Family Traditions......Quilting, Reunions and such!

Today. I'm preparing for a trip back home to Michigan and am filled with much excitement.  I was home last fall for my sisters wedding and was happy to see many members of my family, mostly immediate relatives at the time.  However, on this trip, I'll be able to visit with a larger group of my relatives because I'll be attending the Carley Family Reunion for the first time in more than twenty years. 

At the wedding, I was able to have a wonderful conversation with my great-aunt Esther Carley Marsden.  Esther is my grandmothers sister.  When my great-grandmother Anna Smith Carley was living, all of her descendants were presented with a homemade quilt shortly after their birth, my sisters and I included.  But over the years some of these precious family made quilts have come up missing.  The whereabouts of my quilt--who knows, I can't remember seeing it since before high school.  This subject came up in our conversation and aunt Esther said that she had just finished a quilt.  I was thinking in my head--"Boy would I love a quilt made by aunt Esther."  As we talked I asked if we could make arrangement for her to make me a new quilt.  She said we certainly could talk about it....fast forward....I return to Pittsburgh and put this all in the back of my head.  Then last month this box arrived at my door.  It contained this amazing quilt from aunt Esther.  Wow!  just my favorite colors too--shades of purple, lavender and blues.  Now I have one of those beautiful handmade pieces of history in my home.  Picture above is a snapshot from about 1955-56 that shows a gathering of family members tying a quilt in at my great-grandmothers dining room.  Shown are (l to r) Richard Wetzel, Sandy Grinnell (little girl), Iva Carley Johnson, Clara Carley Hanchon, Ila Carley Hartley, Joyce Carley Wetzel, Mike Wetzel and Anna Smith Carley.

Each time I look at my new quilt I'm reminded how much the women of the Carley family have always given each of us such love and care.  Thanks aunt Esther.  BTW: she will be 90 years old soon.