The Creative Spirit in my Background

When I am asked if there were any other quilters in my family, I don't hesitate to answer, "yes". both my grandmothers were quilters to some extent. This is a picture of my maternal grandmother. If she was still alive, today would have been her 94th birthday.

My grandmother was born at home in the Dalesboro District of southeastern Saskatchewan on August 22, 1912. She died June 30, 1985.

She was a teacher for 29 years. This photo was taken while she was attending Normal School - before she married my grandfather. Her first teaching assignment was at Clearfield, Saskatchewan in March 1932. It was a one room schoolhouse teaching 14 pupils ranging from grades 1 to 8. Her annual salary that first year was $450. The school board presented her with two choices for room and board, the first with the Jensons and the second with the Blackwells. "Mr. Jenson got a good saddle horse if you prefer to ride. They also have an organ and radio while Blackwells do not." "There is a janitor to build the fire in the mornings, dust and sweep so it should be warm when you get there in the morning." What different times they were in 1932!

My grandmother could be described as artistic and musical. These are traits have been passed through the generations to my children. My grandmother loved to share her love of music with others including her pupils. My mother, my son, my daughter, and myself all can play the piano to some extend.

My grandmother was also very artistic and encouraged her grandchildren to develop their artistic side in what ever craft that interested them. My grandmother taught me to knit, to sew, and encouraged me to draw. When I decided that I wanted to make an "art gallery" of all my drawings, she was the one who helped me fasten the pictures to the wall in the stairwell of her house. When I spent time with her in the summer, we went shopping to craft stores where she introduced me to cross stitch and needlepoint. I had free reign of her fabric scraps and learned to sew on her Singer sewing machine--the one that I own to this day.

My grandmother put her family first and seemed to know when we needed her close. When I was older and left home to attend college some 1,000 miles from home, she and my grandfather came to the same town as the college to stay in a motel room to be near me for a month in the winter.

Although, my grandmother did not quilt much when I was around, there is one remaining quilt that demonstrate her talent. She was not an intricate piecer, but a thrifty quilter, using up bits of what was left after making clothes. This is the type of quilter that I like to refer to as a traditional quilter. The quilt below is a quilt that presently lives with my brother--in his private collection. It is made from squares of Fortrel (100% polyester) and is tied. This is not a quilt that you will see displayed at any of the big quilt shows, but is a demonstration of grass roots quilting - making do with what you have.

I have been going to garage sales in the last few years looking for bits of Fortrel that might still be around in other sewers' collections. When I have enough variety, I will duplicate this quilt in the same manner that my grandmother made this original one.
This is a picture of my grandparents--taken in the early eighties. It is the last formal photo of my grandparents that was taken before my grandmother died. My aunt and I have estimated this photo to be taken in between 1981 and 1984. Update: My cousin Darrin has just seen this post and confirms that the picture was taken in 1984. Great memory, Darrin!

I often credit my grandmother with me developing into the person that I am today. She may have passed away over two decades ago, but her influence on me is as strong today as it was 21 years ago. I will never forget the life lessons learned by just being around my grandmother and listening to what she had to say. My grandmother was a Christian, knew what she wanted, had a strong opinion, was fair and honest. She was a promoter of women's lib before it was fashionable to do so. My grandmother believed in me and encouraged me to do anything I wanted to do. My grandmother was the strongest role model in my life to date.

Gone yet not forgotten,

although we are apart,

your spirit lives within me,

forever in my heart.

Update: Thanks to the detective work of my aunt, we now know that my grandmother ended up boarding with the Jensons.