Why Would She?

I needed something new to hang at church, since Advent is over. I was thinking in terms of blues or grays, which seemed to me to be January colors. With little time to ponder, I opened the cedar chest on Sunday morning and took out this quilt.

To be honest, I'm not sure of its origin. I need to check in with my Aunt Evelyn - I think she gave it to me, and I think my Great-Aunt Ella had made it, although the stitching is tinier than on her other quilts. I'd need my sister to help verify its age, but I'm guessing it was made around 1930 or 1940 and was used well. The fabric feels thin, but without rips and tears, and the binding is frayed.

I hesitated to machine baste a rod pocket on top. It didn't feel quite right to do that to an antique quilt. Then I considered that the quilt-maker was almost certainly Mennonite and would support my using it for worship.

Then my thinking went on and I realized that she would also think, "Why would she" if she knew I wanted to hang it in a church. In her mind, and in that time, I'm sure, a quilt was for a bed, not for a wall, and certainly wouldn't belong in a church.

Years have gone by and the universe has stepped in, and the quilt is now hanging and seems to me to be appropriate for January. The size is perfect. Time and fraying have contributed a softness. The mind can rest on it.

My thanks to the quiltmaker.