Our family’s penchant for making, and appreciating, art comes from many places. There is no doubt these two ladies had an influence in that department.

These two sweet ladies are some of the strongest women I have ever known.

This pieced quilt top was given to me by maternal Grandma Ellis when we moved from my hometown, in SE Missouri, to Michigan, in 1987. She told me it was a collaborative effort between her and paternal Grandma Taylor in the 60s. It is put together with scraps of their lives, and clothing. Working closely with it, over a month, I have come to truly appreciate the labor of love that went in to it. As I quilted over each piece I had to wonder whose shirt was that? What was going on in their life when they wore it? What was going on in the Grandma’s lives as they pieced it?

It is obvious this quilt top was washed sometime before I received it. I have to wonder if that was the reason it was never finished. Who wants to risk quilting a quilt have might unravel? Just look at those loving stitches!!!

I repaired some of the seams but for the most part they appeared to have a wide enough seam allowance to not be a real concern.

It is completely hand pieced, by them, hand quilted by myself. I left all imperfections as I found them. I did replace six squares that were disintegrated, using fabric I received from Grandma Ellis’s collection.

I am pretty sure the cream, with brown diamonds, was one of my Grandaddy Sam’s church shirts. And that makes me think of all the times he came by to pick up us grandkids to take us to church, three times a week, every week. If the doors were open, he was there. And so were we!!

I patched a hole in the red gingham with red gingham from my Grandma Ellis fabric collection, most likely the exact same fabric. She gave me a whole tub of scraps when she downsized. She used to store it in a large suitcase under her bed!

Love the seaman with his flags!

In signing the quilt, I added both grandmother’s initials, and my own, my usual quilt signature. I say, give credit where credit is due.

This was a Christmas gift for my older brother. Another of our name drawing, creating a gift, that has happened every year for many years. Not the first time he has received a quilt, but never one with such sentimentality stitched in.

I know my older brother treasures “Perfectly Imperfect” as much as I do.

“Perfectly Imperfect”
a collaboration between two generations
My maternal grandmother Floye Lee Bryant Ellis
and my paternal grandmother
Ruby Mildred Wooley Taylor
Hand pieced by them, hand quilted by myself
Imperfections left because they make this heirloom quilt perfect
Vintage clothing fabrics
66″ by 79″
1960s-2016

Linking up with
Finished or Not Friday
Needle and Thread Thursday
Crazy Mom Quilts
Sew, Stitch, Snap, Share
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop
TGIFF

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