Grandma's Kitchen Block #6: Wash Day

While we were in Europe, I missed 3 blocks in Pat Sloan's weekly mystery quilt, Grandma's Kitchen. Now that we're back I'm playing catch up.  Block 5 is called "Wash Day."

Pat's inspiration for this block was the old-fashioned wringer washer her Na-Na used. I don't remember much about my Gramma doing laundry, other than that the laundry room in her old house was in the dark basement with a shower I thought was kind of scary!

Since I have been using some of Gramma's clothes for this quilt, it seemed ideal to use clothes for this Wash Day block. Although, mine is sort of an anti-wash day. Gramma's clothes haven't been washed since she wore them, and even though it's been a few years, I can still smell a faint scent of her as I work.

I used fabric from the green shirt on the last block, but it goes so well with her pink oxford that I'm using it again.

She really liked this shirt, and another one that was just like it except it had some embroidery on it.

Can you see the family resemblance?

Here she is wearing the non-embroidered shirt while my son tries to teach her how to use his first tablet.

This shirt was one of the last she wore. I love that she's wearing it in this photo of her in her assisted living apartment shortly before she died. She is surrounded by so many of her favorite things: the memory quilt I made her hanging on the wall,  Betty Boop, art from her great-grand children, photos of family, mesh for the scrubbies she crocheted, and on the counter you can see part of a statue of a saint from one of her travels.

She also wore the shirt in one of my favorite pictures of our family. Here we are with my mom, brother, nephew, and son.

Gramma Ann loved babies. I am so glad that she was able to spend time with my baby boy. He was 5 when she died, so he's old enough to remember her, but I fear the memories will fade in time.

I was feeling very sentimental at this family gathering, my first since becoming a mother. 

I don't write much since sustaining my brain injury, but that weekend I wrote a poem.

Four Sets of Hands 

four sets of hands 
lay still on the green cloth
four sets of hands 
representing four lives 
intersecting, intertwined. 
the great grandmother’s hand 
still wears the ring of her late love 
a testament to her years, 
the depth of her heart, 
and the fullness of her life. 
the grandmother’s hand 
is marked with rheumatoid bumps 
her life has not been easy 
and her hand shows the marks 
of a life filled with dream-chasing 
and dreams fulfilled. 
the mother’s hand is reaching out
first to her elders, 
gleaning wisdom from experience 
and then to her son 
as she learns to nurture him. 
the baby’s hand is curled up tight 
life is too new to fully embrace yet 
he is drawn to hands: 
the safety of his mother’s hands 
the delight of his grandmother’s hands 
the serenity of his great grandmother’s hands. 
he reaches to them 
drawing their hands to his own. 

- Jen Abbas de Jong 7/30/09

Here's a look at my quilt so far.

Previous blocks:

#1: The Kitchen Table

#2: Sticky Buns

#3: Key Holder
#4: Half A Modern
#5: Glasses & Cups
#7: Oh My Stars
#8: Grandma's Apron
#9: Kitchen Window
#10 Recipe Box
#11: Peppermint Swirls
#12: Kitchen Door
#13: Sunday Dinner
#14: Salt & Pepper Shakers
#15: Games Shows & Soaps
#16: Small Change
#17: Pantry Goods
#18: The Fridge

#19: Mending Basket
#20: Lovely Dishes
#21: Telephone Time
#22: Pick a Posey
#23: That One Thing
#24: Grandma's Purse
#25: Famous Cookies

If you'd like to see what I'm currently working on, follow me on Instagram at de Jong Dream House.

Linked to:
Pat Sloan
Let's Bee Social 191 @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion by the River
MCM #85 @ Cooking Up Quilts
Midweek Makers #86 @ Quilt Fabrication
Monday Making @ Love Laugh Quilt
Wednesday Wait Loss #29 @ The Inquiring Quilter
WIPS on Wednesday @ Esther's Blog

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