Posted by Over a year ago I listed an item I never thought I would sell–a quilt my grandmother made me in my teens. By the time my Gram decided to make a quilt for me I was in college. It was the 1970s and I was in my hippie-ish phase. I loved purple, incense and the tiger painting my dad had acquired in the 1950s in Japan.
Gram never even told me she was making me a quilt. She never asked what colors or style I wanted. She made what she thought was appropriate for me. And it was lovely in crisp white and blues and lots of cute appliques that I would have loved when I was nine, but I was 19. She gave it to me at Christmas 1978.
It was too precious to use in college and didn’t fit my dorm-room aesthetic. And over the years I treasured it, but in a way that meant I never used it or displayed it. Which is so sad. It’s been stored in a cupboard essentially all of its life. For decades. I actually feel guilty about that.
Before I listed it on Etsy I asked my daughters if either of them wanted it, but they had their own quilts that she had made them when they were very young and neither wanted mine.
Finally I made the decision to sell it. My price did not reflect the countless hours or the meticulous workmanship or love spent on this. And now that it’s finally sold I am a teary mess.
But if someone finally, fully enjoys this quilt, it will be a good thing. I know that.
Still. Still it’s bittersweet and it was tough packaging it up!
In an hour it will be dropped off at the post office and that will be that. Letting go of sentimental things is never easy!
Would love to hear if you’ve been able to let go of sentimental things.
P.S. Please do check out my Today’s Women of Age blog for fun and thought-provoking posts. Would love to have you as a subscriber.
Hunting for Vintage 
Karen! I am in the process of slowly and deliberately purging before the task falls upon our children in the future (hopefully far future) to purge for us when we’re gone. And like you, I have some blankets that were our boys when they were little kids 25 to 30 years ago. I can still remember seeing those blankets on their beds, or seeing them dragging them to the living room to watch television on, or snuggling under them with their mom or I in the winter. But unlike your beautiful quilt, these blankets have seen much better days. So instead of dropping them off at Goodwill or selling them for a quarter at a garage sale, I am going to donate them to a no kill shelter in the area. Pets have always been an important part of our family and I know the love joy they bring to people. so if they get shredded, by some dog, who’s happy to be in an environment where it’s not being abused or if it gets to go home with the new family, happy memories get carried on one way or another, and new ones get made that we will never know about. So i guess that’s just a part of that big circle of life.
Stuart
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Stuart, thank you for sharing your delightful story. Giving your boys’ blankets to the no-kill shelter is a great idea. I would like to think that my Gram’s quilt will finally be appreciated the way it should. Thank you again, Karen
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