A Quilt was Born

The hops harvest was a magical time, long days in the sun compensated by moonlight autumn evenings, dancing on Saturday nights, and relaxing on Sundays. We left to return to our home in the North Island after five happy weeks in the Moutere valley. I had already accepted a proposal of marriage and Chris, my future husband planned to meet my parents during the winter months. Later that year we were married in the little stone church in my home town Inglewood. We settled on the hops farm at Upper Moutere to begin life together and face new challenges along the way.

During those first busy years we shared many joys and sorrows. The birth of six sons but the loss of our second son from Leukemia. It was a time of shocked greiving. However life must go on and so it was with wonderand joy we celebrated the birth of our daughter Ruth in 1963. The combination of farm life and raising our children was indeed an extremely busy phase in my life.

It was more for relaxation that I began my first quilt. A scrap quilt from dressmaking and other sewing project leftovers. There were pieces from my teenage dresses, patches from the boys shirts, curtains and cushions. The quilt comprised a medley of patterns in a simple triangular design. It was reversible too. A kaleidescope of memories stitched with love, for our baby daughter's cot. Can you image the constrasting colors? There were stripes and bright florals, spots and tiny boats, a cream with weeny brown fans. The memories flow on as I turn back the pages of time. Did that quilt foster the love of fabric and stitching which Ruth enjoys and shares with you today? Perhaps it did, I like to think so!