Quilting Bee with Grandma

Grandma Rosina & Grandpa William John Mertz

on their wedding day.

27 March, 1927

 

 The Quilting Bee

Visiting Grandma’s I always had fun

She had a way of getting things done.

Grandpa tilled field, and dinner in oven

She’d take my hand, oh I was in heaven.

Off to the church we’d walk quite a ways

With room there to gather, and for children to play.

Into the gym it seemed big and empty

But tucked on the stage was color a’plenty.

Amazing to see that old dresses, coats and shirts

could be cut and assembled into masterpiece works.

One at a time the women would come

To work on this quilt till the stitching was done.

Chairs pulled around a large wooden frame

Fabric stretched taught in order to tame

bumps, or small creases, they’d have none of that!

Layer between two named after a bat?

Expertly assembled on this frame that they built

This large fabric sandwich was then set on small stilts.

When I was little I’d play underneath

Lay on my back and listen to them speak

Stories were told about weather and grain

They fretted and worried about little rain

But then Grandma spoke about her faith in God

And I knew rain would come and soak the dry sod

Soon Grandmother had me pull up a chair

Could I be included for I had no gray hair?

I learned to thread needles before I could stitch

This job I was given was my little nitch.

I would walk 'round that big old pine frame

To thread a few needles to each lady I came.

A smile, and a hug often waited for me

Tiny eye holes for some were so hard to see!

A few of Gran’s friends were old and quite frank

Some rocked their babies who started to stink

These women enjoyed their time with those quilts

They laughed, joked, and cried, strong friendships were built

Silver steel glided with up and down motions

Thread, shears, and rulers were some of their notions.

After a few years I was invited to sew

I learned there are many tricks I needed to know

Carefully I watched as my Grandmother taught

To take even stitches, bottom layer must be caught.

It did not matter how quick, or how slow

What mattered the most was to sew a straight row.

I understood there’s a level of trust

To sew on their quilt, quality was a must.

Afternoon over soon we packed up to go

My mind was filled with new things I know.

I looked at my Grandma and smiled ear to ear

Beside this great woman there was nothing to fear.

I knew she loved me it was plain to see

Because she took me with her to her Quilting Bee.

-by- Sandra Dodge