Our little store and furniture shop were doing well and one afternoon a couple came from D.C. They had read the article in WOOD magazine and thought they would try to find us. As they looked at the furniture and the many quilts and spent several hours talking to Mom and Daddy they finally left having bought a gallon of maple syrup and several pillows.
Mom and I started with supper when we heard the store bell jingle again and when we looked out the window we saw that it was the same people. Mom went into the store to see what they wanted. I went ahead and finished peeling the potatoes and fried up a batch of green beans and by the time they left I had supper ready.
As we were eating Mom could hardly contain her excitement. The customers had bought six quilts and several pieces of furniture in hopes they could start their own little store in D.C. selling the things that we make.
The rest of the week Mom quickly sewed several more quilt tops and gave them to Aunt Emma and several other ladies to have them quilted. The next week the D.C. people were back and bought all the quilts and wall hangers we had plus a lot of rugs and maple syrup.
It was only the start of our work. Mom would cut and piece as many quilts as she could and hired several girls to help her. Word got out that she was looking for quilters and a lot of the women from church were kept busy quilting. Our kitchen was in a constant disarray as quilt after quilt was made as fast as we could.
Mom got me started sewing wall hangers and every evening after school I would try to sew several of them. As an added bonus Mom paid me a dime for every wall hanger I sewed and I was thrilled to watch my little pile of dimes grow steadily week by week. The only draw back to all the business we had was that now in the evenings instead of having stories read to us while we ate popcorn and apples we were much too busy to do anything except cut fabric and sew from the minute Mom got up in the morning until it was time to go to bed at night. I enjoyed sewing on my own machine beside Mom's but every once in a while I wished things could slow down a little and we could go back to the way we used to be.
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Wow. What a change that one couple brought to your lives!
ReplyDeleteYou have created a wonderful image in my mind. I can just "see" you all working on those colorful quilts!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting story. I can almost see the ladies all gathered around quilting while telling stories to one another. I bet your mom was proud of you for all your hard work and dedication to your family.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what kind of profit they made on reselling the quilts they bought from you. Your Mom had a small industry going there.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Just think of all of the people who are still using the quilts your mom and you made from back then. I'm sure they are still in use as I still have the quilt that my Grandmother hand sewed for me when I was a teen.
ReplyDeleteGracious, you just never know who is going to come into your life and change it. Hope your mom was well paid by them for her work.
ReplyDeleteI can just picture all the fabrics and all the ladies quilting.
Amazing what one simple thing can do and how it can change things.
ReplyDeleteQuilts are wonderful. They turn into family heirlooms and are passed from generation to generation.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic story, I bet the quilts were beautiful, I would love to see what they looked like, have a good day :o)
ReplyDeleteI bet she loved helping out the family income doing something she enjoyed! I thought the same thing as the lady above - just think how many people are "out there" using those quilts and pieces of furniture! GREAT memory ~ ♥
ReplyDeleteOh, what a story! I sure would love to see some of those quilts you all made up!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Joni
What a neat story. My mom always was busy making quilts. She tried to get me interested in it, but at the time just was not interested. I have made a few baby quilts since I am older. I always said if mom would of matched her colors, they would of been beautiful. Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteuntil next time... nel
I just found your blog. I am already thoroughly enjoying my visits here.
ReplyDeleteFor everything there is a time and a season. I am so glad that you have the before business and after business memories.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story.
How I wish I could be that productive! I have fabric for at least 5 quilts waiting to be made. I'm also trying to launch a quilt business called "Kiss Goodnight". Unlike the quilts that are waiting to be made, these quilts are 1 of a kind designed baby quilts. I have one in the works that is a Dalmatian dog next to a fire hydrant with a fire helmet in front.
ReplyDeleteHope to start a second blog called "In Stitches" for my quilts, costumes & knitting.
Love your blog!
Wonderful! I found you via Friday Follow and am now following.
ReplyDeleteFind me at http://jotgiveaways.blogspot.com
Something like that would drive me nuts after a while (probably after only a few days). I really enjoy the family time I have each evening with my children. We used to have this time every night, without fail. Now we live in the basement of our church ... sometimes people stay rather late and we miss the family time once or twice a week. It was a big adjustment for us. We try to compensate for it by taking walks in the morning (me and one child in rotation), and other things like that.
ReplyDeleteHow long did this work last?
In Christ,
Joanne in MO
It's great that a door of opportunity opened for your family but I hear you loud and clear about wanting the "old" times back.
ReplyDelete