Mother?s handmade quilts

At 60 m.p.h., ?Quilts on Barns, How Exotic, The Effect Can Be, Quite Hypnotic? is a blur on the little signs beside Highway 92, east of Westchester. The 92 skidoo. I have never been a fast reader, but my mind sees things my eyes don?t. It?s what makes me a writer.

Washington County is known for its barn quilts. My friend, Ken Starek, of Ackley, the guy who hand paints the envelopes of letters and cards he sends to people, loves to come to Washington County to photograph barns. Then he paints them, and titles the pictures after the name of the quilt pattern. I now have two Ken Starek, hand painted envelopes, framed and displayed. The barns may crumble, but Ken?s work lives on.

I have yet to see a quilt pattern on a barn that is like the quilt my mother made for me more than 40 years ago. I don?t know what the pattern is called, maybe, Cathedral Window Diamonds? Unlike barn quilts, that for the sake of size, is usually just one large pattern, my mother?s quilt is made up of countless diamonds sewn together, like stars in the sky.

She made these diamond quilts for each one of us kids (originally eight children), then each one of the grandkids. And there are a pack of them.

Unlike the handmade quilts, my mother made these quilts on her sewing machine. She made each one of the patterns, then sewed the patterns together. She wore out three sewing machines. Dad worried about her.

?She?s working herself to death on these quilts, night and day,? he would say.

Maybe he was right. Mom died in her sleep after all were done. She could finally rest.

She made these quilts from perma-press sheet material. They are quite heavy, having an almost smothering effect, like her arms wrapped around us.

She would ask each one of us kids what our favorite colors were, and what size of bed we had. My favorite color is blue, and my bed was and still is a queen size. She would then solicit a donation to cover the cost of thread and material. I remember writing a check for $42.

She was adamant that her quilts were meant to be used, not stored away in a closet. She pointed out that, because they were made from sheet material, they could be washed and dried in the washing machine and dryer. I have found this to be true. With Buddy sleeping on my bed now, the quilt does get dirty more often and needs washing on a regular basis.

After 40 years of use, Mom?s quilt is starting to show some wear, from all the washings, I suppose, and a little bit of Buddy?s chewing. I don?t want to think about having to remove the quilt and storing it away. I may have to have Ken Starek do one of his paintings. Memorialize the quilt forever.

I?m pretty sure Mom had a plan in all this. She knew that every time we made the bed, or handled the quilt, we would think of her.

She was right.

Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526, email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com, or visit his website at www.empty-nest-words-photos-and-frames.com. Curt also reads his stories at www.lostlakeradio.com.