A Tradition Continued

My mother loved to sew and crochet and do cross stitch. All of the members of my extended family have her handmade samplers, bookmarks and potholders.   After she learned to quilt, Mom began to send each little girl in our extended family a flannel doll quilt.  I have a bag of fabric that she never got to use, and some of it is flannel that she used for the doll quilts.

Twenty years ago this summer, we moved into our house, and at the same time, a friend and colleague and her family moved into a house in the next town.  At the time, our daughter was 4 and my friend's daughter (also an Emily) was 13, the perfect age for a baby-sitter.  The two Emilys got along very well, and "big Emily" was "little Emily's" preferred baby sitter for several years. 

Both Emilys are grown now, and "big Emily" is married and has a family.  To celebrate the birth of her second child, a boy, I made a Noah's Ark quilt.  Here's the front:

 

And the back:

                                                 

Along with the quilt, I sent a flannel doll blanket to the baby's older sister.  The yellow flannel is from my mother's "stash."  

                                                 

                                                

I enjoyed making the doll quilt, and I know my mother would be happy that I'm using her fabric to carry on her tradition.