Functionally beautiful aprons

Although I do not have a quilt per se from my Dad's side of the family, I do have a couple of his mother's (my Nannie Anna's) special aprons.  Thanks to my Aunt Maryanna & Uncle Ed, I am now fortunate to have two of the aprons that belonged to Nannie Anna.  When given the opportunity to select one of my Grandmothers aprons, I (of course) had to ask for two to be able to make sure that I could pass along one to each of my daughters: Ana & Evie...  Each one of the hand-stitched garments is beautifully unique.  One of the aprons (pictured above) is yellow & has beautiful fabric applique of red flowers and light green foliage.  The shape of the two red flowers seem to indicate a distinct tulip. and also possibly a poppy - two of my favourite flowers, but then I have not met a flower I haven't liked for some reason or another:) 

The other apron has a linear geometric design of blue yellow, white and red - the same colors used in Nova Scotia's "official" tartan - apparently the first official tartan in Canada and a fabric frequently used for long-sleeved collared shirts that my Dad and many of my Uncles wore "back in the day" (and still today)...


As I I have wandered about and wondered about the quilt artifacts from Dad's side of the table,  I have come to realize that quilts that have been passed along to me have taken many different forms.  Just as I have used the metaphor of the patchwork quilt frequently in my own writing, the unique patchwork quilts of my life (& my family members' lives) have been sewn (& sown) with many different types, shapes & colours of thread... the connecting threads of our lives come in all forms of matter & life in all shapes, sizes, widths, depths, times and dimensions.  Dad (and the Grandfathers I knew) taught me about the outdoors, nature, sheds, toolboxes, tools & fixing things.  I can still smell the wood and sawdust of those toolsheds and workshops... 

Like the Grandmothers I have known, my Grandfathers (& father) taught me about how to make do with what you have and somehow find a way to make do & make things work.  I think that is the crux of the story of all of our lives - doing our best to find a way through all of the chosen paths & un-chosen paths that life has found a way of throwing our way... could see the hope and possibility in injured pieces of wood and knew how to take action to mend them, loving the chance to teach others about this process along the way... 

Dad's quilts took form beyond fabric through the actual solid wood creations he made to share - the loons he carved, the orphan pieces of furniture he rescued, refinished and brought back to life - spool furniture, treasure chests, blanket boxes, toolboxes and trunks that house the quilts, tools, a few old irons, his handy Swiss army knife and multi-tool and of course his Pentax camera, with all of its lenses and accessories.  As I think about it, the family quilt patches Dad passed along to me are the practical tools for getting to it & getting the jobs done.  Many would not know it, but my Dad was an excellent hand-stitcher himself, frequently mending his own leather tool covers and accessories with one of the strongest threads he knew - dental floss :)  I guess I should not be surprised that fabrics printed to look like wood are some of my favorites...

I have been so lucky to be a part of a family of unconditional love -  My illnesses & I have given so many reasons to leave, but somehow the love stays & somehow gets passed along in the stories & lessons & artefacts of our lives in the ways they are needed and meant & happen to be...

All for me for now - take gentle care, Sue 8)
aka justascribe ...S(:8:)3...