Mississippi Interlude

Dandelionslayer and I recently took a trip, alone together.  This is not something that is a regular part of our marriage, and it was nice to spend the time together.  But it wasn't exactly the tropical getaway of our dreams.

We did go south, to visit Grandpa O in the old homestead.  This picture is from Sunday, the warm day.  It was sunny.  We took a nice stroll around the neighborhood.  But the rest of the week was cold and gray and rainy, just like at home.  One day, it even snowed.  (Not as much as it did one day at home (which still wasn't much), but that's another story.)  That was okay.  We had work to do inside.

If she who dies with the most fabric wins, Grandma O was a serious contender.  She loved making things and giving them to people.  Local new mothers thought her burp cloths were too pretty for burping.  No cartoon princess is as well outfitted as our cute little nieces are.  I know the joy of creativity, the satisfaction and relaxation of needlework.  I think it is wonderful that Grandma O kept sewing as long as her illness allowed, that she looked forward and planned more projects.

But she couldn't take it with her.  She specifically bequeathed her fancy embroidery and quilting machine to me, which is fun, if a bit overwhelming.  Grandpa O sent that some time ago, along with some thread and fabric.  He said there was more, and that he'd probably box it up and send it to me.  I thought there might not be room enough to receive it.  When Dandelionslayer planned to go help around the house, I decided I'd better take charge of the sewing room.  So Grandma and Grandpa G came to take charge of the boys, and we flew away (on some of the most complicated flights we've experienced, but that is yet another story).

I dove in and measured and stacked and organized and sneezed.  Dandelionslayer, alas, spent this vacation with a miserable cold, so he and his dad kept asking if I was catching it, too.  Nope.  It just doesn't take much dust to set me off.  After three days I'd found the sewing machine accessories that hadn't made it to me earlier, and collected my cut of the fabric, tools, and projects.  I found some things that were ready to send to the nieces.  I collected pieces that had been cut out, and bagged them up with their patterns.  I organized the other patterns by brand and number.  I vacuumed.

Then Dandelionslayer braved the attic.  Along with boxes of his old stuffed animals, Scout memorabilia, and books, he found three more boxes of fabric and craft materials.  Some of them had been up there a long time.  But most of the fabric was still good.  And no, I definitely could not use it all.

So I got it organized and called the Relief Society president.  She was happy to restock the service project closet from Grandma O's stash.  I hope the closet had room enough.  We gave her at least 440 yards of fabric, many spools of thread, and a sewing machine.  I hope she came back later for more tools and kits.  The ladies will be able to make many blankets for babies or disaster victims, and teach the younger girls to sew a few things.  I trust them to put it all to good use, eventually.  I think it's what Grandma O would have wanted.

And I look forward to using the things I collected . . .