Grandma Ruby Neal sent this Double Wedding Ring Quilt quilt (77″ X 88″) for our First Anniversary when Guy was stationed at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, where we lived in a trailer court.
Grandma pieced it by hand, which isn’t easy because of the curved pieces and tight junctions. (I got to work on one years later, so I appreciated this one even more.) She and various relatives had hand-quilted it over several weeks. Made in her rural home, Dallas County, Iowa, 1977.
1985 – Part of the Historic Jordan House Quilt Show, West Des Moines, Iowa.
1991 – Stuart Care Center, when several of Grandma’s quilts were featured there.
Grandma Ruby (Blohm) Neal was known for her handwork: quilts, afghans, doilies, cross-stitched aprons, embroidery. Her own story about aprons.
All three of Dad’s sisters also quilted, may times with their mother. After she retired, Aunt Marian quilted for other people, $100 each as I remember. Marian’s daughter, Jacque, used to own Adel Quilting and Dry Goods in Adel, Iowa, also giving lessons and holding quilting retreats.
What a wonderful gift she gave you, the quilt and all it meant!
Thanks, GP! And to think she made one for all her grandkids and more!
Love, love, love when you write about quilting…and that iron bed? Sigh. Thank you, Joy! 🥰
Thank you, Vicki. The corner of the bed makes a handy place to hold onto while hefting myself out of it. . .
🥰❤️🥰 hugs and love!
Those quilts represent hours of work (and, per my mother’s experiences, sore fingers from being stuck so many times) and lots of love by the makers.
You’re right, Dennis, but somehow we overlooked the sore fingers because of the enjoyment of stitching by hand.
What an absolutely beautiful quilt!!! Nice pillow, also…:)
Thank you, Linda!
A beautiful quilt, Joy. Thanks for sharing the story.
Thanks, John!
😁
I love this quilt. They are so much work and a treasure to own. My Mom and her friends would hold quilting bees. Great memories.
Thank you, Darlene. Anyone who visited Grandma and could quilt would join her if one was in a frame in her living room!
That’s really nice, Joy, such a work of art. My mother-in-law was a quilter, and my wife is becoming one, making quilts for all our grandchildren now.
Hurrah for you wife! How many grandchildren? I have only one, Kate (age 7), so I sure hope she’ll enjoy the ones I have!
We have 6 grandchildren, Joy, 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. The oldest, Jacob, is 27. The youngest, Edward is 2. Quite the spread.
Oh, you are blessed!
Double wedding quilts are visually pleasing and your Grandma Ruby Neal’s is beautiful. I owned a fake store bought one for many years-until it fell apart! 🙂
Thank you, Nancy.
Lovely story, Joy, and what a beautiful quilt!
Thank you, Lauren!