Sun Bonnet Sue

I have foggy memories of a Sun Bonnet Sue quilt that used to reside in the bedroom of my aunt Lori. If I remember correctly it was made by my aunt Kathy, Lori's sister. The blocks were laid out simply in rows and may or may not have had sashing. In an effort to clear the fog, I called my aunt to hear her quilt story. Of course she remembered the quilt made by her sister, who lovingly appliqued each of the squares. It had become worn with use and age. The colors were once bright, now faded. The quilt itself had become just a memory. 

In early November, I had the good fortune of doing some client quilting and Sun Bonnet Sue made a return visit. This was the first time I had ever quilted a piece with applique, and I was nervous. My client, Ms. A, had carefully planned how she wanted to quilt to look, and included lace details that had belonged to her mother. The quilt was a gift for her first great-grandchild, and would have the sentiment of five generations. 

 There were nine little Sunny's in this quilt and I gave them each a place to play; a field to pick flowers, a well worn path to walk on, hills of fresh grass to shuffle their feet through and fluffy clouds to help shade them.

 There were flowers and hearts adding points of variety that were quilted with swirls.

 Ms. A, was very pleased with the results, She created a beautiful quilt that will be loved and cherished.

This post has been sitting in my drafts folder since last November. I'm not sure what has held me back from sharing. My aunt, like her beloved quilt, is now a memory, and my quilty conversation with her one of the last times we spoke. She passed away early last week. The youngest of my father's siblings she has left us too early. I will remember her for being a beloved babysitter to my brother and I. I will remember her for crafting with me as a child, she taught how to stitch plastic canvas and we made all sorts of magnets and tissue box covers, but I also developed skills in craftsmanship, and color selections. I will remember Lori as a recipe collector who loved to make foods of all sorts. She was never afraid to try making something new, even if it meant searching for exotic ingredients, and taught me that you should not fear making alterations to a recipe. The same sun that shined down on us as we experimented with yet another wacky barbecue grill technique will hold the fog at bay from my memories of Aunt Lori.