Patchwork Heritage

I was lucky enough to inherit some patchwork quilts made by my two grandmothers and my mother. These are quilts I knew from my childhood, always seen on a bed or sofa… They were used to keep us warm at night or to make sitting a little more comfortable. And I still use them that way.

Some of the quilts are starting to show their age: they've developed small holes, or the edges are beginning to wear. I'm taking extra care of those, but I keep in mind that my grandmothers made these quilts to be used, and once a quilt became too damaged, it was recycled into something else, like a rug.

« Done is better than perfect (but never finished). »

These quilts are beautiful AND practical. They took hours and hours to make. And I can clearly see that my grandmothers (and my mother) didn't spend hours making sure that every corner aligned perfectly and that every motif was perfectly symmetrical. Furthermore, I see that this somewhat pragmatic attitude has influenced my own sewing, and I definitely subscribe to the philosophy that done is better than perfect (but never finished).

So, I'm sharing with you some quilts that are quite ordinary, in a way, but also transcendent, even spiritual, thanks to their ability to communicate and inspire across generations.