The Rag Quilt

A story called The Rag Coat inspired my friends to make a quilt for one of our friends who lost her grandfather. This friend of our was very close to her grandfather and when he died she was out of town. He was like a father to her and you can imagine how difficult it was for her to not be there to say goodbye. A week later the children had gone through the house taking what they wanted and discarding everything else outside with a free sign. The hurt ran deep within my friend and her family. No thought was given as to if others in the family may want or need something to remember him by.
After hearing the pain in our friends heart, it was decided that we should go and get some of her grandfathers clothes out of the free pile and make her a rag quilt. This was done in secret. We met together the next day with sewing machines in hand and cut and sewed her grandfathers memories into a blanket that would bring her comfort. Here are her words after she received our small gift :
                   

The ones I LOVE gathered my grandfathers clothes. The clothes that were left discarded for free as if they had no value. They gathered them with love and prayers and created a quilt. A quilt to comfort my heart and wrap me in love. A quilt of memories. Even the little ironed creases my grandma made in my grandpas jeans are on the patches. I love you friends and I cannot thank you enough.

 A simple expression between friends to help heal the pain. Friends can bring us down and friends can lift us up.