This is what our family always called our Charlie’s Angels picture. The picture was taken one summer of my mom, my sister and myself. I was about to be a freshmen in high school, Angie was about to leave home and would be a freshmen in college. When she left for college I got her room. In her closet was a piece of paper that she listed what she wore each week. This list lasted for an entire month, every month. She worked to not wear the same thing for an entire month. She did not have a large wardrobe but she would make new things just to make sure she kept it fresh.

Fast forward…. my sister graduated with a home ec teaching degree and went on to get married and have 3 sweet sweet boys. The first year that Angie and Joel were married they decided to make a quilt as a wedding gift for some friends using the quilt as you go method. Angie lived in Lubbock and I lived in Dallas so we mailed the blocks back and forth so I could help piece the blocks. Joel helped quilt them and I remember he had the most beautiful small stitches, 12 to the inch just as he had been instructed.

A few years later Angie’s family moved to Ft. Worth which is about 30 minutes from me, so we got together often. At the time we both had 2 kids each under the age of 4.  It was a miracle we got anything done. I even joined a quilting friendship group there in Ft. Worth so we could get together often. We did many block swaps, made things for arts and craft shows and even gift shops would sell our wares.

My sister passed away in 1989 at the age of 31 which was 31 years ago. I tell you this story because I have finished several of her unfinished quilt tops and shared them with her family. I have one more quilt top to complete.

We did a friendship swap for the square in a square block and she pieced the pink sawtooth stars to complete the designs. Each of us had the same swap block and would create completely different quilts.

I have had this quilt top for 31 years. I cannot believe that. I hadn’t completed it because I was on a mission to find enough of the navy fabric for the fourth border (shown in upper corner) I did not have to have the exact fabric just something that matched. Believe it or not this is such a rich deep navy  that I had a hard time making a match.
I finally found a navy plaid that was close enough and finished the top.  My quilter often has a sale on quilting during her birthday month so I was going to be ready.

I took the quilt outside to get some pictures and poked a hole in my finger.

All this time I did not realize that the back of the quilt still had the names pinned on the blocks.

Many of the swap blocks were hand pieced. Each block had to use tan in the middle, greens, then pinks and cheddars and navy on the outside. There was a plan.

I guess this is a good  reason to leave your selvedges on since I can now identify the border as a Cranston Print Works/ V.I.P fabric.  I don’t really recommend leaving selvedges on.

I looked through the names trying to remember each person in this particular swap. I was thrilled when I came across this block with our good friend Roxi’s name on it. After my sister passed away Roxi and I continued our friendship and that makes this quilt top even more priceless.

I am kind of sad to finish this quilt top knowing that it is the last piece of Angie’s work that I have. The quilt will go to a good home and I will always have the memories of  each of the quilts.

Quilts tell a story and they last long after we are gone!

Thanks for reminiscing with me!

-modalissa