was expecting baby #3 and we didn't know the gender. I think I was hoping more for a girl, because it is so girly. But, maybe Crew can pass this on to a daughter and they can laugh about it. The one on the right is the first quilt I stitched and bound by myself. Lots of mistakes, but I love it!
I hope that someday these quilts will mean something to someone. The ones that I have are priceless to me. I found this out as I was cleaning my hall closet. I couldn't part with a single quilt. Like I said, they all have a story, and the stories make up my life.
