THE DAY IN-BETWEEN

Today is the 'Day In-between" for me and a reminder of why we make t-shirt quilts.


 I am currently make three t-shirt quilts for a customer out of her late husband's t-shirts, jeans and a jean shirt. No real set block sizes, no sashing between the blocks. I'm just doing random squares of the logos and prints of a wide variety of t-shirts he had collected over the years.
He was killed in a motorcycle accident earlier this year and she is doing these for her young grandchildren.

As quilter's we often get asked if we make t-shirt quilts, quilts from old clothes, quilts from baby clothes that they have out grown. Many quilters do not, because of the detailed work involved. I do make them.

Today, for me is, as the title says, The Day In-between.  You see on November 12, 1979 my father passed away. He had COPD, had been a smoker most of his life. The memories he left me are many. These include a quilt my mother made when I was 10 and is featured elsewhere in this blog.
It was made with scraps of the fabric she used to make so many or our clothes. It was also my Daddy's favorite 'blanket' as it was heavy and he liked the weight of it.

Tomorrow is the anniversary from Nov 14, 1993 when my father in law passed away. I had only known him for 20 some years. But he was special. He was a man of integrity, man of his word. Believed in a handshake was a contract, you took a man at his word.

Both men served our country, my Dad in the Army, my father in law in the Navy.  The timing of Veterans day around the time they each passed.... also special. 

Another interesting thing about both these men. Their birthdays. Born in different years, but one was May 2 and the other was May 7.

I have found so many things that connect my husband and I with odd dates that fit both his family and mine.

Today, as I sit here listening to my precious new grandson wake up, I am reminded of the love of family.  The joy a family brings to each other. And the wonderful memories we have of passed family members. What a great memory to younger family members to have a quilt, especially to have one made out of t-shirts their parent or grandparent wore.

While most of you may not have a "Day In-Between' to remember loved ones, take time as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas to reflect on family memories.

Thank you Daddy and Jack for the memories, love and joy you brought into my life.

Phyllis

Happy Father's Day

Above is a wonderful gift I received from my sister. She inherited the artistic talent of painting from our family.  I remember every morning my Mom would make my father a cup of coffee, even though she never drank any.


Here today I would like to share a poem I wrote about my father. He passed away in 1974 and I miss him a lot. 

A tribute to my Dad. He passed away in 1979, just 4 months after my son was born. I wrote this poem about him a few years later.

Images of Daddy

Dandelions, Roses, Tulips, Daffodils.
A bottle of Ballentine beer after supper
Sitting in his favorite chair, reclining
Lucile Ball, Ed Sullivan, Lassie, Red Skelton
Walton's Mountain, Little House on the Prairie,
Hee Haw, Golf games, and news shows.
Country Music - Johnny Cash.
Roller skating, ice skating, a row boat named "This-n-That"
Deer hunting, fishing -freshwater, sea and ice, his motor boat.
Rattle snakes, bumble bees, wasps, and bird houses
Raccoons, and bears with little cubs
Cats and kitten, all strays - he hated cats.
Ambulance driver, fire fighter, volunteer fire department,
Christmas tree lights, star in the window, egg nog,
shoveling snow, walking with snow shoes, his "Arty Cat".
Roast beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy, Oreo cookies, crackers-n-milk.
Clam bakes, BBQ grill, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob.
Family reunions.
Story telling, jokes, a life of adventure.
World War II Panama, California, Lake Placid, New York
Subway in Boston, wind took his hat, Mom.
Molasses in bicycle tire, A & P window,
Rocking chairs, old ladies, Halloween, coal trains,
Drawing pictures on blackboards for the holidays.
Oil burners, plumbing, electrician, a swinging bridge.
Woodwork, carvings, falseteeth
A book case, bedroom set, revolving lamp and wall hangings of wood.
Holding me in his arms, asleep on the kitchen floor, feeling his breath
"There's no such word as 'wentin' you say...." hearing his recorded voice.
Giving his all, "Don't Fence Me In" Daddy and Mom.
That was my Daddy
Love
by Phyllis Dewey]

December 9th and Mom's quilt for Daddy

67 years ago today my parents were married. Their love story is a memorable one the way the used to tell it.  They met while Daddy was on a short leave from the Army. He went with a friend of his to visit other friends and that is when he met Mom.  They wrote letters to each other from that day forward. (Don't recall how long it was- maybe a year? ) until in December he came back to visit Mom. He told her he was getting married!  She asked who he was getting married to, and he said,"You!"  She had three days!

They got married while he was still on leave, Mom moved from MA to NY to live with his parents while he returned to serve in the Army. They later moved to PA.

9 months later my sister was born. 

10 years and 9 months later I was born.

A lot of history, a lot of stories happened over the many years they were together. They are both gone now, Daddy in 1979, Mom in 1990. I miss them and think of them every day. 

Both were very talented. Daddy was artistic, Mom was a seamstress. I think I inherited some of my talent from each of them. My sister also inherited the artistic talent!

I know Mom would be proud that after many years of not sewing a stitch I now am not only sewing again, but have my own quilting company!   She only made one quilt in her life and I helped her make it when I was 10.  I still have that quilt, made from all the scraps (stash) she had saved from all the clothes she made us.  Wools and tweeds on one side and cottons on the other. She didn't put any batting in between and she tied a few of the corners just enough to hold it all together.  Daddy loved it because it was heavy.

I look at the quilt now, and see the wear and tear, the stains, the rough spots that have joined the beauty and to memories of all the fabrics. I still remember some of the clothes she made with those same fabrics.

I wish for you today and always a lifetime of treasures, memories of times long ago and a future of new treasures and memories we all can make for our families. 

----Phyllis ----