Bobbi Williams

A Grandmother’s Gift

Over five years ago, my grandmother asked me if I’d make her a quilt. Nothing too big she said, just big enough to drape over her casket. When I asked her why, she said she didn’t want flowers, but a quilt. She’s made tons of them in her life, but me? Nah, I had NEVER done it before. I had never thought to take fabric and cut it up just to sew it back together. I had an embroidery machine, but no experience at all. I carefully selected bluebonnet fabric (Texas state flower) and designed a small quilt of blocks that had information about her, my grandfather, her two daughters and six granddaughters (I am the oldest of the six). I started with blocks about my grandparents, where they got married and when. I put a block of the Army posts where they were stationed. Some blocks show things about Mississippi, where she was born, and some show Texas, where they made their forever home. Each of her great grandchildren had their own block, too, along with their spouses. Names of great-great grandchildren are there along with info about her parents and siblings. Each of the corner blocks are the combination of the Magnolia and bluebonnet flowers since she was born in Mississippi and they retired from the Army in 1962, moving from US Army Garrison Fort Buckner, Okinawa back to Texas. This was their final move. The center block is information about them, their names and when they married. Their two daughters flanking each side. Their two great-great granddaughters on top and bottom of their center block. The top row of three center blocks are of me and my two sisters, our husbands, and children. The bottom row of three center blocks were my three female cousins, their husbands, and children. One shows the names, birthdates, and death dates of her nine siblings. I even had one block leftover where I put a poem about a Grandmother. I’m not much of a seamstress, but I can use a computer to make designs for my computerized embroidery machine. I didn’t think I’d be able to make a quilt, never mind one good enough to give to her. But, I put my mind to doing it and gifted it to her on her 88th birthday in 2016. It’s nowhere near perfect, but she loved it. For almost four years she showed that quilt to anyone who had the time to look at it. She was going blind and couldn’t see very well, but would ask her friends and family to read each block to her. My grandmother, who all who met her, be it family or friend, called “Nanny”, was such an extraordinary woman. When my grandfather was stationed in Germany, she would babysit and iron uniforms for money. She charged 10 cents for one soldiers’ uniform. By the time they arrived in New York after a four year tour, she’d saved enough money to drive a brand new 1956 Chevy station wagon off the lot. She quilted and made things for others as well. My mother had a poor friend in high school who could not afford a prom dress. My Nanny took some cream fabric and made her one. The dress was so beautiful that my mom’s friend put lace on it and wore it to get married in a few years later. My grandmother was so special to me. I may not have had her sewing gene, but I did my absolute best for her. My grandparents took in young soldiers who were far away from family. Some of them attended her funeral. Today, June 4, 2021, the very first quilt I made was buried with her, just as she requested. Rest in Heaven, Nanny. ♥️