The Promise Quilt

This is the gift that my late mother and I gave my grandson Adam for his first Christmas. Since Adam was only 1 month old on Christmas, his mother Rachel read the story I wrote about the promised quilt gift. The story follows.

The Promise Quilt
Making and Keeping Promises
December 25, 2011

Dear Adam,
This gift is from your great-grandmother; Nana Skilling (Joyce Davies Skilling) and me, your grandmother; Nana Laura (Laura Conklin Nielsen Holbrook). Before your great-grandma passed away, she had started several quilts. She loved to be busy, making quilts, baking, cooking and gardening. She loved her family very much and her many cats. She had a British accent, because she was born and raised in England, that people thought was beautiful, they’d say, “I love the way you talk.”
I remember seeing your Nana Skilling start this quilt. She said something like, “I will have a great grandson some day, this quilt will be for him. I want to have it ready for him when he arrives.” She liked the pattern on the fabric, she choose it carefully. She cut the fabric to the desired size, and the quilt batting for the inside, she choose brown and tan yarn to match for the ties. She started to tie the quilt and got about ½ way through before she couldn’t work on it any more because she got too sick.
This little quilt is part of a promise I made to her. When her time had come to pass on to the other side and leave her body that was very sick, she was worried about this little quilt she had started but didn’t have time on this earth to finish. She really wanted to finish it! I promised her, “Don’t worry, I will finish your quilts for you, it’s ok to go.” Nana Skilling died knowing her quilts would get finished.
This is the first quilt I finished for Nana Skilling, who passed away three years ago on November 24, 2008. She would have given this quilt to you and a big hug and kiss if she was here. She would have loved you, just as much as I do! Which is a lot! I think she is smiling down from heaven on you and is very happy that you will be warm and cozy in your new Christmas quilt made with love and kept promises.

Merry Christmas Adam, on your first Christmas! With Love,

Nana Laura and Nana Skilling