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Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Covered in Love

     My grandmother (1900-1995), like so many of her era, seldom let anything go to waste. If shirts or dresses were beyond wearing, she would salvage what she could of the material, and piece that together to make blanket tops. I'm not sure that she did the actual tying or quilting, but none-the-less the resulting blankets were uniquely hers, with reminders of this shirt or that robe or this housedress or even that pair of pajamas. I ended up with some of these blankets, most of which have seen much use and better days.  But, I decided to go ahead and use them. After all, that's what they were made for, and despite their worn and torn areas, they are a lovely reminder of Grandmother.
     I started out sketching just a blanket, which quickly became a lap quilt, which had to be on someone's lap, which required a person, and she had to be doing something, so here you have it! I'm not entirely sure what she is reading, though quite likely it's her Bible; or it's also entirely possible that it's one of her old diaries.
     After doing the pencil version, I decided to add some watercolor to liven up the blanket.
      Scanning the painted version in black and white gives it another look.
     This page will take you to see what others are snuggling up with for this week's Blanket theme for Scribble Picnic.

25 comments:

  1. Beautiful pieces, lovely blanket and thanks for sharing memories of your grandmother.

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    1. Thanks, and you're welcome, Christine!

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  2. Nice drawing, I like the blanket.

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  3. I think the coloured one works best and is very cozy too, Jolene. Ah, I lvoe quilts. You know, if you had made one, you could have included that here too as showing something made is perfectly acceptable for scribble picnic. :) Thank you!

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    1. That's my favorite one, too. I haven't sewn or quilted any blankets on my own, but I have crocheted many; for instance the one in my All Tied Up post. I'm currently working on another, but who knows when it will be done!

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  4. Lovely to hear of your grandmother's blankets. So wonderful that you are using them!

    Your sketch is sweet and coloring all those squares must have been a lot of work.

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    1. Thanks! I'm happy to be using and enjoying them instead of forgetting about them stowed away somewhere. It's a small drawing, so didn't take too long!

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  5. This is just darling, and brings so many memories of my own and my grandma and her quilts and blankets.

    You've done a great job with the variety of color and black and white.

    Nice job!!

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    1. Thanks, Wanda. I'm glad it brought back your own memories!

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  6. Oh we had quilts made by my hubby's grandma. We wore them out. But remember them fondly. Good picture and reminder of how grandma would sit.
    Blessings
    Janis

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    1. So glad you got good use of the quilts, Janis! When I drew it I was thinking of so many care home residents I've seen who sit with "lap robes" covering their legs.

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  7. I like the colorful quilt!

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    1. Thanks, Trina. That's my favorite too!

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  8. Awwww I really love the memories you share here along with your art. It brings it even closer to home. So sweet! What a beautiful quilt and I love how you share both the colored and black/white version. :)

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    1. Thank you, Alexandra. These art prompts have gotten me back into the blogging habit!

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  9. A lot of work would have gone into those hand-made quilts...a treasured keepsakes from your Grandmother. I love how you explained the process of your sketch, Jolene...I like all the versions you shared. :)

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    1. I can't imagine all the hours they took! Thanks, Serena.

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  10. Ah yes, I too have some of those wonderful old fashion blankets. And, like yours, they are a bit frayed but still beautiful. Love your theme ... we all had Grandmothers we loved and it is lovely to be reminded of them. Thank you for that, Jolene ...

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. The tattered parts just give them more character, and connect us to previous users. Thanks and you're welcome, Andrea!

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  11. Love the oldtimey lap throws for the older set. Just brings back lots of memories.

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    1. Different women's groups I've been part of have made some of these "lap robes" or "lap throws" for local care home residents. Of course they were mostly more simple "9-patch" patterns, and tied, not quilted.

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  12. I love that you showed all the different versions. It's nice to see the options. Blankets and quilts tie a family together. I have afghans that my grandmother and mother made, and my mother saved a quilt top that my other grandmother (her mother-in-law) made from the shirts her 5 sons had outgrown. Some of them were silk and thus there are moth holes. I was lucky that she gifted it to me.

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    1. Thanks, Lorraine, thought it was partly indecision on my part of which drawing to post! :-)
      I'm hoping that the afghans I crochet/have crocheted for family members will hold up for a good long time!

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  13. Lovely story and sketch. We have many quilts using clothes in our family as well and it was wonderful to see yours

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